FITFABFUN: SUMMER

It is a happy time when my FABFITFUN comes in the mail and this is only my second box! I also wasn’t expecting this box either as it wasn’t supposed to arrive for another week or so. This time around, I got nine items in my box of mostly skincare, which I am not mad about. I LOVE SKINCARE. Also, some of it I didn’t have or I needed a backup of. This is my second box and again, I think the value of what I received is worth the price that I paid. I paid $53.11 with tax on a $49.99 subscription. When I can afford to pay for a whole season, I will because I do want to keep this box around for a while.

ALSO, I will be adding any relevant items to my current inventory list. Basically, any time I add to my backstock, I will put into my inventory list and any item that I take out of backstock is deducted from the list. If it isn’t in backstock and was never considered backstock, it will not be added to the list. Any current item that goes into backstock will be added to the list. I just wanted to make that clear before I show you what I got in my box.

NOTE: I took a week off due to being sick. I’m hoping to stay back on my schedule, but still under the weather.

Invisibobble Original, 6 for $16

I have 3 clear and 3 nude hair ties. I am always in need of more hair ties. I am dumping these directly into my hair tie container where I keep all of my hair accessories. I’m not made that these where in my box. I have a use for them and I have always wanted to try something like this before. It is a very practical item that I’m sure most women could use. This was an item that everyone received in their box this season.

Sol De Janeiro Brazilian Bum Bum Cream

& Brazilian 4 Play Moisturizing Shower Cream-Gel, $45 for the set

I am BEYOND pumped that I got my choice! I have been DYING to try the Bum Bum cream and now I also get to try the shower gel as well. Since this is only a deluxe sized sample of the bum bum cream, I am intending to use it sparingly and only on my boobs and butt when I want them to look great. This set smells divine and I know that I want to buy the full size when all is said and done. I think I will wait to use the shower gel until I buy the full size, so I can use them together as a set. I am putting the shower gel in storage, but I will be putting out the Bum Bum cream to use. Even with my cold, it smells like a sweet and nutty bakery shop. I absolutely love it. I’ll be milking this small 2.5 oz container all summer.

111Skin Rose Gold Brightening Facial Treatment Mask, 5 for $160

Just these sheet masks makes the box triple its value and worth it. I am always ready to try a new sheet mask. So, I can now add these 5 to my backstock for when I am ready to use one. I did no masking this week as I write this post, because I have been sick. I think I might even skip a week of blogging, because I do not feel good at all. Every time I use a sheet mask, I subtract it from my inventory. I keep them in storage, because they are not something that I use regularly. These will probably be the first one that I use when I feel better. I am excited to try it and I wonder if the mask itself is reflective or like a foil mask in rose gold. That would be so cool. Ago, this was another item that I chose.

Odeme What A Pair Silicone Wine Glasses, 2 for $25

These are super cute and come in a pink drawstring bag. I could see using these for jello shots or icy sangrias. They are perfect for travel, if you plan on drinking at a picnic or something. I’ll probably use these at home with drinks. You could put these in the freezer for ten minutes to get them cold and then pour a drink in them. They will have a use at my house, so I am happy with them. They are also baby pink, so super cute. I also chose this item as well.

Generation Clay Ultra Violet Brightening Purple Clay Mask, for $39

This is another item that was included in everyone’s box this season. Another item that is going into backstock until I use up my current face mask. This one seems really cool, because it is a purple face mask and purple is my favorite color. I love that it is cruelty free. I cannot wait to start using it when I can. Since the product is completely sealed, I will not be opening it until I am ready to use it, so it can stay as fresh as possible. I am so pumped about this box. I absolutely love it. Already, I think this one is SO much better than the Spring box. I am WAY more pumped about the items in the Summer one.

Dr. Brandt Pores No More Pore Purifying Cleanser, for $36

My mystery item that I didn’t get to chose was this cleanser and I am super pumped about that! I thought the mystery items were mostly unwanted products, but this one is the bomb dot com. If you are a SELECT member, you would have been able to chose this one or another choice. I couldn’t find this exact product on the website, which makes me think that this is the repackaged cleanser listed on the brand’s website. This is a daytime cleanser, so I think that I will immediately put this to use. I will start using this in the morning instead of my makeup wipes. I will reserve my wipes for lazy days. This cleanser is supposed to shrink pores and reduce oil production. It would serve its purpose better in the morning than at night. I am excited to start using this.

Whish Exfoliating Foot Mask, for $32

Everyone received this item in their box. I have a foot mask out at the moment, so this will be going into storage until I finish that tube up. It is very close to being used up too. This is a leave overnight foot mask, which is very interesting. I look forward to using it, once I use up my current tube which is just a 10 to 15 minute foot mask. I only really use foot masks during the summer to keep my feet in sandal shape. I do it occasionally during the Winter if I feel like my feet need it. This box is starting to have an insane value.

Grace & Stella Rose Facial Spray, for $25.95

Another item that everyone got in their box. I love face spray. This one already leaked all over the box, so it is going straight into rotation and replacing my coconut MAC Prep & Prime. This smells like an old grandma rose. I want to just use it up and get it out of my collection. It is in a plastic bottle, which I don’t think fits the $25 price tag. I can use this before makeup, after makeup, and whenever. I plan on using it whenever I want to, since I don’t care for the scent. I’m not going to hoard this one. I’m still glad that I have this and I will still use it up. I just don’t personally care for the scent. I am also sick, which could have a factor in how this smells right now to me.

