STAY TUNED UNTIL THE END OF THE POST FOR A SPECIAL SAVINGS LINK JUST FOR MY READERS!

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Legally, I have to start this post by letting you know I received these items for free in exchange for an honest review! Y'all know I'll be honest no matter what I'm given so no worries there. 

These might be the nicest accessories I own right now. 

Erase the "might be" because HOT DAMN these feel fancy. 

As soon as I opened the box I knew they were quality products. I was hit with the immediate scent of leather. My eyes got wide and I told my husband, "Holy crap. Do you smell that? IT'S ACTUAL LEATHER!" 

I'm easy to entertain, y'all. 

​Let's start it up!

Buffalo Hide Leather, y'all. 
 
Let me say that again:

Buffalo Hide Leather

There is a lot of space inside. There is plenty of room for your approved size liquids if you're flying! 

AND it comes with this nifty addition:

• TSA APPROVED LOKSAK BAG • Keep liquids away from your essentials with a TSA approved Loksak waterproof bag. Featuring a hermetic airtight seal and waterproof certification up to 200 feet/60 meters, this bag offers leak-free protection.

(Disclosure: I did not receive one of these loksak bags so I can't review that part personally BUT IT SOUNDS SO NEAT!)

This is one of my favorite inventions ever. 

I take a lot of cords with me when I travel. My phone, my kindle, my husband's phone, my kids' tablets, and a laptop. Oh! And headphones. 

Yes, they end up a tangled mess that would revel Christmas lights. 

But this has neat pockets, loops, and a cloth bag to store all of that! 

Again, high quality leather! 

​Here's a pic from their website of it in action!

I am IN LOVE with this bag. 

There are so many pockets! SO MANY OF THEM!

I can easily fit my kindle, my phone, cords, snacks, my wallet. I could probably put a kitten in here if necessary. (You never know, okay?) 

Crossbody is my favorite style because I like having my hands/arms free. With 4 zippered pockets, 2 snap pockets, and a velco pocket...I'm set for the long haul. It's seriously a great "mom purse" based on pockets and storage size alone! 

Plus, again with the quality leather! 

You can click on the pictures to go directly to that product on their site! Be sure and take a look around because they have other fantastic products beyond bags! 

They were also nice enough to give me a special discount code to share with y'all! It's for a limited time so GET IT NOW because after July 31, 2017 it'll be too late. 
Use SAVE15 to save 15% at checkout!

However! They run specials and deals frequently so go check it out even if you're reading after the above date! 

Thank you SO MUCH to Dwellbee for sending me these awesome bags! I love them so much!

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I just got the nod to become a Land of Nod affiliate! 

Y'all. Their stuff is downright adorable. But not that "cutesy baby crap" adorable. This will grow with your child. Hell, I'm seeing a few things I'd put in MY room! 

This Rainbow Blend Knit Blanket is really pretty. 

Not gonna lie...I squealed a bit when I saw this book! 

I LOVE THE POKY LITTLE PUPPY!!! It was one of my favorite books as a kid!!! 

If anyone can help me talk my husband into a Poky Little Puppy Throw Pillow, I'd appreciate it...
They also have adorable things like a Poky Puppy Hooded Towel! (That's on SALE right now!) 
SOMEONE BUY IT SO I CAN LIVE VICARIOUSLY! My kids are outgrowing hooded towels. 

Definitely explore their website. They have a blog full of cute ideas, tips and tricks, and an awesome sale section. 

If you're looking for handcrafted decor for your child (or your inner child...I don't judge) THE LAND OF NOD is your site! 

This post contains affiliate links. That means I get a teeny percentage but you pay the same.

I love this thing. 

My kids can use it to fill AND TIE their own water balloons. I'm sure my parents wish we'd had something like this when I was a kid. Tying a thousand balloons by hand is hard on the fingers! 

Here are videos of the kids demonstrating.

I can whip out several balloons in a matter of minutes. 

Now, occasionally it slips off and sprays water everywhere...but the entire point of water balloons is to get wet, right? 

I'm not being sponsored to promote this or anything...I just think it's the coolest thing I've seen. There are also refill packs with all sorts of colors! 

Go to Amazon and check it out by clicking here! 

My husband has been gone a lot in the evenings this week. So, I've been able to watch movies he wouldn't otherwise...he's not a horror fan. 

I rarely go see movies in the theater unless I'm sure I'll like them...or unless I've read the book. I don't like spending $10+ on a maybe. 

THE FOREST

​When her twin sister disappears in Japan, a young American named Sara (Natalie Dormer) becomes determined to find out what happened to her. Sara's investigation leads her to the legendary Aokigahara Forest, located at the base of Mount Fuji. Accompanied by expatriate Aiden, she enters the mysterious wilderness after being warned to "stay on the path." Her investigation plunges her into a dark world where the angry and tormented souls of the dead prey on those who dare to explore the forest.

