Birchbox: August

So I'm a little overwhelmed with the amount of Birchbox item's I've gotten this week.  I got my August box  (box number 2)  today, much faster than my July box.

At any rate these are the Item's I've gotten in my box for this month-- with reviews to come later!

The biggest and probably most "expensive" item that I got from my box was the new Schick Hydo Silk razor.  Birchbox must know how much I love to shave my legs so they decided to give me a razor (Hilarious birchbox....)  The little note on the front of the razor says: 

" We scour the high-end beaty world for products you need to try.  Like right now.  But we also keep an eye out for affordable finds that will improve your day to day, like this new razor by shick.  The water- activated serum moistruizes skin while you shave, and the innovative oval-shapped design hugs tricky areas like knees and ankles.  Were adding this trail to your usual sample haul because we think you'll love it"-- Birchbox

... We'll see about that.  I'm not so convinced that any ovaly-new fangled razor could make me want to shave my legs any more than the mandatory once in a blue moon.  ANYWAY.  I'll try it out and let you know how it goes.

This is the next little gem I got in my box.  Very tiny yes, but apparently has amazing abilities to moisturize.  I have already decided because of the size of the sample that I will be using this cream strictly for my cuticles which you can tell from the picture CLEARLY need some hydration. 

 The next item that was included in my box was the Viva La Juicy La Fleur perfume by Juicy Couture.  I'm not really a huge fan of changing up my perfume.  I have 2 perfumes I Use: Victorias Secret Heavenly and Victorias Secret Love spell.  The perfume that I got in Julys box literally had the most awefull packaging.  It was essentially a little tube with a cork at the top and impossible to open without getting it all over your hands.  And if your like me-- your hands are always close to your face which makes for a really potent smelling morning.  The packaging on this sample is WAY better because it actually has a spritzer-- so a Billion bonus points to Juicy Couture for figuring out the spritzer is the more efficient way to hand out a sample.  Anyway I actually really like the smell of the perfume.  I'm not going to begin to try to describe it to you because I'll literally sound like an idiot.  How do you describe a smell? (In my head I keep thinking.."what does an orange smell like?" My answer would be "pretty.... orange-y?!").  Anyway its a pleasant floral smell.

Next I got a pretty awesome lip color and liner.  While I don't ever line my lips, I have been trying out some new colors-- specifically lip tints (because they usually last all day)  This Pixi lip gloss seems like a pretty decent amount of lip gloss.  I have a Pixi eye shadow primer which I love so I'm hoping this gives me just as good results. My only concern is that it may go on fairly dark which I am not really a fan of. 

The last item that I got in my August box was Miss Jessie's Stretch Silkening Creme.... for curly hair.. yeah.. Not really sure why I got this.  Until I looked at my preferences on Birchbox and realized my hair selection was set to curly and thin.  Thin yes.  Curly no.  Wavy? yes.  Who knows.. maybe this creme will help my hair be a little wavier when I attempt to do beach wave hair?! We'll see.  

If you want to purchase your own birchbox click this link so you can get yourself and me some birchbox points!

Birchbox July

So yesterday I got my first monthly subscription of Birchbox.  Birchbox is essentially a monthly subscription that sends you samples of high end makeup.  The Birchbox website advertises their boxes with the following information: 

"Join Birchbox and get monthly deliveries of trial-sized samples from both well-known brands and emerging gems. It’s the smart way to try and buy new products. Birchbox is the best way to discover new grooming, beauty and lifestyle products. Sample top products from high-end brands, get expert advice, buy new favorites and earn points with every purchase.”

This is my first month of trying Birchbox.  I’ve read a lot of really great reviews about birchbox and the products that bloggers have received with their boxes.  So I grabbed myself a little invitation off a friend (to get them 50 points to spend in the Birchbox store) and I signed myself up!  I signed up right before the end of June so I just got my order in before the July boxes were sent out.  I got a message saying my box was shipped a day or two later and I was so excited.  Birchbox gives you the ability to sneak peek what is in your box while your waiting for it to come.  So of course I HAD to go look.  I was getting some really great things including nail polish which was I was excited for.  I waited a few days—didn’t check the tracking and my box still wasn’t here.  When I checked the tracking I found out that the box had still not shopped.  I immediately contacted birchbox who promptly got back to me and said they weren’t exactly sure why the box hadn’t shipped on time but they have given me 100 points to spend in the store ($10 – or basically gave me my box for free in july) and that the box was going to ship ASAP.  I was kind of sad when I compulsively checked my box info to see that the original items had changed and I was no longer getting some of the goodies that I originally thought I was. 

At any rate, the box came last night and Ill give you a sneak peak at some of the stuff that came in my box.  I’ll be doing some individual reviews of this stuff later but here’s a look at what I got!

The lovely Birchbox

A little post card about the box

Eyeko Skinny purple eyeliner

Joyer luminizing moisture tint

Oscer De la Renta perfume

Earbuds

Boscia green tea blotting linens

If you want to learn more about birchbox or want to order your own theres a link to the right of this blog that you can use to get yourself (and me) some extra points to spend in their store!