Coola Makeup Setting Spray SPF 30, for $36

Last but not least, this was another item that I did not choose and I am hella glad that I have it now. I pulled this setting spray in and my Huda into storage. This has SPF, so I want to use this one during the Summer for sure. It would make no sense to continue using Huda and wear this one in the Winter. I really love the cool looking glass bottle and it feels super expensive matching the price tag. I have only gotten into setting sprays recently, so I wonder how this compares to the Huda.

I feel like I love everything that I got in this box 110%. I am super excited to try everything. There isn’t anything that I am meh about. The total value of my box is $414.95. I feel like this season was the best box yet. I love and will use everything. I really should do a month of masking. I have plenty of them now. What did you get in your Summer FITFABFUN box?

With Love,

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Misfit Market 3rd Delivery

We are still loving this subscription box. I think this week is my favorite so far, because we will basically use up everything. The only thing I am questioning is the cabbage, which I will most likely give to my mom. I am not a big cabbage person. I don’t really like it all that much. I am for sure happy about everything else we received in this week’s box. I actually need to use up last week’s apples, so I am going to make an apple and pear apple crisp with oats from oatmeal that none of us has been eating. It will make the perfect topping for the baked apples and pears. I have a severe sweet tooth from that “time”, so I have been baking more recently. I just made squash bread that tastes like pumpkin bread. It is super good and nutritious. I am happy to get more veggies into Dean’s diet for sure!

2 Collard Green Bunches

This is the cabbage that I am taking about. This will probably get given to my mom, because I hate wasting food.

2 Pints of Cherry Tomatoes

This will be eaten and used up for sure. They go great in salads and on the side of many dishes. I am making American Chop Suey tonight and will add a few on these chopped up into it. It will add much needed color and veggies to the meal. Two pints will go fast. I had already bought a pint for the potato salad. I am thinking about making a roast of potatoes and sweet potatoes. These would go great with that being baked in the oven.

2 Bunches of Rainbow Carrots

I am going to be making some glazed carrots, methinks. I really love glazed carrots, but have never tried doing it myself. I also might make a ham soup with carrots and potatoes. I have a ton of carrots though that need to be eaten, so I will be looking at lots of carrot recipes.

2 Bunches of Broccoli

I have meal prepped last week’s broccoli and I am thinking of steaming them with a garlic and lime sauce. It sounds yummy. We really love broccoli over here, so I am happy to have more. I also eat broccoli raw with some veggie dip or ranch dressing. It is the best! Veggies also generally speaking keep me fuller longer when I have them as snacks.

2 Cucumbers

We have already eaten one of these in a salad. The other one will be gone soon enough. I am looking up a cucumber recipe to do something different with it. I stumbled upon fried cucumber slices. Kinda like fried pickles. I think I will try this because it sounds amazing.

9 Yellow Carrots

Like I said, we have a ton of carrots to eat through. I might wash and peel some for snacking, but I still need to put some into a few recipes. I love carrots personally, so I am sure that it won’t be a chore to eat them up and find things to make it with.

3 Delicata Squash

Squash bread was a huge hit this week. I plan on making it the same and making a squash “pumpkin” pie. Martin isn’t a huge fan of squash, so I have to find ways to disguise it as other things. It’s fun finding new recipes and making different dishes almost everyday.

16 Small Potatoes

I believe these might be baking potatoes or specifically made to have with a roast. I am thinking about making roasted potatoes with these. Also, I could make my homemade fried potatoes as well. I have enough to make a few options for sure!

8 Pears

We have already eaten a few pears as well. I plan on making a pear and apple crisp like dessert.

2 Heads of Lettuce

We already ate this. These were small and each head made 1 salad.

11 Oranges

I believe that 3 have already been eaten. These will go quickly since Dean loves oranges. He has one a day as a snack.

Dean is going to daycare starting June 3rd. I think I am going to cancel the box now, even though I love it. I want to see if we spend more on fruits and veggies or less from the cost of this box. It is a neat little experiment. If we end up spending less, then we won’t be buying this again. If we end up spending more, then I would go back to the box. It was nice to try and get a feel for it. I think we might actually spend less though. With meal planning our veggies and fruits, I think we will spend less than $38 a week on veggies alone. This will free up some money for Dean’s daycare since 1 day is $38. Skipping this will pay for 1 week of daycare for Dean.

With Love,

Misfits Market 2nd Delivery

A second week of getting our produce delivered to us. Now, this week, I feel like I am giving away a good amount of what we received to my mom, but I’d rather they get used than go to waste. You can’t pick what you get in these boxes, so you will get stuff that you won’t use, I just make sure to pass it onto my mom, who I see at least once a week. This is still a great deal for us, but I will be canceling this service when Dean starts going to daycare. It is $77 a paycheck (2 weeks) and I rather have that to put towards a combined amount of groceries. I’d rather cancel it to be on the safe side. I can always resub if we can easily have this service, pay for daycare, and groceries. If not, I will wait until I get the daycare voucher and then go back to this service if we really miss it.

8 Apples

We love apples here, whether we have them for a snack or bake them in muffins. I might try my hand at an apple pie….

2 Turnips?

I am guessing that this is a different type of turnip. I am making a potato salad and I’m mixing potatoes, sweet potatoes, and one of these in the mix. I want a real variety salad for a unique take on potato salad. Plus, it is going to be delicious!

6 Jalapenos

These are great to cook with and put in the potato salad. Not so good raw, because it doesn’t have the best flavor. I think this type is more of a cooking pepper.