I went into this movie with high expectations....and had those sorely dashed. It ended up being one of those movies where the plot never got rolling. It felt like all exposition. I kept waiting for it to really pick up and GET GOING and then.....it ended. The simplicity of the premise didn't allow for a lot of plot development anyway. Even so, I kept feeling like I'd been given pieces to a puzzle without the box...and that's where the rest of the pieces were being kept. I also hate when a movie relies on jump scares! If you can't freak me out without a dozen scary things jumping out at me...your writing sucks. 

THE VVITCH (WITCH)

In 1630 New England, panic and despair envelops a farmer (Ralph Ineson), his wife (Kate Dickie) and four of their children when youngest son Samuel suddenly vanishes. The family blames Thomasin (Anya Taylor-Joy), the oldest daughter who was watching the boy at the time of his disappearance. With suspicion and paranoia mounting, twin siblings Mercy (Ellie Grainger) and Jonas (Lucas Dawson) suspect Thomasin of witchcraft, testing the clan's faith, loyalty and love to one another.

It got such high praise on various websites. I went in thinking I'd walk away properly terrified. 
Nope.
They worked really hard at making this film disturbing and, when I got bored, I started picking those things apart. 
- The use of neutral colors with splashes of red. We, as a species, know red usually means blood so it's bad. The neutral colors make the red POP. 
- Silence. Very rarely do we encounter silence. Stop reading and listen around you. Background noise is everywhere. The hum of the AC, the air moving the trees, a car driving by...When those noises are removed, our instincts tell us something is wrong. They erased background sounds several times in the movie to create an edge. 
- Varying volumes. I kept futzing with the volume control because it would dip down to barely above a whisper so I'd listen harder and then BAM LOUD NOISES. 
So, overall, I walked away feeling disturbed but didn't enjoy the movie. I thought it was flat and a little boring...kind of like The Forest. 

THE BOY

A young American named Greta (Lauren Cohan) takes a job as a nanny for an 8-year-old boy in a remote English village. To her surprise, Greta learns that the child of her new employers is a life-size doll. They care for the doll as if it was human, which helps the couple to cope with the death of their own son 20 years earlier. When Greta violates a list of strict rules, a series of disturbing and inexplicable events bring her worst fears to life, leading her to believe that the doll is alive.

This one I did enjoy! The premise of a creepy doll has been done, yes...but I enjoyed the way they went about it here. 
I can't say much without spoiling it...but the story ended in a way I didn't expect and definitely freaked me out more than I'd thought it would. 
The final shot, however, I could have done without. It just wasn't necessary. 

Have you seen any of these movies? What did you think?

I was given these products free in exchange for my honest review.

Back in December 2015 I was introduced to Simply Earth Essential Oils. 

Honestly, I love them and everything they are becoming. Their essential oils are very reasonably priced and their donations support groups that help those affected by human trafficking. 

So when I was contacted at the start of the year about doing a review...I got excited. 

I did tell him I'd reviewed for them before and was assured this fact did not disqualify me. I requested a random assortment of oils (because I can never choose from a list). 

They arrived promptly with only one bottle having a slight leak. (This is something they're aware of and have probably fixed by now) 

I immediately began researching what awesome concoctions I could come up with....

Grapefruit Peppermint Coffee Body Scrub
I kind of made this on the fly so I'm guessing at the amounts (I didn't write them down! I'm sorry!)
- 1/2 cup coffee grounds (I saved mine from my reusable coffee thing)
- 1/2 cup Epsom Salt
- 10 drops Grapefruit EO
- 5 drops Peppermint EO
- Enough grapeseed oil to make it scrub consistency

Supposedly, coffee grounds and grapefruit in a scrub is good for cellulite. I just know it smells neat and exfoliates wonderfully! 

Sore Muscle Body Butter
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 1 Tablespoon Shea Butter (can be left out if you don't have it...it's dry here)
- 1 tsp Argan Oil (just because I had it on hand)
- About 1 Tablespoon of Epsom Salt LOTION (usually with the ace bandages)
- 10 drops Frankincense
- 10 drops Lavender
- 8 drops Copaiba
- 3 drops Lemongrass

Whip (I used a stand mixer) until it fluffs up! I store mine in a glass jar with a lid.

I applied this before bed after day 2 or 3 of the week I actually worked out. When I woke up, I noticed the areas I'd applied it were, in fact, less sore than the areas I'd missed. Now I use it as a full body lotion just to feel good. 

I cannot stress enough how much I like this company!

We received these in exchange for an honest review.

My kids thought this was the coolest thing. They're currently obsessed with surprise cube/egg unboxing videos on Youtube so I jumped at the chance to give them their own. 

It being Minions Qubes was a bonus.

The cubes themselves stack so that was fun. They require a little finesse to open and break very easily. We didn't eat the candy inside so I can't speak as to how that tastes. The "toys" were fun for about 15 seconds. I ended up putting all of the figures together. They can't really be played with once they're put in a "scene." The stickers were pretty cute but, again, just stickers. (Although I do have the "bee-doh" minion on the back of my phone now.)

