Anyone Out There? Want to have Tea?

Good Afternoon,

Its actually been a lot longer than I thought since I had blogged last, for some reason I thought I might have written something last week but I guess not. Honestly I don't know what my problem is, we've actually be doing a lot of things on weekends so I have stuff to write about but I feel like I cant be bothered.

This week it is my intention to update y'all on what we have been up to but in the meantime because I haven't been here awhile I thought I would stop by for tea and fill you in on some random stuff, because I tend to get a lot more covered over tea then typing away and rambling. I am really into tea lately as well, maybe its because its fall and although  I would love to I cant sit around and drink coffee all day.

If we were having tea... I would tell you that I am seemingly not the only blogger who has been on hiatus. I recently reviewed the blogs I follow on Bloglovin' and I would say about 10 of them no longer post. As much as I am sad that they no longer post I obviously get it, sometimes life just happens.

If we were having tea... I would tell you that fall weather here in Maryland is quite interesting. Its only gotten actually cold once and at least every week we have a day or two in the 70s. This Friday its suppose to be 79 degrees which is crazy. What is the weather like where you are?

If we were having tea... I would tell you that I am so thankful that this year we have really gotten to enjoy the fall weather, including today! This morning Lindsey and I and the kiddos headed to Gilbert Run Park and it is absolutely BEAUTIFUL! I have never been before, the lake is absolutely beautiful especially surrounded by all the beautiful fall colors. I got really excited when I saw canoes for rent but sadly that season is closed. In the Spring time Jason and I will definitely be going back and canoeing. Here are a few pictures I took while there.

If we were having tea... I would tell you that I've been obsessed with the Pioneer Woman cooking show and now feel like I need all of her cookbooks. 

If we were having tea... I would tell you that I actually have a thing for cookbooks all the sudden. I like to cook most of the time but I feel like its easy to get in a rut about what I make and I like to try different things. I was talking to Dave and Lindsey about it awhile ago because they have a ton of cookbooks and Dave said that every year for his birthday and Christmas he asked for a cookbook and now they are happy with their collection.. I think I might need to start my own collection. 

If we were having tea... I would tell you that I haven't bought one Bath and Body Works candle this year and its an absolute sin. 

If we were having tea... I would tell you that I was pleasantly awaken this morning by jack hammering in our apartments parking lot, it continued for hours. I don't particularly care for that sound. 

If we were having tea... I would tell you that our computer is pretty much junk at this point. You cant unplug it from the wall because the battery is totally shot but we are holding out as long as we can on getting a new one as long as we can because computers are expensive and they don't seem to last as long as they use to. 

If we were having tea... I would tell you that Jason and I are really into that new show Blood & Oil with Don Johnson. When fall shows return there are always a bunch of new ones and although I started watching a few the only one I really actually got into was Blood & Oil and each week both Jason and I are anxiously awaiting the newest episode. 

If we were having tea... I would ask how things are with you, and how they have been. Most likely if we are sitting having tea face to face its been awhile since we've done so. 

If we were having tea... I would tell you that recently one of my favorite UK bloggers recently released her new book in the US and I am DYING to get to a Barnes & Noble to buy it. Its definitely a girly book but I have followed her for many years and am really looking forward to getting my hands on it. If you are interested you can see it HERE. 

If we were having tea... I would tell you that tomorrow is Jason's birthday and he's not really into birthday celebrations. We ate out a lot this weekend and its not really Jason's thing anyways so I am planning on making a big birthday dinner with all of his favorites. 

If we were having tea... I would tell you that in order to pull off all of the birthday surprises I have planned I will need to take Jason to work tomorrow and keep the truck. That means getting up and taking him to work at 6am.. I am not looking forward to that. 

If we were having tea... I would tell you that I am absolutely obsessed with Twinings French Vanilla Chai tea right now, as well as Trader Joe's vanilla and cinnamon black tea.. if you can get your hands on some of that stuff DO IT, it tastes like cake. 

If we were having tea... I would tell you that Kohls sent me a happy belated birthday email today with a $10.00 off  anything I want at the store! How nice is that?

If we were having tea... I would tell you that there are 7 more Monday's until Christmas! CRAZY! I have already started my shopping and I feel really good about that. 

If we were having tea... I would tell you that I need to make dinner and thanks to the Pioneer woman I know exactly what I am making and I am actually looking forward to it. 

If we were having tea... I would tell you that this past weekend we spent Saturday in Washington, DC and it was absolutely gorgeous out! 

If we were having tea... I would have to excuse myself because as usual when having tea with friends time disappears and before you know it you need to run! 

I plan to be back this week to detail some amazing things we've been up to and share some pictures! I hope you guys are having a great week.. if you are still stopping by to read, thank you! 

VACANT

Good Afternoon Everyone!

I know there has been a big vacant sign around here lately and for that I really am sorry, it was never my intention to be gone for so long but I swear in the last three months every time I close my eyes I open them back up and a week or more has passed, I just don't know where time is going. I thought I would stop in and fill y'all in on whats been going on over coffee, because hello its fall and its the best way to get out a lot of information. Shall we?

If we were having coffee... I would tell you that I have been away from here the last two weeks in large part because I have been really sick with a cold. The Sunday we were at home I started feeling as though I could be getting sick and then Monday on our way back I was sure I was catching something and then it was just miserable. It started in my head and sinus's which is the absolutely WORST and moved its way down to my chest, I still don't feel 100%, I would say maybe 85% because my chest still feels on fire most of the time and I have to take a drink with me where ever I go or I feel like I might burst into flames. This cold has been no joke.

If we were having coffee... I would tell you that Jason has also been suffering from a screwed up ankle, we don't know exactly what is going on but thankfully its starting to get better. He's been doing a lot of icing, elevation, heat and so on. Last week he saw the site medic at work and he suggested soaking his foot in epsom salts and it seems to be helping.

If we were having coffee... I would tell you that my birthday hasn't even arrived and yet I have been UTTERLY SPOILED this year! I have been loving getting tons of mail for the last two weeks!! If you are one of the thoughtful people who have sent amazing gifts and cards, thank you so much.. it means so much to me!

If we were having coffee... I would tell you that the fall weather is still teasing us here.. some days are really chilly and absolutely glorious and some days are 80 and hot. I am so ready for sweater weather, now if mother nature would just follow along!

If we were having coffee... I would tell you that in hopes of kicking this cold I made a big pot of chicken noodle soup for dinner tonight and I cant wait to curl up tonight in my new pjs (thanks Mom) and watch the Thursday night shows.

If we were having coffee... I would ask how things have been with you? Its been far too long since we sat down and caught up. Really.