2 Acorn Squash

I still haven’t made the others, but I plan on making squash muffins and squash bread. Martin isn’t a huge fan of squash, so I am going to sneak it into other foods and make it tasty. I hope he doesn’t mind and he may even find that he likes how I prepare squash!

2 Zucchini

I love baking zucchini in the oven or on a grill. However, I think that I am going to try my hand at making zucchini fritters for dinner one of these days. I love making interesting and unique dinners and not having the same thing all of the time. Martin says he hasn’t eaten so many veggies in his life. LOL

2 Fennels

It is kinda similar to dill. You can eat the top and the bulb. I want to add some of the top to the potato salad and the bulb finely chopped. I think it will add a very good flavor to it. My potato salad is kinda like everything including the kitchen sink. I like to add a lot of different flavors that work together making a delicious dish.

2 Broccoli Bunches

I am going to be meal prepping all of this broccoli into a container that we have. I love to eat broccoli raw with ranch dressing or veggie dip. I am sure all of this will be eaten up in no time at all. I might even try my hand at steaming some of it to add some much needed greenery to some of our meals.

2 Roman Hearts

I already have these meal prepped and chopped up. I also already had a salad with it as well. It is turning slightly brown, so I know we have to eat this up in a few days or it will soil. Since we both love salads, that is literally not a problem in this house.

2 Kale Bunches

All going to my mom. We just had Kale chips and ate 2 bunches of Kale. We need a much needed break from it.

2 Leeks

These are like onions. I am giving one to my mom and keeping the other. It is interesting to give it a try, now that I know what it is. I can substitute it instead of having onion, have this in whatever I need.

I love discovering new produce and trying new things. I also love that I am able to pass on what we don’t use to my mom who does so much for us. It is a little way to give back and to reduce waste. I am so excited to use up the veggies with week. It for sure lasts us the week and over the week as well with certain items that we just don’t get to but have a long shelf life for veggies.

With Love,

 

Garlic Rosemary Chicken with Roasted Root Veggies

Okay, so I will be posting these recipes on my blog. I will be taking pictures of our plated meal and giving a review on each meal. I will be reviewing making the meal as well as consuming it. I am really excited to start making these meals. I thought that sharing the recipe would be nice if it is any good and so anyone could make these meals at home with their own ingredients.

The Stats:

COOKING TIME

45 minutes

NUTRITION PER SERVING

Calories 610kcal, Fat 25g, Saturated Fat 7g, Carbohydrate 63g, Sugar 12g, Dietary Fiber 11g, Protein 35g, Cholesterol 105mg, Sodium 370mg

ALLERGENS

Milk. Wheat

INGREDIENTS WE SEND

Carrot

2 unit

Sweet Potato

1 unit

Yukon Gold Potatoes

5 unit

Rosemary

1 unit

Red Onion

1 unit

Chicken Breast

1 unit

Garlic

2 clove

Chicken Stock Concentrate

1 unit

YOU’LL NEED

Vegetable Oil, Butter, Salt, Pepper, Flour

COOK THIS RECIPE IN 6 SIMPLE STEPS

1. 

   Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Wash and dry all produce. Peel carrots, then cut into ¾-inch pieces on a diagonal. Medium dice sweet potato and Yukon Gold potatoes into ½-inch cubes. Leaving remaining sprigs whole, strip half the rosemary leaves from stems; finely chop leaves until you have 1 ½ tsp (3 tsp for 4p).

2. 

   Toss together carrots, sweet potato, Yukon Gold potatoes, 1 tsp chopped rosemary (2 tsp for 4p), a large drizzle of oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper on a baking sheet. Roast until slightly softened, about 15 minutes (we’ll add the onion then).

3. 

   While veggies roast, halve, peel, and thinly slice onion. Finely chop a few of the slices until you have ¼ cup (½ cup for 4p). Peel and finely chop garlic.

4. 

   Pat chicken dry with paper towels; season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle all over with 1 TBSP flour (2 TBSP for 4p). Heat a large drizzle of oil in a large pan over mediumhigh heat. Add seasoned chicken and cook until browned and cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Turn off heat. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

5. 

   In a small bowl, combine sliced onion, a drizzle of oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Once veggies have roasted for 15 minutes, remove from oven. Top with seasoned onion, then return to oven until everything is browned and tender, about 12 minutes more.

6. 

Heat a drizzle of oil in pan used to cook chicken over medium-high heat. Add garlic, chopped onion, remaining chopped rosemary, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring, until softened, 2-3 minutes. Add stock concentrate and ¼ cup water (⅓ cup for 4p). Simmer until thickened, about 3 minutes. Turn off heat; swirl in 1 TBSP butter (2 TBSP for 4p). Thinly slice chicken. Divide sliced chicken and roasted veggies between plates. Top chicken with pan sauce.

Our Meal:

The Review:

This meal was very easy to make and it was delicious. I thoroughly enjoyed the rosemary chicken and all the root veggies! I couldn’t finish my plate and I had a little bit leftover for a good snack before lunch. I realize with making these meals that these are recipes you can easily make at home and buy your own supplies for cheaper. Its nice every once in a while or if they are having a good promotion. I am on the second delivery (and my last) and having this delivery service isn’t the right fit for us. It is a fun service to try out though.