I'm giving these 4/5 stars. 

The kids DID enjoy opening them and seeing what they got (even though 3 out of the 4 were identical) and did play with them...for a few minutes. 

Would I purchase these again at full price? Probably not. Maybe if they were older but even then...I'm still finding stickers on the bottom of shoes and bits of minion everywhere. 

I was given "Even Glow Serum - Antioxidant Skin Treatment - 20% Vitamin C by Valentia Skin Care" to try in exchange for an honest review. 

For those that might think I only post good reviews....You would be mistaken. 

I gave this 3/5 stars on Amazon because I didn't care for it. 

The good? It smells really nice...

The bad? Well...everything else. 

The first several times I used it my skin burned. This wasn't a "tingly, something is happening" burn. No...this was "I just put acid on my face." I tried different washes and even just wiped with a wet cloth. 

Last night I used it again and it made my skin really dry and tight feeling. This is the opposite of what most people report. 

So there's that. 

Also, I can't find information on whether or not I should be concerned about sun sensitivity while using this product. I would assume Vitamin C means citrus oils (and I believe it has grapefruit) which are photosensitive....but there is no warning and the only "helpful" replies I got on Amazon were from people raving about how much they love the product.

You're more than welcome to try it...but I can't recommend it as I did not like the way it made my skin feel at all. 

​Meh. 

​This post contains affiliate links

I'm a terrible housekeeper. 

I know. Hold your shock. 

I'll be totally honest. I'm lazy. Really, really lazy. It doesn't help that I've married someone with the same affliction. Plus I have children? Nope. My poor house didn't stand a chance. 

Now, don't look for me on an episode of Hoarders (is that still a thing?) but please give me at least a day's warning before dropping by...

​because I'm cleaning with children.

I'm trying to make it easier on myself this year by decluttering and finding a home for everything. 

Sounds huge, right? Impossible? 

I'm doing this 52 Weeks to an Organized Home Challenge. It comes with 365 Declutter Missions.

Basically, you have a 15min task each day and a dedicated zone each week. That's it. That's your focus. Do the other daily things to keep your house running, but only focus extra hard on that specific area. 

​It's working. Really. 

See those canisters in the top photo? Those were part of my recent "free for a review" haul. 

They work really well with the rest of my stainless steel kitchen. I put flour, rice, sugar, and coffee (duh) in them. 

I'll also say they arrived at my house really fast. MUCH faster than anticipated. 

You can buy some here if you like. (Psst, they're seriously discounted right now so maybe grab some)

I feel pretty good about this challenge. We'll see how that goes when summer comes around and I have both kids at home...

​That just means drunken cleaning right?

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Remember how I said I was going to workout more often? 

Yeah, that hasn't happened. 

I did, however, get some bowling in! I woke up the next day with my left thigh/glute incredibly sore. I realized, all too late, I'd been doing one legged squats the entire time. 

Awesome. 

One thing that wasn't horrifically sore was my wrists. 

I have to thank the One For Heart Wrist Wraps for that. 

Brief Storytime: My left wrist likes to pop and make all sorts of noises. It also goes "out" and aches like a beast at the drop of a hat. That's the wrist I got tendonitis in when I played cello as a kid. It's also the wrist that I sprained when a kid grabbed my hand and fell backward. I've been known to agitate it by MAKING THE BED (this is why I don't do chores)

The wraps feel really comfortable and make my wrist feel a lot more stable. Normally I get pain after bowling (I have weak wrists, okay?) but I was able to bowl 2 games without crumbling in pain. It was nice. 

This purchase also got me a free speed rope. I didn't get much use out of it yet but I was able to impress the children by "jumping really fast." 

They're geared toward CrossFit enthusiasts (ie: not me) but anyone that needs a little extra wrist support can use them.

I was given this product in exchange for an honest review. 

​This post contains affiliate links.

It's no secret that I love wine. 

I'm not even going to lie to you and say I'm a connoisseur. That's a laugh. I drink sweet, pink, and usually bubbly. $6 wine is just as good as that bottle of $15 wine (am I supposed to pay more than that? At the rate I drink it? Ha!)
 

My home, however, has not been good to wine glasses. 

I've had them knocked over. They've been thrown (by children). I've broken several in the dishwasher (heavy crap bangs into them and SNAP). 

It's sad. I cry a little inside every single time. 

So when I saw these were available for a chance to review, of course I jumped on it! 

​

THEY'RE SO PRETTY!!!!

The pictures really don't do them justice but I couldn't gush without photographic evidence! 

They have good weight (I don't feel like they'll break just by being held) and they're BIG!

I'd recommend these as a gift for any wine lover in your life. Hell, anyone that likes pretty things could use these. I'd drink water out of these babies if I wanted to feel super fancy. 

No worries, they're good for the man in your life too. The colors are fairly unisex and subtle enough to match most decor. The maroon/red will fit in nicely with the theme I'm working on in the dining room. 

You need these in your life!