If we were having coffee... I would tell you that I was almost a little sad not to be in Toronto last night with all the Blue Jays fans celebrating the big win! Friends were posting all over Instagram and the news here was even reporting, it was crazy!

If we were having coffee... I would tell you that the other day Jason used the sun roof on the truck and had an issue with the track. I took it in yesterday for them to look at it and they had to order a part to fix it and therefore I had to take it back today. I wasn't overly impressed but truth be told I don't venture out a lot on my own here because I am really anxious when I don't know where I am going and because the drivers here are TERRIBLE I work myself up about it. But yesterday and today I didn't have a choice because Jason had to work and it was honestly really great. I often work myself up over things that are absolutely fine but I need to do it in order to feel OK about it, and now I do.

If we were having coffee... I would tell you that we are no longer going home over Halloween weekend and I am none too happy about it.

If we were having coffee... I would probably suggest a walk with our coffee because the weather truly is gorgeous.

If we were having coffee... I would definitely inquire about your fall wardrobe staples and new additions to your wardrobe for the season. Even Jason has been improving his fall work wardrobe and the other day he came home from work and I thought... damn you look good! HA! But really.

If we were having coffee... I would tell you that this morning Lindsey and I ran to BJ's with Colton and Ava and Ava insisted on the cart with the car on the front so she could "drive". Well it was hilarious, she drove around in that thing waving at everyone like she was the Queen or something, it was fantastic. This is a crumby picture but you have to see it!

If we were having coffee... I would tell you that my parents sent a parcel with butter tarts in it and let me tell you.. I forgot just how much I love those things. I don't miss much anymore in regards to food I cant get here because plain and simple I just cant have it, but getting a treat you cant get here no matter how rare is pretty good! 

If we were having coffee... I would tell you that although I was super sad to get rid of our old truck and I so in love with the new one! I was really at the point of absolutely despising road trips but now they don't seem half bad. Regardless though I don't want to go any further than the house, which is 4 hours. 

If we were having coffee... I would tell you that I know there was more I wanted to tell you but now I cant remember and if you know me at all you wouldn't be surprised. 

I think its time I end this coffee date sadly, I love catching up but believe it or not I am running out of things to say. 

I am not going to commit to be back here tomorrow or even the next day, I am just going to blog when I have something to say! I hope you will all stick around and check in. I just don't want to bore you with none sense because I really have nothing to say. I am going to work on some recipe posts and stuff and be back soon! 

I hope you are all doing well, have a great day and thank you so much for stopping in! 

If We Were Having Iced Tea....

Good Afternoon,

I was in a super crappy mood yesterday, I honestly just woke up in a bad mood and that's never a good way to start the day. I feel like when you wake up in that frame of mind all the small things seem much bigger than they actually are and that is precisely how my day went yesterday. I knew we were out of Greek yogurt before I even got up and that is how I start my day everyday so switching up my breakfast just irked me. Have I ever mentioned that I'm a creature of habit? Pretty much the day just continued on like that and I didn't have any blogs written to just hit publish on so I didn't make it here yesterday. So because I have been posting a lot of book reviews and all that jazz I thought I would pop in today and chat as though we were having iced tea, because.. well its summer and let y'all know what has been going on!

If we were having iced tea... I would tell you that last night Jason and I went grocery shopping and although I make it a rule never to touch anything in the meat department I did and got gross something all over my hand.. which I obviously needed to wash off IMMEDIATELY! I went to the washroom and the door was open, so I went in only to find a women shooting up drugs. I kid you not. I naturally backed out in total shock and she proceeded to fumble around in there and fly out telling me that I could go in because she was going to be forever. I just needed to wash my hands, and sadly I didn't really want to go in there after. I have always wondered why every time we go there they have police in the parking lot and in the store.. I suppose now I know. I honestly felt bad for this women, I spent the rest of the time wandering around the store wondering what happened in this poor woman's life to get to that point. It was really awful.

If we were having iced tea... I would tell you that Bath & Body Works is having their semi annual sale and today 3 wick candles are 50% off. You're welcome.

If we were having iced tea... I would tell you that I have been trying desperately to find the exact same Vans flip flops I bought two years ago and need to replace immediately but am having absolutely no luck at all. I have literally searched high and low, including eBay.. why would they get rid of the best flip flops known to man?

If we were having iced tea... I would tell you that Jason and I went to the Olive Garden the other night for dinner and I wasn't really impressed, which is how I have felt the last few times we have been there. When you go to Olive Garden you can always count on everything tasting the same, but the portion size is now significantly less which is obviously bad news for Jason and I just wasn't impressed with the taste. Macaroni Grill is where its at friends.

If we were having iced tea... I'm really ready to go home, I try as hard as I can to be a good sport about Jason's job but I am OVER THIS JOB! I am sick of New Jersey, I am tired of being here and I want to go home. I want to go home for a month straight and not leave.. period. The longer this goes on the less negotiable I feel about a month straight at home.

If we were having iced tea... I would tell you that I am in desperate need of a pedicure.

If we were having iced tea... I would ask what you got because I am all about Starbucks Iced green tea lemonade!

If we were having iced tea... I would tell you when you decide to take care of your skin and wear sunblock you are pasty white and that is no fun at all. My legs are frightening, I need a tan.

If we were having iced tea... I would tell you that although I hate being here I am sleeping better than I ever did in our apartment in Jersey City. Jason and I both slept awful there, and we are both sleeping fabulous here... we have decided to get a new bed for travel. Its about time!

If we were having iced tea... I would tell you that I haven't blogged about our trip to Philadelphia and now its been so long I really don't feel like its relevant and I am less inclined to do it. BUT, it really was a great trip so I am going to bite the bullet and make myself write the post today.

If we were having iced tea... I would ask what yo have been up to and are you taking advantage of the beautiful summer weather we have been having?

If we were having iced tea... I would tell you that I am obsessed with the Forever 21 basic V-neck tees that are only $3.90!!! They are so soft and comfortable and I just love the fit, I plan to buy quite a few more!

If we were having iced tea.. I would ask you to tell me about your summer style because I'm having a hard time finding mine. My legs are frightening as previously mentioned so I don't want to wear shorts, I am having a hard time with dresses that are age appropriate and suit my body type (I tried on a bunch of dresses a could of weeks ago and basically just felt bad about myself and wrote them off for the summer) so I basically just don't know.

If we were having iced tea... I would tell you that I am obsessed with sniper books and books written by Navy Seals. I am literally flying through the books that I have so I can buy more of the ones that I really want to read right now.

If we were having iced tea... I would tell you that I have a found a few new beauty vloggers I am into and one that I am all about is ItsJudyTime.. she does amazing reviews, if you are thinking about buying new products check out channel because odds are she has reviewed it! She also has a daily vlog channel and a mommy channel (she has 3 girls, 2 of which are twins!).