With Love,

Creamy Roasted Tomato Soup with Pepper Jack Grilled Cheese

The Stats:

COOKING TIME

40 minutes

NUTRITION PER SERVING

Calories 770kcal, Fat 47g, Saturated Fat 26g, Carbohydrate 67g, Sugar 14g, Dietary Fiber 5g, Protein 22g, Cholesterol 115mg, Sodium 1530mg

ALLERGENS

Milk. Wheat. Soy

INGREDIENTS WE SEND

Roma Tomato

1 unit

Garlic

2 clove

Yellow Onion

1 unit

Pepper Jack Cheese

2 unit

Sourdough Bread

2 unit

Crushed Tomatoes

1 unit

Vegetable Stock Concentrate

1 unit

Cream Cheese

1 unit

YOU’LL NEED

Sugar, Olive Oil, Butter, Salt, Pepper

COOK THIS RECIPE IN 6 SIMPLE STEPS

1

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bring 3 TBSP butter to room temperature. Wash and dry all produce. Line a baking sheet with foil. Halve tomato lengthwise; cut into ½-inch-thick wedges. Peel garlic, then wrap in a small piece of foil. Halve, peel, and finely chop onion until you have about ½ cup (1 cup for 4p).

2

Toss tomato on prepared baking sheet with a large drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Place garlic foil packet on same sheet. Roast until tomato and garlic are browned and softened, 18-20 minutes.

3

Meanwhile, heat a drizzle of olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add onion and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in crushed tomatoes, stock concentrate, and 1 cup water (1 ¾ cups for 4p). Bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 8-12 minutes.

4

While soup simmers, evenly divide Pepper Jack between bread; form two sandwiches. If butter is not yet soft, place in a small, microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 5-10 seconds. Spread both sides of sandwiches with softened butter.

5

Heat a large, dry pan over medium heat. Add sandwiches and cook until browned and cheese has melted, about 5 minutes per side. Turn off heat. Halve grilled cheeses on a diagonal. Carefully transfer roasted tomato and garlic to a cutting board; finely chop.

6

Stir chopped tomato and garlic, cream cheese, and ½ tsp sugar (1 tsp for 4p) into soup. Taste and season with salt, pepper, and/or another pinch of sugar. Serve grilled cheeses with soup on the side.

Our Meal:

Our Review:

I like the cute recipe cards. If we like the recipe enough, I will keep the card to make it again. Otherwise, I will find a new home for the card. My mom says she likes making new recipes, so I might given them to her to try. I’m disappointed that the ingredients were just tossed in and my bread was broken. I didn’t like that at all and I hope the next box improves upon the presentation and placement of delicate pieces like bread. However, the meal itself was delicious. You can’t really mess up soup and a grilled cheese though. Martin has said that every meal that I’ve made has been delicious. He cannot believe that I never really cooked before. I have finished making all three recipes and my only critique is that it takes longer to make everything than what they state. Could just be my crappy oven though.

I really love sharing recipes, pictures, and my opinion on the food. I will be continuing to share with these kinds of posts. I hope you enjoy them. I have been getting most of my recipes from an amazing app that Dean’s ABA therapist turned me onto, because she enjoys cooking as well. I will be sharing my thoughts on that once I have used it more as well.

With Love,

FITFABFUN Spring Subscription Box

I decided to try the Spring box of FITFABFUN with a $10 off coupon. I was able to chose 3 things in my box and if I think it is worth the value/money, I will get the annual membership. I like that it has a mixture of beauty, fashion, and lifestyle items. It will feed my beauty addition, but also add a few things our home needs and a few pieces to my wardrobe. If there is anything that I don’t like/need, they would make really good gifts. As long as this month, I get my $40 worth then I will continue the subscription, because it would still be worth it. I am really happy with my 3 picks and it was really easy to sign up for the box. The annual membership, you get to choose more items that go into your box, so I am looking forward to that if I decide to do that. Oh, and this is a quarterly subscription, so the next box that I would get would be in June/July. Plenty of time to decide if I want to get the year plan or just another month. This is something I always wanted to try, but could never afford before.

The Box:

The box is cute as hell and I will be keeping it to collect items for birthday gifts and such. It is the perfect size for things like that to store away in a closet. I can for sure see myself in the future repurposing more of these boxes as they are pretty, sturdy, and generally a good size to have around.

The box has a magazine insert in it that has recipes and articles, but also has the list of everything in the box and the breakdown of the prices as well. I will also be double checking the prices online to let you know how true to scale what they say you are getting in these boxes. The magazine is a nice touch and I will be reading/using it for sure. I like having light reading material sometimes.

Ciate London Extraordinary Translucent Setting Powder, $22

I am pretty darn excited about getting this one! I have a finishing powder, but now I have a setting powder that I can pair with my concealer or foundation if I want to wear those types of products or anything that really needs a setting powder to “set” it. Otherwise, on the day to day, I use my finishing powder to give my skin a soft blurring effect. I will be putting this powder to good use for sure and now, I will not be needing to buy any face powder for a long, long time. It is also a pricey brand that I wouldn’t buy unless on sale at Sephora.

OUAI Leave In Conditioner, $26

I was just talking with my boyfriend, Martin, that I recently finished up my current leave-in that was doing nothing for me and switched to using my expensive Moroccan oil and the wonders it was doing to my hair keeping it knot free. I am going to immediately start using this instead of my expensive oil and see how it compares. If it doesn’t hold up, I want to finish it up and go back to what works for me. I am willing to try new things, but my hair oil (even though expensive) does the job of detangling, moisturizing, and keeping it tangle free when I don’t wash my hair for days. I am excited to try a prestigious brand from this box. Already, this box is equal to what I paid for and I am very happy. I will give you the grand total at the bottom of this post.