Weight Loss Wednesday!

Weight loss Wednesday:

Start Date: 7/25/2012

Today’s Date: 8/8/2012

Weight lost: 5 lbs

Week Successes: Staying on track and focused!

Week Struggles: Sleep!! I need wayyy more sleep!  Damn you Olympics!

Lessons Learned: Strict eating + water = Weight loss!

Goals for Next Week: Stay strict and add some workouts into the game plan.

So this week was good to me.  Actually it was great.  I lost 5 lbs which was way more than I was expecting.  I love that about low carb.  The first few days I tend to lose a lot of water weight which really shows on the scale.  That makes me happy and encrouages me to continue.  Also in good news I broke past the number that I have been stuck at for quite some time. 

Yesterday wasn’t so good for low carb.  We had a new hire at work yesterday so we all took her out.  Naturally my (non dieting) coworkers decided it would be a good idea to go to a sub shop.  Not so great for me. Anyway, I broke down and ate a Sub. 

Oh well.

I’m getting back on track today and I think yesterday helped.  Stay tuned till next week!

Instagram help!!

Hey everyone,

So today I went onto Facebook and saw UPMC Health plan had one of MY photos featured on their cover photo-- talk about exciting!! 

The one right in the middle!!

The photo was entered to help win my mom an Ipad, and basically if one of my  pictures gets chosen for the final 10, if it has the most likes it wins! So i have a quick request for you:  

If you have instagram (or always thought about getting instagram) do the following steps to help me win!!

1.        Open instagram (or download it if you dont have it)

Open instagram!

2.        Tap the star to “explore”

3.        Tap the search box

4.        Tap the “hashtag” box

5.        Type in “MyHealthySummer” and press enter

6.        Go to the following photos and click the “<3 Like” button.  You may have to tap the "Load More" button to find them all!

LIKE THESE PICTURES:

The contest ends August 15th and winners are chosen August 16th! Go Like my stuff people!!

My Week In Instagrams

I Mustache you a question...

ET Nub Home..

Aw Nubby Face

My neighboring cubes like to chuck things at me... Friday's item happened to be gum.

This picture just about sums up North Park

Well this is awkward... thanks August

New kicks!

Finally brought my soda stream to work.. Best idea ever.

Lego man is having a beach party..

People messing up my stuff!

Pants were WAY too much work for friday..

Friday nighttt

Good morning bloggers!

I'm spending my morning at the wonderful pool managing and holding a training for the workers here.  The pool is so calm and relaxing when no one is here... Go figure.

Awww so pretty

Last night I spend my night: Sleeping, eating dinner with my mom at Max and Ermas, and visiting my sisters house.  My wonderful sister is an ER PA, which arguably makes her one of the smartest people I know.  But on Wednesday her brain must have been left with the coffee on the kitchen table-- when she decided to stick her hang into a running lawn mower.  She admits it was the stupidest thing she could have done and it basically was just a dumb moment.  Anyway, she broke the tip of her finger and had a pretty decent gash.  So now she has a nub.... 

Okay, not really a nub because her whole finger is there but we call it a nub because you cant see her little finger.

ET Nub Home.

Shes in a lot of pain and is taking medicine (and eating as much graham central station ice cream as she wants) which makes for hilarious times.  As you can see in the picture above, we decorated the little nub with a smiley face.

Should say, "YEAH NUBBY!"

PS: someone from work just brought these in for the rest of the guards.  These people are trying to make me fat.  I Will not have one.

Erie Vacation!

This weekend I took some time off both jobs and got to go on a mini vacation to Erie.  It started out a little rough because some of the planning wasn’t thought through very well—like who was going to take care of the dogs while we were gone.  It was a little stressful at first but we got a move on and got to Erie in no time.

When we got there on Friday, we went for a 6 mile bike right through the Presque Isle bike trail—and then stopped for dinner at the usual Friday hang out—Max and Ermas.  Anyone, any day could say “Lets go to Max and Ermas!” and I don’t even need a second thought.. I’ll go for sure!

Saturday, the day started out really rainy so we got a late start to fishing.  The day started to clear up by about noon and I was able to get my tan on—I should say, my burn on.  We caught a few little fish here and there, with one big catch—what we were told was a sheeps head fish.  I took a few silly pictures…

And got slapped in the face by a fish…

We went for an 8 mile bike ride and then went back to the hotel to clean up.  Luck I did because I ended up being asked to go to a house warming party that a friend of mine was invited to.  We went to dinner at red lobster where they decided it would be a great idea to give me a Taser..

 We ended up spending a nice night in Erie reconnecting with friends I haven’t seen in a while and playing some pong (I was on FIRE!)

Jon: "Horrible Fancy Picture"

Aww, Reunited (crappy picture)

Sunday and Monday we did the same as the first two days… Woke up.  Went fishing.  Went Biking.  Get my burn on.  Went to dinner..

Nothing too drastically different from day to day, with the exception of Monday, which was when I decided it would be an awesome idea to bobble a diet coke lime in my hands and then essentially  chuck it to the ground where it hit gravel and decided to literally shower me head to toe with diet coke lime.  Awesome.