If we were having iced tea... I would tell you once again that I wish I never cut my hair, there is literally not a day that goes by that I don't regret cutting it so short. I needed it cut but taking off so much was a huge mistake, I absolutely hate it.. and the fact that everyone else loves it and thinks it totally suits me doesn't change my mind. I am not meant to have this short of hair and I wish so bad it would just grow out a couple of inches.

If we were having iced tea... I have Pandora and I Heart Radio but I am really thinking of looking into Spotify! Everyone is talking about it and I feel like I need to know more about it.

If we were having iced tea... I would tell you that as you get older losing weight is even more of a bitch than it was before!

If we were having iced tea... I would tell you that I am OBSESSED with shredded buffalo chicken right now and will use any excuse to make it! Jason gets bored of things more easily than I do so I have been having to change it up in what I use it for which has been really fun and its making me love it even more. If you are interested in the recipe you can check it out HERE.

If we were having iced tea... I would tell you how much I miss Thursday night shows! I may also ask when you think How to get away with Murder will come back? It went of the air months before the rest of the shows so it must come back before the rest right?

If we were having iced tea... I would tell you that I have been trying a ton of new makeup products because I have been getting them DIRT CHEAP at Big Lots and I am absolutely loving it! I am generally anxious about spending the money on products that I may not like but when they are super cheap that's a bit of a different story, and so far I have loved everything I have gotten.

If we were having iced tea... I would tell you that I am anxiously awaiting my June Birchbox!

If we were having iced tea.. I would suggest a snack because I am actually a little hungry!

I am going to go get a snack! Thanks everyone for stopping by today. I am off to munch and write a post about our trip to Philly.. FINALLY!

I hope you are having a great day!!

High Five for Friday 6.5.15

Good Morning & Happy Friday!

I'm trying really hard to be better about these posts! Sometimes it just seems silly to post about nothing because there has been nothing going on.. and honestly sometimes that happens! This week was the most miserable cold and rainy weather which I realized very quickly I didn't exactly pack for. I don't exactly know what I was doing while packing to come back here because I really didn't bring half of what I should have. I suppose I just wasn't into it because I had just unpacked the day before, therefore this week I have been wandering around looking like a drown rat in Jason's sweatshirts! Ya gotta do what ya gotta do!

Anyways lets chat about some exciting things this week shall we?

1. Day in Philadelphia

A post will be coming about this next week, I did manage to write about part of our day HERE where we visited the Eastern State Penitentiary. We had a really amazing day, Philly is a lot closer to us then I had realized and we had absolutely beautiful weather to tour around this great city! Have you ever been to Philly? What did you think?

2. Thunderstorms!

Although having basically a week of rainy weather isn't always the best thing we had some amazing thunderstorms and I absolutely LOVE that! Sunday I would say was the absolute best, I sat in the window and took in the most amazing lightening for such a long time! Sadly all the rain resulted in quite a bit of flooding but hey, ya gotta take the good with the bad! Sadly lightening is basically impossible to get a picture of but you know what I'm talking about, there is nothing better than a really good thunderstorm.

3. June (but actually May's) Birchbox

If you missed Tuesday's post you can click HERE to read it. I was lucky enough to find a coupon code given by Tati, the Glamlifeguru and get my June Birchbox for $1!! Needless to say I was pretty excited not only because of the cost but because I missed out on my May Birchbox because of moving and I was truly sad not to have it to look forward to. June's Birchbox was a collaboration with Cupcakes & Cashmere and I was super happy with everything I received and I am really looking forward to giving it all a try! - OK SIDE NOTE - Since originally writing this post I called Birchbox to inquire why they charged me $10.00 when the receipt I had said $1.00, long story short when I ordered the box they sent me the May box (which is what I got) and then they automatically signed me up for the June box and packaged it up because it was the end of the month and they were getting ready to send them out. So I had to cancel my subscription but the box I just received was from May and I will still be receiving a June box. Not what I had in mind but I'm not complaining!

4. Big Lots!

Have any of you guys ever been to a Big Lots store? We have one pretty close to our house and we have been a time or two but I cant say that we make it a regular thing at all, and truth be told I don't know why. We went to one when we first came to New Jersey but now that we are right around the corner from it we decided to make a trip over there last week and check things out. Long story short the place is a gold mine for makeup that is DISCOUNTED big time!!! Its not crap makeup either, most of what I have picked up has either been Covergirl or L'Oreal, and I have even gotten some skin care stuff that is Olay Fresh Effects. Now I didn't know why everything was so cheap until this week when I heard a beauty vlogger saying most of it is stuff that has been discontinued! Honestly, I don't care.. they have L'Oreal true match stuff for $2 & $3!!! I bought a bunch of Olay Fresh Effects moisturizer for $3 when in stores its $7+. Jason is so thankful right about now that he takes the truck to work everyday!! If you have a Big Lots around you I would say check it out, they have a ton of stuff worth checking out!!

5. A New Coffee Mug

This sounds silly and honestly maybe it is a little pathetic that its a highlight in my week but if you know me at all in person you will understand why this is a big deal. I cant work with little teacups for my morning coffee... its just not how I roll! I can never get my coffee to taste right in the little cups, I always use big cups and so these last two weeks every morning my coffee just tastes off and its been really irking me! Plus I make a green tea in the afternoon and its pathetic.. I could drink it in one swig! I cant deal. So while out at Big Lots actually I picked up a BIG mug for $2.00 and I'm literally over the moon about it.. obviously it doesn't take much to please me! Seriously though my morning coffee has been on point ever since, a tea lasts me more than 3 minutes and all is write in my hot beverage world!

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I hope you all had a great week, we don't have much planned for the weekend. I am assuming Jason may actually have to work the whole weekend but I am not sure at this point. I know were not fleeing the State or anything. I hope you have a great weekend, hopefully the weather will be looking up here after the week that we had!!

This week I am linking up with:

Tanya @ Prairie Girl in the Big Scary World

Cait @ Fierce, Fabulous & Fit

and these lovely ladies!

High Five for Friday 5.29.15

I kid you not I just went to type the title and its been so long since I have done of these posts I forgot what the freakin' link up was called. No kidding I had to go look it up and then come back to this post! Good lord!!

I'm not going to lie I didn't actually plan on writing on of these this week, right now life is pretty boring and I don't have a lot to share. Not to mention the highlights of my week are most likely already shared somewhere in another post and I don't want to be redundant!

So this is going to be a half ass version of High Five for Friday because as you read above nothing is going on and if it is you've probably already read about it.