Manna Kadar Champagne Body Scrub, $24

This is a huge and generous body scrub tub. It isn’t very pricey when you consider that VS sells their 8 oz tubs for almost the same price and you are getting more than double the amount in there. I will be setting this aside for when I finish my other two body scrubs from VS. I like to use a body scrub before shaving my legs and about once a week to keep my skin soft and smooth. It’s actually a “secret” of mine. It really works to give yourself baby soft skin and to keep your skin in its best condition. The best part? Most of these scrubs with oils hydrate the skin and seal in moisture. This means you don’t have to put lotion on your skin when you get out of the shower. I love skipping a step when I can, because time is a precious commodity.

Unplug Meditation Aromatherapy Diffuser, $55

We just used this last night and I am in love. It changes colors, so it is a pretty cool nightlight. I love the essential oil included. It is a sweet orange scent that is very uplifting. I filled it when we were settling into our room for the night and it diffused until we fell asleep. Don’t know how many hours it works for, but it was very nice. Only con is that it needs to be plugged into a USB port which is a pain. I will buy a USB charger/battery thing, so it can run on its own. Currently, I hook it up to my laptop at night. It isn’t ideal since I tend to knock things over and I don’t want to get water anywhere near my laptop.

Eleven By Venus Jump Rope, $15

Not sure that this jump rope is worth $15, but I will be keeping it as part of my exercise routine indoors that I need to get back to. May is a brand new month, my birthday month, the perfect month to get back to exercising again. This will be nice to rotate into my routine and get some good cardio going. I will be keeping this at my desk, which is in a corner of our living room where I will be keeping my exercise equipment/supplies as I collect them. I like having the extra space over here (next to a cement ledge), because it sort of extends the top part of my desk. I didn’t care for this item, but I will put it to good use and will use it.

Korres Wild Rose Vitamin C Brightening Sleeping Facial, $48

I thought this was a face mask, but it is more like an overnight treatment face cream? I am excited to try Korres, another high end brand that I have always wanted to try before. I will set this in my bathroom to alternate which my night time face oil, since one of the serums that I do use at night is more compatible with a cream than an oil. This will be a good pairing with that. This seems EXTREMELY STRONGLY of roses which I LOVE but may not be everyone’s cup of tea. I feel so fancy! I can say without a doubt that I am keeping the subscription right now. Not sure that I can afford to swing the annual membership for a bit, but I will as soon as I am able. That’s like paying for 3 1/2 instead or 4 boxes. Even saving $20 makes a difference, plus with the upgrade, you get to chose two more products in your box instead of 3.

Giadzy Copper Plated Measuring Spoons, $15

One can never have too many measuring spoons when cooking and these are a super nice pair and SO SHINY! I am reserving these for my dry ingredients, since these don’t separate. I am excited to have a plastic set for wet and a nice sturdy pair for dry. You really do need two pairs, because yesterday I had to use a TBS of oil and then a TBS of sugar. I had to wash and dry in between cooking. A second pair will just make things so much easier while cooking.

Dr. Brandt Skincare Needles No More No More Baggage Eye De-Puffing Gel, $42

I have a major problem with dark circles under my eyes (Genes) and my eyes are always a bit puffy in the morning. I am currently using a roller ball by ELF for $3 that I am enjoying for depuffing but it does nothing for my dark circles. I am excited to give this a try once I finish up my ELF morning treatment. This will be put in back stock until then, but at least I know that I don’t need to buy any day eye cream/gel anytime soon. My evening eye cream is getting low though. I have a few things on my list to get for my birthday that I limited myself to 4 stores: Lush, MAC, Sephora, and ELF.

That is everything that came in my box. So, I paid $42 with shipping and the value of this box was…..$247. I definitely feel like I got my moneys worth from this box and will use everything. I had nothing set aside for gifts, because I know that I will use everything. This was a very nice surprise! On future calculations, whatever I set aside for gifts will have a box total and a usage total of what I will actually use. I am very happy with my first box and I am looking forward to the Summer box in June/July.

With Love,

EveryPlate 1st Delivery

I really want to get serious about learning how to cook and making/eating healthier meals for my family. It just hit me that’s what I have now. I have a little family. There was a discount for this delivery service and it was the cheapest. I thought that I would try this one first and maybe try a few others to see if it is worth it or not for our family. I got a sale price of $19.94 a week for the first three weeks. I also upgraded one recipe this week, so I paid an extra $5.98 ($2.99 per serving for 2 people). I paid $26 for the first week of three different recipes for 2 people. The normal price is $29.94 and $8.99 shipping, so that is a total price of $39 roughly, not including the up-charge if you chose any premium meals. It is a really great regular price, since most of the other services are $40 on discount. You get to pick your three meals for every week and I already have my 3 weeks planned out. I actually can see the 4th regular price recipes and I decided to skip it. Everything is really high in carbs and we are trying to be low carb and zero bread/pasta. This is just as well for me, because I can chose a different service to try out for that week.

I will tell you what I got this week and show you the unboxing for each recipe. I will also include pictures of steps/completed plated meals in a separate post, one for each meal as this post will be long as is. If I can take any video, I will do that for sure like plating the meal. I doubt that I can tape the whole video of making the recipe on my phone. My camera is kinda crappy quality as well. I will need to invest if the recipe thing becomes a big part of the blog. The separate recipe posts will have more information on the recipe and how easy I thought it was to cook. It will also include our thoughts on how good the meal itself tasted. You can look forward to hearing Martin’s thoughts as well!