1. As you know (or maybe you don't) there is an outlet mall across the street from where we are staying and I have managed to find a few steals there already. I grabbed a pair of denim shorts I am in love with at the Loft outlet for $12.99, how could I resist? I also got a really cute pair of linen shorts in faded camo at the Gap outlet. I have been looking for camo bottoms for awhile and was particularly interested in capris but whatever.. I got something.

2. Obviously our weekend in New York! If you didn't read yesterday's post then go and check it out!

3. The gorgeous summer weather we have been having!! Its legit hot here guys but I am not complaining, I will however say that it is obviously the whole of New Jersey that is constantly windy as hell because literally everyday there is a semi hurricane taking place outside, its really getting in the way of my outdoor reading.

4. Reading. I have been flying through books and its so great! I always feel more relaxed when I am reading a lot, I tend to sleep better at night when I read before going to bed which is also a huge plus. Not to mention I feel really great about having found a good home for all the books I am finishing here!

5. Moe's... there is a Moe's Southwest Grill in the mall across the way and let me tell you guys.. I am taking advantage. In moderation of course but lets be honest, you can never have too many burritos! We've never been this close to a Moe's (technically the one by our house is a little farther) for this long of a period of time and so whats the harm in indulging at a little?

Oh also (and I thought I didn't have anything exciting to talk about) I follow Glam Life Guru on Youtube, she puts out really great makeup videos and the other day her video was about a collaboration with Birchbox! Super exciting right? Well keep your pants on because I haven't even gotten to the good part. If you were interested in trying a Birchbox she had a coupon code that got your first box for $1!!!!! You read that right, and since I have never actually purchased a Birchbox in my name (they have always been gifts) I snagged myself one for June for just $1!! I was super excited, if you are living in the States and have never gotten a Birchbox use the code "TATIOFFER" and go get yourself one!

So this isn't my typical High Five for Friday Post with pictures and all that good stuff but it will have to do for right now, sorry!

I hope you guys had a great week and enjoy your weekend! Thanks for stopping by!

Although this isn't my typical Friday Post I am linking up with:

Tanya @ Prairie Girl in the Big Scary World

Cait @ Fierce, Fabulous & Fit

and of course these lovely ladies:

High Five for Friday 5.8.15

Good Morning Everyone!!

Today marks exactly one week until we move out of our New Jersey apartment! Believe it or not I don't have mixed feelings about it at all, as you know I am not exactly jumping for joy because we aren't getting to go home and stay but coming back the following Sunday because Jason's project isn't completed yet. I am glad to be getting out of the apartment I guess, I don't feel like.. oh I wish I would have... we've lived here for a year and lived in NYC for a year 4 years ago.. I'm pretty much done. I will miss the city in a way but I will definitely be happy to go home for awhile.

This week has been good but kind of quiet, the weather has been absolutely amazing which has been great, everyday I have been making sure to get out and enjoy it as much as possible because I feel like it has been so long since we've had it! It definitely felt like a really long winter to this now southern girl. Seriously though... anything under 65 and I'm in layers.

Anyways lets get to the highlights of the week shall we??

1. Mets Game in the Gorgeous Weather! 

Again if you read Tuesday's post Jason and I went to a Mets game with the McMann's! Tanya and I went to a game almost 4 years to the date and absolutely loved it but the guys had never been. We got tickets later in the week and were psyched to enjoy the beautiful weather and the game. Sadly the Mets lost but Jason and I are Red Sox fans and the McMann's are Yankee's fans so oh well. Regardless it was a fantastic day at the ball field and it didn't last 19 innings like the last game we went to.

2. The Wicked Wolf Wings...

Its very rare that I would care enough about food to put it in my favorites, unless of course it was a burrito! However Sunday after the game we finally made it back to the Wicked Wolf which is one of Jason's favorite restaurants here. We discovered it when we got here last year but during the NFL season it was always a beyond crowded and you would have had to wait in line so we never bothered.. but we always missed the wings. We had decided that we wanted to go back before we left for sure and finally made it their on Sunday, Jason ordered the BBQ wings as well as the medium wings and I pretty much ate all the BBQ ones myself.. they were FANTASTIC. If you are ever in the Hoboken area, I highly recommend stopping by the Wicked Wolf. 

3. Central Park in the Spring Time

I've posted quite a few pictures of Central Park lately, but its just so gorgeous this time of year. Central Park is one thing that I will really miss about the city so I wanted to make sure I got back there once more before we leave. Tanya has said that she also wanted to go back and take more pictures so we decided to head in on Monday. Its always better to go to the Park on a week day because although its still busy, its considerably less so than on a weekend. We toured around for a long time just enjoying the scenery and taking pictures, it was such a gorgeous day and as far as I'm concerned a day in Central Park is always a day well spent. 

I wonder if Demi Moore sold her condo up there?

4. Selling our Couch... and not losing a bunch of money!

Did you happen to read about our couch debacle in Tuesday's post that took place on Monday? If not basically we sold it to a girl, offered to help her move it because she had no one else, we took it to her apartment and it wouldn't fit up the stairwells and by this time it was ripped to shit for lack of better words. When we realized it wasn't going to work she basically said.. sorry guys, thanks for trying. We were so upset and worried that not only would we maybe not be able to sell it and we didn't want to keep it but if we could sell it, it was no longer in basically new condition like it had started out and we were going to take a major loss. We came back to the apartment in a bit of a panic and started contacting anyone who had reached out to us interested in it. In the end we took it to show people (yes we were desperate), they are in a similar situation as us, moving around and not looking to spend a ton of furniture and they offered us exactly what we were asking! Thank goodness! It wasn't an ideal situation by any means but in the end it worked out and I couldn't be more grateful.

5. Old Navy Sale

While in the city earlier in the week Tanya and I popped into Old Navy because its massive, has beyond a lot of options and there was a big sale going on. We didn't really go in looking for anything in particular but found a lot. I am in the mark for some summer stuff and managed to find an amazing deal on a super cute and comfortable pair of shorts as well as a pair of boho cropped pants, they are super soft, almost a satin like material. I will say I tried on a ton of dresses and none of them looked right, which was super disappointing but I am very happy with my purchases and even happier with the price! If you are interested online they are still having a site wide 40% off so click HERE to check it out, they definitely have a lot of great options!

So that is my scoop this week. Next week is most likely going to include a lot of packing.. although I have packed all this stuff so many times I will basically have it done in a day. I did a lot of purging this week which always feels amazing and made a really big effort to start cleaning out the fridge, freezer and pantry and I am confident there will be no waste or having to take a bunch of stuff with us. I am gutted that I am going to miss my Thursday shows next week as Jason will have to unhook all our TV/ internet equipment Wednesday night to take it all back on Thursday because its a lot closer to work than the apartment.