So, I decided to go with these three recipes this week: Garlic Rosemary Chicken with Roasted Root Veggies, Creamy Roasted Tomato Soup with Pepper Jack Grilled Cheese, and Balsamic Steak with Bruschetta Toasts and Roasted Zucchini (Premium Meal). The other recipes that they had to choose from were BBQ Pork Sloppy Joes with Pickled Onion and Sweet Potato Wedges (The carbs were over 100 on this one, so it was a big no no), Beef Stroganoff Meatballs with Mushroom Gravy and Garlic Mashed Potatoes (I kinda hate stroganoff, so I decided against this), Blackened Chicken Penne with Cheesy Pepper Jack Sauce (This one was again high in carbs at 77 grams). You only get 6 recipes to choose from every week, but at the normal price, that seems very reasonable.

Garlic Rosemary Chicken with Roasted Root Veggies

NUTRITION PER SERVING

Calories 610kcal, Fat 25g, Saturated Fat 7g, Carbohydrate 63g, Sugar 12g, Dietary Fiber 11g, Protein 35g, Cholesterol 105mg, Sodium 370mg

The website states that this meal takes 45 minutes to make. The carbs is a bit high, but that is from the potatoes in this recipe making it an acceptable amount of starchy carbs. It is high in protein and fat, which is what we want for the keto diet. To make these recipes, you will need basic ingredients from your kitchen like salt, pepper, flour, etc. There is only 6 steps to make this recipe, so it seems fairly simple. I will probably make this one first for us to be honest. It is the most appealing recipe to me out of what I chose that I want to try first.

Creamy Roasted Tomato Soup with Pepper Jack Grilled Cheese

NUTRITION PER SERVING

Calories 770kcal, Fat 47g, Saturated Fat 26g, Carbohydrate 67g, Sugar 14g, Dietary Fiber 5g, Protein 22g, Cholesterol 115mg, Sodium 1530mg

The carbs are a little high for this one with the bread for the grilled cheese, but we both thought that it was worth it for such a home cook staple. This recipe states that it takes 40 minutes to make. Again, they break the recipe down to six simple steps, which I very much appreciate. This recipe would have been useful when Martin was sick to have on hand. lol. I love vegetarian recipes, so it is nice that this one contains no meat. Again, this one is very high in fat with a good amount of protein and this is exactly what we want for the diet that we are going on. You will hear me mention this over and over again, because I want to be crystal clear that I am aware of the fat content. I don’t need any comments about how this is unhealthy without solid facts to back up your claims.

Balsamic Steak with Bruschetta Toasts and Roasted Zucchini

NUTRITION PER SERVING

Calories 830kcal, Fat 61g, Saturated Fat 25g, Carbohydrate 34g, Sugar 7g, Dietary Fiber 2g, Protein 35g, Cholesterol 175mg, Sodium 880mg

This is our premium meal that I paid an extra $6 for, because it sounded so good and fits our diet to a T. It takes 40 minutes to make and the picture looks absolutely mouth watering. You get the 6 steps again and I will be cooking my meat a bit more than recommended. I don’t like any blood in my meat, so I will watch it carefully until I think it is browned enough. I will also be trimming the fat personally off of my meat, which may take down some of the fat percentage on this meal. I cannot stand the texture of fat though, so I will happily trim it before slicing.

I am looking forward to cooking these meals this week and possibly the beginning of next week as well if I don’t have the time/energy to cook these ones by Sunday. I receive my shipment every Wednesday, so that only gives me 4 days (Wed, Thurs, Fri) to cook these dinners for us. I work 6 to 6 on the weekends, so the last thing I will probably want to do is cook one of these 40 to 45 minute meals. I will probably prepare something on Sunday to feed us for the next two days or choose simple easy recipes that are quick for those days.

First IMPRESSIONS:

Things were just thrown together except for the meat, which was on the bottom sandwiched between 2 ice packs that I am keeping to put in our cooler for a trip to the beach/ocean. The meals were not individually separated, which I don’t care for. I’d like for them to be separated. Plus, the bread was tossed in and one of them is broken for a grilled cheese sandwich. Kinda disappointed, but will try another week for sure. I don’t think it’s worth $26 though. There is for certain a convenience fee for it. I plan to do the other two weeks and cancel. I really don’t think you get enough food to comfortably feed two people.

With Love,

My Last Sephora Play! February

I cancelled my subscription tom Sephora Play! because I have a ton of makeup that I need to use up and it was sending me repetitive products two months in a row. I decided that I would rather just buy my own beauty products when I run out than keep getting samples that I might not enjoy. I feel like when I am choosing my own products, I do a ton of research and almost always love it or like it at the very least. I plan on subscribing to Audible. The first month is free and after that, $14.99 a month for any audiobook that they carry and the book is mine forever on my account. I plan on downloading the books to my computer storage, in case they ever go out of business. I plan to listen during my workouts and $15 isn’t really too much to spend a month on a book any way. I used to buy 2 books for $20 practically every month.

Sephora Collection Rouge Matte Lipstick in Rebel Chic 1g $2.33

This lipstick is currently being discontinued at Sephora since the full size is on sale for $7 now. It is a nice wine berry color that looks really good sheered out. It is actually a wearable color for me, but it takes a bit of blotting.

Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Let’s Go Crazy 1.8 g $20

This is 75% of a full size. I am very happy with the brand and color which is a bright pink. It is the perfect Summer color. I wish I would have gotten a lipstick and a gloss or something, instead of just two lipsticks. I will use this for sure, but probably after I finish my Kat Von D Pool Party Liquid Lipstick, that is a color that I would buy in a full size once finished. Nars has some controversy about not being cruelty free now. Not sure I would actually buy anything from them.

Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eye Colour in Rosegold 1 g $17.40

Again, this is 3/5ths of the full size. It is in a pretty shade that I will get a ton of use out of, but will not purchase as it is not CF. It is a very decent cream eye shadow and I love using it for day looks. I like simple eye looks and this takes 5 minutes for both eyes to be done. I love doing my makeup on my days off and work at home days. The only day that I do not wear any makeup is on Sundays to give my face a breather. I still wear lipstick though!

Perfume Sample: Atelier Cologne….AGAIN

Seriously this is like the fourth time this brand has been featured in my bag. I want a sprayer, not a dabber! I have to use up one of my reusable sprayers, so I can dump these dabbers into there. Some of them do smell good layered. I just hate having these sitting in my samples stash. Number one thing I hate about beauty boxes has got to be the perfume samples. If I want one, I would get one at the beauty counter.

 PTR Firm X Peeling Gel 15 ml $7.20

I think peeling gels are a gimmick, plus I got a peeling gel in January. Plus, I got a caviar stick in January in a different color. This box is SO repetitive. I really don’t care about peeling gels. I will use it to use it up, but I would not purchase one myself. I like liquid chemical exfoliates and physical ones best. I have never saw improvement in my skin when using a peeling gel. I just don’t see the hype.

Belif Moisturizing Eye Bomb 5 ml $9.60

Again, in January, I got an eye cream too. This is the reason why I cancelled. I had two months in a row with the same type of products in it. I also decided to go CF and Sephora itself isn’t CF. It sends CF and non-CF products. I didn’t want to buy anymore non-CF items anymore when I can help it. Right now, I have one non-CF product in my shower right now. Most of my skin care, hair, and body care are CF. My makeup is still a mix of things, but I no longer buy non-CF. I make mistakes sometimes, because I am human. I am making a conscious effort though to be CF, a minimalist, non-consumerist, and just overall a more healthy person.

I have a LOT of changes going on in my life right now. I am going back to college, my work dynamic is changing with working from home and doing Saturdays, blogging regularly, Dean and all of his needs and challenges such as school worries, my dad’s impending foot surgery, learning how to drive by getting my permit again, and trying and failing to keep the house in order. I am in the midst of consigning a ton of clothes, because I have been exercising and losing more weight. Also, Dean’s closet got cleaned out and I have those clothes as well. I am going to be dividing the clothes into seasonal piles and try to get as many done as possible.

Also, I found a whole plastic tote filled with my old slimmer clothes. It is like finding money or getting extra makeup that you didn’t pay for in your Sephora order. I am so happy and will be trying on all these “new” clothes to see if I can add more clothes to my closet. Let’s be honest, I don’t have much that really fits me anymore and I am constantly consigning and thrifting. I love losing all of this weight and getting down to my pre-pregnancy size, but I don’t have to cash to buy much clothes replacements. Hence, where the consignment money comes in to buy new clothes. The circle of life.

With Love,

 

 

Walmart Fall Beauty Box 2017

The Fall box was so late and the Winter boxes were supposed to start mailing out on Dec 21st. I haven’t heard anything about the Winter boxes, but I’m guessing that those will be very late and out of season as well. If the boxes don’t get better next year with the customization added to it, I will probably cancel. I hate that it’s a season behind and the fact that I was charged for almost a whole month before it shipped. It’s annoying.

At only $5 a box and $20 a year, I can’t really complain, but then again, I can. I paid $5 for something that didn’t ship out to me until almost a month after I was charged. I always keep these boxes, but then, I have NOTHING to put in them. I will save this box, because it is purple. I’m sure I’ll be recycling it in a few months when it is still empty. lol.

Tresemme Tres Two Spray Extra Hold Hairspray, 1.5 oz for $2.17

I needed some hairspray since I am totally out. Right now, I am using a gel that is like a hairspray. I have to say that I like hairspray better than gel, especially when it is a lighter hold hairspray. Although this is an extreme hold, I’m still happy to have a mini hairspray around. I just hate the little dandruff like pieces it leaves in my hair after brushing my hair. I have to wash my hair after using this, so I tend to use something like this on the night that I wash my hair.

Hello Extra Whitening Fluoride Toothpaste, 0.85 oz for $4.43

I was surprised to see just how expensive this brand is. My toothpaste is on it’s last legs, so this came just in time to try. If I see results, I would keep buying, because the name brand ones just aren’t working that well. The mini is almost the same price as the big one, so at least I know that it would be $5 for a big tube. I would spend that if it worked. Plus, a full sized toothpaste lasts like 6 months for just me using it.

Plackers Micro Mint Dental Flossers for $0.97

I already have a big pack of these at home. It is by far the easiest way to floss my teeth, especially with the metal bar in my mouth. This travel pack is nice to have in my bag at work, so I can floss after having my lunch if I feel like there is food stuck in my teeth. I can also easily refill it with more flossers from the big bag at home. This is really nice to have around instead of a roll of floss. I don’t need a mirror with these to floss my teeth.

Gold Bond Ultimate Radiance Renewal Cream Oil, 0.75 oz for $0.97

I put this in Dean’s pile for his dry skin. We are almost out of his Aveno, so he needs something else for the dry skin on his legs. I usually put Johnson baby lotion from head to toe and then put Aveno or this Gold Bond on his dry and rashy parts. He gets heat rash a lot and he has bumpy dry skin. I do this routine every night before bed and clean clothes. Keeping him out of sweaty clothes helps, but he has very dry Winter skin. He wasn’t nearly this bumpy and rashy in the summer.