I am going to try and blog as much as possible next week, I know its been pretty sporadic around here the last two weeks and sadly that may continue the next two weeks but after that hopefully I will get it together.

I hope you guys are having an amazing week, and have an amazing weekend! We are hopefully going to have really great weather and make the most of our last weekend in town!! And of course Happy Mother's Day to all the amazing Mothers out there, especially mine! I love you Mom!!

This week I am linking up with:

Tanya @ Prairie Girl in the Big Scary World

Cait @ Fierce, Fabulous & Fit

And of course these lovely ladies!!

If We Were Having Coffee...

Good Morning!!

If we were having coffee... I would tell you that although I really don't go to Starbucks much anymore I am really in love with their cinnamon chai latte right now, iced or hot!

If we were having coffee... I would tell you that I am actually planning on giving up coffee once I finish the stuff that I have and I don't know how I feel about it. I go on these kicks everyone once in awhile but I have been on a new healthy eating regime and I think starting my morning with some green tea would be a nice little addition. We'll see how long it lasts.

If we were having coffee... I would apologize if you are one of my blog readers as I have been really slacking the last two weeks. Things have been busy and I just haven't felt overly inspired to write anything. Give me some time, this tends to happen on occasion and honestly right now it seems to be some type of blog epidemic, but no fear I'm not going anywhere.

If we were having coffee... I would suggest sitting outside and enjoy the beautiful weather we have been having. Tanya got back from Florida Monday night so we met yesterday to have coffee in the park and it was so nice! Outside of Starbucks there is a little square with trees and little tables that overlook the Hudson and its the perfect place to enjoy this beautiful Spring weather.

If we were having coffee... I would tell you that this morning is our preliminary move out inspection and I won't lie I am a little anxious because this company seems pretty infamous for trying to take every penny they can from you.

If we were having coffee... I would tell you that I am kicking myself for not taking advantage of Loft's huge sale this week of 70% off! I filled up my cart with things that I wanted and it came to $273.00 but when I added the discount code it came to $93.00, that is beyond a bargain... but I didn't buy anything. Ugh.

If we were having coffee... I would ask what you are listening to right now because I am looking to change up the playlist on my phone and need some suggestions. And on that note, you know how Apple puts songs automatically on your phone? Well I have a bunch of U2 songs that I cannot get rid of. I absolutely DID NOT put them on there as I hate U2 with a passion but have absolutely no idea how to take them off of there, I know there has to be a way.. please do tell!!

If we were having coffee... I would tell you I have a few things/ places I want to hit before we leave the city but otherwise I feel really good about our time here.

If we were having coffee... I would tell you lately Jason has been really shocking me with just how well he knows me. I swear he has been finishing my sentences and knowing what I am going to say before I even say it.. its pretty hilarious, and he thinks hes totally awesome because of it. I mean really he is.

If we were having coffee... I would tell you that we are going to dinner tonight with one of Jason's colleagues tonight as it is his last day on the job today and he is heading back to Quebec.

If we were having coffee... I would tell you that although I am not a morning person I have been up since 5am and gotten so much accomplished already! I always feel like that, I hate mornings but when I am up I get so much done and feel so accomplished early in the day.

If we were having coffee... I would tell you that I have to run to Target today for a few things and it just never feels like a chore because I love Target so much. Truth be told Jason and I were going to stop there the other night before we went to the grocery store but when we were on our way fire trucks and police cars were coming from every which way and when we arrived at Target that is where they were all heading! They were evacuating Target at the time so we didn't get to stop. I'm not totally disappointed because I prefer going by myself, Jason and I just don't care to look at the same things. That reminds me though I should look up what was going on the other night, last night they evacuated Target it was for a bomb threat.

If we were having coffee... I would tell you that this stuff going on in Baltimore is really heart breaking, I just don't know what they hope to accomplish by rioting in the streets. The images of what is going on there is outright scary.

If we were having coffee... I would tell you that I just finished reading Escape by Carolyn Jessop and I REALLY enjoyed it. This book was written by a woman who grew up and escaped a polygamist community and way of life. He life and struggle were absolutely shocking but its definitely a book of courage and strength, I highly recommend it!

If we were having coffee... I would tell you that I am extremely anxious for Thursday and Friday night TV as this is the week for the season finales of all the shows I watch and they are looking to be AMAZING!!!!

If we were having coffee... I would ask you if you are over the death of our beloved McDreamy on Grey's? I am not.

If we were having coffee... I would tell you we are getting to the point in the job where we are about to leave but still have a bit of time here and it feels like we are in limbo and I hate that. We are going to try and sell our couch and/or bed because we really need a new bed and also because its CRAZY expensive for UHauls so we don't want to have to get the biggest one. I have boxes to start packing but I don't know what to pack on account that we already took home all the stuff we don't need. Not to mention I could pack this apartment in less than a day, I am basically an expert mover at this point.

If we were having coffee... I would clarify that yes we are moving on May 15th but we are only going home long enough to take our stuff home and come back, literally a weekend. Jason will not be finished working so we are coming back most likely for the remainder of May and June but we will no longer be in our apartment or in Jersey City.

If we were having coffee... I would ask you how you are doing!?

If we were having coffee... I would want to chat about the devastation in Nepal and how absolutely awful it all is. Those poor people had no warning and I suppose even if they did what could they have done. Its just awful.

If we were having coffee... I would tell you the people of London sure are dedicated to being around for the birth of the newest Royal baby!

If we were having coffee... I would ask did you know they are coming out with a spin off of Full House called Fuller House and the original characters will be in it!! Am I the only one excited about this?

If we were having coffee... I would tell you that I am on a reading binge again but only the most recent one was at all worth talking about. I am just reading and getting rid of the books I have in the apartment and I am running out of time. When I am done with these I have a huge list of books I would like to get!

If we were having coffee... I would tell you that I am so sad not to be getting a Birchbox this month, I had considered making one this month but I don't think I will. I would still like to go to the Birchbox store one last night but I am running out of things I actually need/use daily and therefore I am just going to spend the money to replace those.

If we were having coffee... at this point we have obviously been talking for awhile and therefore I would probably have to excuse myself to go to the ladies room.

If we were having coffee... this may be the time we have to part ways, I have things to get done before the maintenance people arrive and laundry to fold. It was great to see you ;)

That's it for today guys, I'm really sorry the content around here hasn't been all that fabulous things are just busy. I plan to do a book review on the book I mentioned above and head into the city one day this week and as I have said previously I have some post ideas written down which I plan to put into action, hopefully later on today.

I hope you guys are having a great week, as always thank you so much for stopping by!!

High Five for Friday 4.10.15

Good Morning!!!

Its Friday and I am very excited about said fact! I'm not sure what the weekend will bring but the fact that Jason should have at least one day off this weekend makes me happy! We are also looking at a lot better weather this weekend which will be a really nice change, because honestly at this rate if it doesn't turn around I am going home where its in the 80s!

So shall we talk about my week?

1. Easter Sunday

Easter Sunday was a really great day as I mentioned earlier this week, I woke up an amazing Easter basket from my hubby, I met Tanya for coffee to exchange Easter treats with her and then Jason came home early for a wonderful afternoon. We went for a long walk, came home and had Chinese on the couch and watched a great movie.. it was what good Sunday's are made of. I thoroughly enjoyed the day, ate way to much chocolate and went to bed with a full heart! I hope you all also had a great Easter holiday!

2. Monday's Amazing Spring Weather

Tanya and I knew they were calling for fantastic weather on Monday so we decided we would head into the city and walk the beautiful day away. There was a few places that we wanted to go in the city that we don't have here in Jersey and just wanted to enjoy the city! The day was absolutely gorgeous and I am so glad we took advantage of it because the rest of the week has not played out so well weather wise.

The nice weather brings out the masses! Washington Square Park was absolutely packed full of people out enjoying the beautiful day!

3. New Converse

I have been on the hunt for a certain pair of Converse shoes for quite sometime, I swear I have looked everywhere humanly possible and they most often didn't have them, didn't have them in the color I wanted, didn't have my size or had never heard of them! Perfect. So naturally I went online to try and find them and they were sold out everywhere in my size. Are you kidding me? I asked to be notified online at a bunch of places via email if they restocked but had gotten nothing. While out on Monday I visited a million places in the city and finally went straight to the converse store and there they were! I was pretty excited!! I have so many issues with my feet in regards to shoes, for some reason absolutely every pair of shoes gives me blisters at least at first. On Sunday I wore a new pair of flats I thought was going to be really comfortable and ended up giving me 6 pretty awful blood blisters and ended up really hurting my calves from the lack up support. Plain and simple I need good shoes and I am so happy to have these ones. Thanks to my hubby who spoiled me beyond belief this Easter!

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4. Fast & Furious 7

I mentioned in yesterday's post that Jason and I went to the movies on Wednesday night, I will say this isn't something we do a ton but when we do I really look forward to it. Generally at home there are very few people at the theater we go to and so we sprawl out with popcorn and enjoy the movie. I didn't know what to expect going to the a theater here but it was really great, and the movie was totally worth seeing. We enjoyed popcorn and the movie, and I just barely reframed from making a horrific crying scene at the end. Obviously with the new movie coming out there has been a huge focus on the tragic death of Paul Walker and I wasn't sure how exactly they would play that into the movie as I had heard his brother Cody finished out his role (which you really could barely tell the different between the two). I will say the ending was so tastefully done, but your couldn't escape the profound sadness. See the movie, its worth it. RIP Paul Walker. 

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5. Random Acts of Kindness

Sadly its shocking to me when people are super kind, here at least. Its just so rare that people even notice other people around them so when someone goes out of their way to be kind and overly considerate I am always so grateful and it inspires me to go the extra mile for others. Yesterday Tanya and I popped into CVS in the mall which is no somewhere we frequent, we were standing in front of the makeup (because obviously) and this woman came up to us and gave us a bunch of makeup coupons that she had cut out but wasn't going to use. We were so shocked and grateful for her kindness, if she wasn't going to use them she could have just as easily taken them home or tossed them in the trash but she was kind enough to see that we were looking and give them to us. It may seem like something so small but I don't see it that way at all, kindness is kindness. I think in a way we can all learn from that. 

Alright guys I am signing off, a ton of us have tickets to the Yankee vs. Red Sox game at Yankee Stadium but I am anticipating the game being cancelled as they are calling for 80% chance or rain and thunderstorms. Truth be told I would rather them cancel the game now then us to trek all the way to the Bronx for them to delay and delay and then cancel. Obviously we wanted to see the Red Sox but that just may not happen! Wish us luck!

I hope you guys have a great weekend, thank you as always for stopping in.. the time you take to stop and read is greatly appreciated! 

Today I am linking up with:

Tanya @ Prairie Girl in the Big, Scary World

And these lovely ladies!

Times when I Just Cant...

Hello All!

Where the hell did Spring go? I just cant! Literally this morning when I got up it was feeling like 31 degrees.. RIDICULOUS! This is all because I took all my winter stuff home, I just know it.

Anyways the last few days I have been tired and in a rut with the weather and kind of busy so I didn't make it here yesterday, I thought I would try and make it here today with a little bit of an update and a play on a post I saw the other day.. I'll get to that in a few!

We thought Jason would be working less hours this week but it didn't play out that way, which doesn't really matter on account that the weather has been crappy. Yesterday Lindsey and the girls came out for a visit which was great, sadly we didn't have nicer weather to get out and enjoy the parks but we managed and it was so great to see them. If you remember they actually lived in our building for awhile before moving and sadly we just don't get to see them as much as before so it was great to catch up, I really miss them and having time with the girls. Lindsey is pregnant with their third bundle of joy and they found out yesterday they are having a boy!!! Super exciting and will be a great addition! Because the weather was crumby yesterday as well when Lindsey and the girls left Tanya and I popped over to Shop Rite and I grabbed the stuff to make cream of chicken and rice soup! Jason has been asking for it and yesterday seemed like a perfect time to make it.

Jason got home from work and we had soup for dinner then headed over to the movie to see the new Fast & Furious movie. We have enjoyed pretty much all of these movies and were looking forward to getting to see it. I wont give anything away as it is pretty new but guys... bawl.my.face.off! The ending was horrifically sad but so tastefully done. My throat still hurts from the lump in it while I tried not to make a hysterical scene. Sadness.. I tell ya. The movie was really great though and I highly recommend checking it out.

So the other day I was reading blogs as I usually do in the morning and I came across THIS post by Taylor over at 'The Daily Tay'. I read her blog religiously as I find her absolutely HILARIOUS! She is a stand up comedian in Chicago and quite the sense of humor this girl has, as you can imagine. Overall I recommend checking out her blog but this particular post cracked me up and I could totally relate! So I figured why not try it out myself, and here it goes...

When people walk on the wrong side of the sidewalk and when you are on the right side walking towards them they wont move and look at you like you're an asshole... I just cant!

When people constantly have their face drove in their phone, what is seriously so important that cant wait? You're not that important.... I just cant!

When I DVR a show but miss half of it because of some sort of breaking news that I don't even care about... I just cant!

I will concur with Taylor, when dried flakes of milk from the container get in my coffee!... I just cant. This is not something I will every get use to, I grew up in Canada where milk comes in bags (not I'm not kidding) this milk drying and flaking was never an issue.

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See!