Body Fantasies in Tropical Wish & Cozy Cotton

Perfume samples are “eh” to me, but I will use them. I appreciate that these have caps, so you can take them on the go with you. I’ll throw these in my sample bag for now. I like that this box has tons of coupons and although I won’t use this one, it’s nice to have.

Shea Moisture Curl & Shine Shampoo & Curl Enhancing Smoothie foil packets

My hair isn’t thick, so I will be passing these on. I think this will be too heavy for my thin hair. If something is too heavy, it makes my hair look greasy the day after washing. The conditioner is very generous compared to the shampoo, which is very nice.

Soo Ae Donkey Milk Sleeping Mask for $0.50

My local store have these masks for 50 cents currently. I went by current my store prices for the price of my box. I love getting sheet masks in my box. I have used the sheet mask from the summer box and I really liked it. I look forward to having the time to use up this mask as well. I’m curious…..oh….wait, this isn’t a sheet mask, but an overnight mask! I am pleasantly surprised! I haven’t tried a sleeping mask yet. I’m very excited! I’ll use this when my skin is feeling extra dry. Perfect for the Winter months.

My box had plenty of samples and coupons. The box overall feels more put together than my previous two boxes. The value of my box was $9.07 which is $4.07 more than I paid for, which is good enough for me. I am looking forward to a customized Winter box in the coming month or so.

With Love,

November Sephora PLAY!

I’m very late with my Sephora Play this month. I could have blogged about this last week, but I never got a round to it. I’ve been very busy, but that’s not the entire reason why. November and December is a very busy time for me with working overtime, meeting with ABA worker for Dean, Christmas, and of course, Dean’s birthday. Blogging has taken a bit of a back burner for me. I’m hoping to have more time for blogging, because I really love it. Taking the time to write a post during my lunch has helped a lot. I really look forward to it now, when I can squeeze it in.

The bag is okay, but I really wasn’t thrilled with what I got in my box this time around. Sephora had been doing so well and this box was a let down to be honest. I mean, it was bound to happen. I can’t always get the best box. The theme is Survival of the Chillest. I didn’t think that all the products went with the theme. A red lip is not chill. That’s high maintenance at least for me.

Burberry My Burberry Blush

I love the fresh floral fragrance, but I don’t think that it is that unique. I would not purchase this. It is a nice fragrance though, it’s just not for me. I will use the sample up and enjoy it. Who knows? Maybe by the end of it, I’ll want to buy it.

Marc Jacobs Velvet Noir Major Volume Mascara 0.17 oz $13

I’m not totally mad at this. It is a luxury brand and half the full size. I just wish that it wasn’t a mascara. I would have preferred a lip product or an eye shadow OR SOMETHING. I will still use it and appreciate it, but I’m not excited about it. It’s yet another mascara to add to my collection of unopened tubes. I just opened a MAC sample, so maybe when I’m done with that one, I’ll open this one. I have like 6 tubes now? I could use a sample mascara break.

Philosophy Purity Made Simple Pore Extractor Mask 5 ml $2.34

This is such a small sample. I probably only have 1 to 2 uses in it. I think Philosophy is alright as a brand, but since they test on animals, I’m not going to be buying this. This is a meh product for me, because it is so small and I won’t be buying from the brand. I’m happy to try out a mask though, because I do mask about 3 times a week. I have oily, acne prone skin most of the time. Clay masks are a necessity for me. During the year, I use hydrating masks as well from all the products that I use to dry out my skin.

Amika Perk Up Dry Shampoo 0.75 oz $3.06

 

I’ve used a reviewed this product HERE. I am super happy to have another one of these on hand. Although, I haven’t been using dry shampoo recently since I got my hair cut. I look forward to using this and getting back into the dry shampoo mood. I’ve been washing my hair every other day. Now, I’ll be able to go 1 day longer. The shorter my hair is, the more often it needs to be washed. When it was long, I only washed once to twice a week. I’m washing my hair three to four times a week now. I’d like to go down to two to three washes and this will help me get there.

Farmacy Honey Drop Lightweight Moisturizer 10 ml $9

This is a 5th of the full size, which I think is generous for a face cream. It is close to a half of a fluid ounce. It has cool little honey beads in it to give your face extra moisture. This is a really unique face cream, but I’m definitely a no more than $30 face cream girl. Face cream takes me a long time to use up. A 2 ounce jar takes me 6 months of better. I don’t want to spend a ton on face cream. To be honest, I’m more likely to spend the $30 on a night cream than a face cream. I’ll probably go back to Simple or Cetaphil when I’m done with what I have.

Sephora Rouge Cream R04 The Red 1 g $3.12

Eh. I’m not a fan of how I look in red lipstick. I guess, I haven’t found my shade yet. I’m glad it’s just a mini. I’m going to just wear this around my house. I find it drying on the lips, so when I put this in my December makeup bag, I know I’ll be reapplying it often in order to get rid of that drying feeling on my lips. I tested it out today and I’ve had it on for an hour before touching up. I just had products that make my lips feel dry. If it’s a color I like, I add a gloss, but I just want to use this red up. I need a vampy red or a berry red. A true orangey red like this one doesn’t look good an neither do the pinky ones.

I would give this box 2 out of 5 stars. I love the Amika dry shampoo and I’m only half excited for the mascara and face cream. I hope December brings a better bag or at least more interesting products that are new to me. I just feel blah about this bag. Nothing truly excited, except for a product I know I like and have considered buying the full size off. This is a good way for me to finally decide to put it on my Love’s List or not.

With Love,