When people are late, period.. its disrespectful and rude!... I just cant!

When the game is tied and there is 3 minutes left, no matter who is playing.. I just cant! 

When it snows and I have to dry.. growing up in Canada helped me not at all in this area.... I just cant! 

When the water is hard (or whatever you call it) and there is constantly water spots on the bathroom counter top.. I just cant. (Probably because I'm a little OCD.)

How much do you love it when you run a bath and you go to get in and the water is the absolute PERFECT temperature, It makes me happy on so many levels.. I just cant! 

You see this 'I just cant' bit can work for all emotions!

You know when you feel exhausted at night so you get in bed anticipating falling into a deep restful sleep and all the sudden your body goes.. "HA! I was kidding" and you're wide awake. I get so pissed... I just cant! 

Birds.. they scare the shit out of me. When they start to fly near me, I literally freak out... I just cant! 

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When homeless people get angry and say mean things when you wont give them money, pardon me?... I just cant. 

When you are walking around a store and the sales people follow you around wanting to 'help'.. thank you, you asked already and I declined.. I know where you find you, stalker!... I just cant!

When you find something you love but cant justify buying it, then you go home and regret not buying it with every fiber of you being so you go back the next day and its gone!... I just cant! 

Stupid drama... I just cant! 

Long car rides. I think I have done more LONG car rides than most people do in their lives and I no longer look forward to them, in fact most often I dread them... I just cant! 

Ok that's all I've got for now! I will be back tomorrow with H54F, I hope you are all having a great day and staying warm!!!

High Five for Friday 4.3.2015

Good Morning!

I hope you guys had a great week, I know that the Spring like weather we had yesterday turned my week around! I skipped last weeks link up because I just didn't have the time to sit down and put the post together as we were at home but I was looking forward to getting back here this week to join in, so lets get started!

1. Being Home.. OBVIOUSLY!

As you know we went home last Wednesday until Sunday and it was a MUCH needed trip! I posted about it yesterday HERE so I wont go into it all over again but by far that was the highlight of me week. Coming back however... but that's not really what this post is about!

2. Moe's Southwest Grill TWICE!

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It says something that I had Moe's twice this week and was so excited both times that I didn't even manage to take a picture! Y'all know I look sooooo forward to going home and having a burrito at Moe's, its always on my list of places to hit while I am there and let me tell you, it never, ever disappoints! Well not only did Jason and I have burritos from Moe's last Saturday but Tanya and I hit up Moe's in the city yesterday! I won't lie I was excited but a little anxious because I wasn't sure it would taste EXACTLY the same as it does at home, but it did. I was so freakin' happy to be touring around the city in beautiful weather and having my favorite thing ever for lunch! WINNING!

3. Spring Weather

We got a taste of Spring weather while we were at home and it was amazing and thankfully said weather has actually appeared here in New Jersey! Tanya and I spent the day yesterday touring around the city without jackets on and it was absolutely GLORIOUS! I only wish I had been daring enough to put flats on before heading out in the morning. This winter felt long and cold, miserable truthfully and I am just so thankful that it is over! Spring is such a wonderful time of year, people are out everywhere just enjoying the weather, everyone has a smile on their face.. its just wonderful!

4. Art in Bloom @ Macy's in NYC

Every year Macy's puts on an amazing flower show, they redo the entire store and liven it up with the most gorgeous blooms! We were lucky enough to visit 4 years ago when we lived here and yesterday Tanya and I ventured into the city to see it. I plan to do a whole post on this Monday with many more pictures so stay tuned for that! 

5. Spring in the City

There are very few things that make me super excited about the city anymore, probably because in a small way I take for granted its close proximity and that I've lived here on and off so long that I have done more everything I have wanted to do. One thing I do love about living so close to the city is how gorgeous it looks in the nice weather. Being a huge tourist trap NYC really does go above and beyond to make this city beautiful come the nice weather. As you know this weekend is Easter and while touring around yesterday Tanya and I came across this gorgeous display at Rockefeller Center. I'm sorry for the quality of the picture, I couldn't get good lighting but let me tell you, if you ever manage to get to New York City than I highly recommend visiting Rockefeller Center, they always have beautiful displays outside, all year round. 

Well guys that was it for my week! I hope you guys are all enjoying the Spring weather that is slowly showing its face! 

Before I take off for the weekend I wanted to mention yesterday being World Autism Awareness Day! Unfortunately my Instagram doesn't seem to be working so I couldn't share this picture yesterday about this amazing cause so close to my heart but it is something worth acknowledging everyday! I appreciate that yesterday was the day to recognize this cause but it should be everyday! 

LIGHT IT UP BLUE!

I hope you guys have a fantastic weekend, as well as all the Easter festivities! I believe Jason will be working so we haven't decided if we will have a big dinner yet or not! So Happy Easter to all of you and your families and I look forward to meeting back here next week! 

This week I am linking up with:

Tanya @ Prairie Girl in the Big, Scary World

and these lovely ladies...

A - Z Beauty Challenge

Hi y'all,

As you know I tend to follow quite a few beauty vloggers on Youtube as well as their blogs! One of the newer discoveries is Fleurdeforce who you can check out on Youtube HERE or her blog HERE. While watching some of her older videos I came across one that was a tag on Youtube and I thought it would be fun to give it a try here on my blog and see if I could do it.

The challenge is basically list the letters A through Z, name a beauty brand starting with that letter and a product of theirs that you have tried and either liked or disliked. I don't think its an easy challenge but I think its a great idea!

So here goes nothing...

A - AMIKA. Without a doubt I absolutely LOVE all of their products! You can read my review HERE for the Bombshell Blowout Spray, and Tanya recently gave me a hair mask and I couldn't love it anymore. All of their products are absolutely amazing!

B - BARE MINERALS. I have tried a ton of Bare Mineral products but still my favorite by far is the Marvelous Moxie lipglosses! They have a great color selection, wonderful staying power and are super pigmented.

C - CAUDALIE. I love Caudalie products but so far my favorite has been the Vinosource S.O.S morning eye rescue cream. I got a sample in my Birchbox and its absolutely fantastic. I generally think Caudalie is overpriced but this is a product I would actually consider purchasing.

D - DR. BRANDT. Pores no more pore refiner. This was another fantastic Birchbox find! If you have never used a pore refiner this is the one to try, although expensive let me tell you it makes a huge difference in your makeup application and the way it settles and wears on your face all day. Beauty is expensive people, believe it or not we don't wake up this way!

E - E.L.F (eyes.lips.face). I love E.L.F products and they truly are the cheapest priced cosmetics ever and it is by no means crap! You can purchase these products directly from them online as well as at Target and recently a variety of other places. I would say my favorite thing of theirs that I use is their studio brushes! I believe the most expensive one is $8 for a large kabuki and so far I have yet to have to throw one out! If you are looking to try new brushes I would check them out!

F - FOREVER 21. They actually have a ton of makeup products and I cant say that I have tried a ton but I have used their facial towelettes and I probably wouldn't buy them again. I have really sensitive skin and I felt like they dried me out but I know that Tanya uses them and there are some that work for her and some that don't. I suppose it could depend on the scent you use as well.

G - GIVENCHY. Very Irresistible perfume. I love this perfume, I wore it the last time I lived in New York and couldn't get enough of it. Truthfully it makes me nostalgic for my teenage years as a really good friend of mine wore it all the time! This perfume is timeless and when I'm looking for a new perfume this one is always a contender!

H - HOT TOOLS. This is technically a beauty product as you couldn't get beautiful curls with out a good curling iron. Jason bought me one of their curling iron two years ago and I absolutely love it. Sadly I had asked for a smaller size than I should have and with all my hair it takes a super long time to curl my hair where as it wouldn't with a bigger barrel, but none the less its an absolutely amazing product and you will often find them in salons.

I - INGLOT. I have not used this brand but I have been struggling with I for awhile and decided that I would use a brand that I have heard of and wanted to try but haven't gotten around to it. Its not really cheating I suppose in that I am still giving a brand and a product! I is hard guys! I have heard their eye shadows are what you should try!

J - JUICY COUTURE. The only thing I have ever tried from Juicy Couture is their perfumes and I really like the scent Viva La Juicy. I really love fresh floral scents, especially in the summer and this one is definitely that. I recommend checking it out next time you are in a Sephora or Ulta.

K - KIKO MILANO. You can read my post HERE about the products I have tried from Kiko recently and how I rave about them. Let me tell you guys, if you haven't checked it out.. I don't know what you are waiting for.

L - L'OREAL. Of course I have to say their True Match Foundation! I have used their regular one for years and recently purchased and love the new Lumi version. Its has the widest variety of shades to color match, its a fantastic foundation and reasonably priced. This is a holy grail product for me.

M - MAYBELLINE. This is a tough one for me, I can't decide which product I love more from Maybelline. It would either have to be their Instant Age Rewind Concealer or their new line of Matte Lipsticks to which I own most of. Maybelline is a great brand all round.

N - NYX COSMETICS. Definitely their Hot Single Eye Shadows! They are reasonably priced, super pigmented and therefore last a super long time. They have a great color range, they blend beautifully and are great to travel with. Not to mention their little pots are super cute!

O - OLAY FRESH EFFECTS. I really do love their whole line as you can see HERE but if I had to choose one thing to recommend it would definitely be the Out of This Swirl, Deep Pore Clean Exfoliating Scrub which I talked about in my Nighttime skin care routine HERE. I use it everyday on my very sensitive skin and honestly I feel like my skin has never looked better, its gentle but definitely does the job and smells fantastic. Its a reasonably priced everyday facial scrub!

P - PHILOSOPHY. I love everything about this brand, all of their products, you name it. A holy grail product for me has been their Purity Facewash, its the best thing ever. Last summer I purchased their Loveswept Perfume and I am still very much in love with it! Not to mention Jason bought me their Coconut frosting shampoo, bodywash, bubble bath combo for Christmas and I am smitten!

Q - ... I got nothin'... sorry!!

R - RIMMEL LONDON. Natural Bronzer. I am sure I have Rimmel lipsticks but I have used their natural bronzer for years. They have a variety of colors, some with shimmer and some without.. I find they suit my skin tone perfectly. I will say I recently tried one of their blushes and really didn't like it, no color pay off at all, complete waste of money.

S - SEPHORA. As I'm sure you know Sephora carries their own line of products and I have used their pressed powders for years. In fact I had always believed that there was no difference between drugstore makeup and higher end but that converted me. I still believe drugstore makeup is fantastic for the most part but I think there is a reason they can charge so much for higher end products. Sephora carries their own line in everything from powders, lip products, eye products, etc.

T - THE BALM. I have tried a few products from this brand and there are quite a few products that I would really like to try but of my favorite right now I would have to say it is the Cindy-Lou Manizer. I believe this is meant to be a highlighter but I think personally its more of a blush with shimmer. On days when I am not overly interested in going all out with my makeup I will skip bronzer and highlight and just use this stuff and I love it. I have to say that packaging for The Balm products are absolutely fantastic as well.

U - URBAN DECAY. Naked Basics 2 palette y'all! I got that palette just after Christmas and I couldn't love it anymore, it is all I have been using since I got it. I feel for what you get it is a really great price, the packaging is super sleek and seems pretty indestructible, I believe if you dropped it the eye shadows wouldn't shatter. The line of Urban Decay Products is HUGE and after using this palette I would absolutely try more.

V - VASELINE. Believe it or not I had a few options for the letter V but Vaseline is timeless. Not only do they have a variety of scents/tints for lip care but they have the fabulous body sprays that I am obsessed with! Their lotion line is vast and affordable, there is definitely a product for everyone! If you would like to check out some of the options please click HERE!

W - WET N' WILD. If you watch the Youtuber KathleenLights you will know that she RAVES about Wet n' Wild products all the time and often uses them as dupes for high end brands. When I was first looking to try out a red lipstick I wanted to make sure I would be comfortable in it before I spent the money on a really good one. I purchased a wet n wild red lipstick and although I have higher end ones now I still find myself reaching for that one. This brand is extremely affordable and offers greta products, I am sure I used more of it when I was younger.

X - XEN-TAN. This is not a product I have used or care to but X is just as hard as Q and when I went looking around for something this is what I kept coming up with. I am not a self tanner that is why this wouldn't be something that I would reach for but I made sure that I wasn't recommending something that was crap so I read a ton of reviews and apparently this is fantastic. So if you aren't already obsessed with the St. Tropez self tanner you might want to give this a whirl!

Y - YSL (Yves Saint Laurent). This is actually a wishlist item as the brand is pretty pricey. I would love to try their Shocking Mascara as a ton of the British beauty vloggers recommend it. I would also love to try to Touche Eclat radiant touch highlighter, and any of their lipsticks. I'm not sure I will ever spend over $30.00 on a lipstick but if I ever to it will be a YSL one.

Z - ZOYA. Believe it or not I have tried a Zoya nail polish! They have a great selection, I would say they are average price for a nail polish because lets be honest they are mostly all extremely over priced! They do carry this brand in a lot of salons as well, maybe next time you are out for a mani pedi give it a try.

So there you have it, I challenge Tanya to make the same list while trying to use completely different brands than I have selected and anyone else who is interested! I think its a great way to be introduced to new brands and products that may be of interest to you!!