Monday, September 22, 2014

Weekly Budget/Cash System

Hello everyone!
I'm back again and this time I'm sharing a makeover of our weekly financial organization.  We follow a budget in our household and find that withdrawing cash every payday helps us stay on track financially and keeps us more accountable for our purchases. 

We have a couple of categories that we withdraw cash for:
1. Grocery Money
2. Spending Money
3. Gas Money
4. Date Money

We divide the cash up between the categories based on our budget and have historically kept the cash in labeled envelopes.  They were hideous and I was finally tired of looking at them! Worst of all, they were the re-sealing kind so every time we put cash in or took it out they ripped and ripped and ripped. 
 
So I decided to take a few minutes, do something really simple, and make a change! I picked up a small accordion file folder from the Target Dollar Spot for $1.00.  They didn't have any bright colored ones, only white, so naturally I had to spice it up a bit! 
 
The file folder came with labels so I labeled all the categories we needed and stuck them to the sections (with a lot of trouble! Those things are sticky.  One wrong move and you were screwed!)
 
 
 
After I labelled the sections I decided to add some color to the front with washi to make it more appealing.
The final product! It's been working so much better for us so far and was such a simple change to make but really made a huge difference in trying to fight with an ugly, re-sealing envelope every time we wanted to add/take some cash!
 
 
 
Do you budget with cash?  How do you organize it? I'd love to know!

Friday, September 19, 2014

Five Things Friday!

Hey everyone,
I'm back with another round of Five Things Friday! This is what I'm loving this week. 


{ONE}.  APPLES.  Everything apples.  Fall is my favorite season and this time of year I love anything and everything that has to do with apples.  Apple pie, apple scented candles, apple crumble, apple picking, caramel apple cheesecake.  This list goes on and on.  We're planning to go apple picking next weekend and I can't wait.  It's always such a fun time with family and we end up eating about 10 lbs of apples afterwards. 

{TWO} TooFaced Better Than Sex Mascara.  TooFaced is one of my favorite makeup brands and I have been trying to get my hands on this stuff for months.  My local beauty store was sold out and had a waiting list for the longest time.  I finally got my hands on some of this last week and let me just say, it's amazing.  Look for a review on the blog soon.  In the meantime, purchase yours here. 

{THREE}.  Smoke's Poutinerie. I have been hearing rave reviews of this restaurant for quite some time but our closest one is over an hour away.  Last week we happened to be close by and just HAD to stop in.  I'm not a poutine lover but my husband is.  All the poutine choices start out with your basic poutine (fries, gravy and cheese-curds) and you can pick options from there.  I got the double pork (bacon and pulled pork) and my husband had the bacon cheeseburger (cheese-sauce, bacon and hamburger).  I have to say, I LOVED it.  It's not something that I could eat all the time but it was delicious.  If you're close by, go! Here is there website.  Check out the menu and locations!

{FOUR}. Every Time I Think of You by Tracey Garvis-Graves.  This is one of my favorite authors and I'm so excited to see a new book from her.  Check out my blog-blast about her new book and purchase your copy here. 

{FIVE}.  GREEN BAY PACKERS.  Football season started while I was taking a break from the blog.  We're a Packers family.  Bring on the Cheesehead, chili, Lambeau Leaps, Green and Gold and the drool-worthy Clay Matthews. 

Tuesday, September 16, 2014

September Topbox Review

Hello everyone!
I just received this months Topbox and I am very happy with what I received! This month I decided to "wish" for the Deborrah Lippmann Prive box as I LOVE their products. 

My city used to have this great little beauty boutique that was independently owned and operated. I started shopping there as the girls were super helpful and always had the best suggestions for any issues/products. They were the first ones to introduce me to Deborrah Lippmann. I am a nail polish junkie but I had a bit of a hard time spending $20-$25 a bottle on ONE polish until I tried Deborrah Lippmann. I started buying myself a bottle every time something needed a little celebration or I needed a pick me up. The girls at my local beauty boutique would even help my husband with buying me gifts and picking out products! He came home with many a Deborrah Lippmann polish (and lots of other goodies!) for me with the help of those lovely ladies. Sadly, my favorite beauty boutique closed in my city last year and now we literally have Shoppers Drug Mart and Sears to buy cosmetics in my city. We have a Sephora an hour and a half away but there are still two of my favorite beauty boutiques in New Brunswick and I try and hit them as often as I can, or order online! I love shopping local and getting personalized makeup advice over supporting a big box company. Anyways, I digress. 

Since I knew I love Deborrah Lippmann I was really hoping I would get this Prive box! I didn't have this color and had my fingers crossed for it. I also went with the option for organza packaging as I have so many Topbox tubes it's ridiculous and I love to reuse these for gifts! 

Yahoo! It's a beautiful pink color called "Groove is in the Heart" and retails for $20. Two coats are recommended to make it opaque. 
Here is a closer look: 

BOOK BLAST! Every Time I Think of You by Tracey Garvis-Graves

Hello Everyone!
As you all know, I love anything written by Tracey Garvis-Graves.  I have read all her books to date and have thoroughly enjoyed every last second of every book. 
 
When news of her latest book, Every Time I Think of You, hit Facebook I was very happy to see that they were looking for bloggers to help spread the word about the new title.  So here I am!


Tracey Garvis Graves is a New York TimesWall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author. Her debut novel, On the Island, spent 9 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list, has been translated into twenty-seven languages, and is in development with MGM and Temple Hill Productions for a feature film. She is also the author of Uncharted, Covet, Every Time I Think of You, and Cherish. She is hard at work on her sixth book.
Tracey loves to interact with her readers and can be found on Facebook and Twitter.
Title: Every Time I Think of You
Author: Tracey Garvis-Graves
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Romantic Suspense

Every Time I Think of You is being released TODAY! So run, don't walk, to you local bookstore and pick up a copy! It is also available in digital download versions as well.  You can find it on Amazon too. 
What is it all about?  Check out the synopsis below!
Thirty-year-old Daisy DiStefano has two people she holds dear: the grandmother who raised her, and her three-year-old son, Elliott. But when Daisy’s grandmother is killed in a seemingly random act of violence, Daisy must take steps to protect herself and her child.  Despite a thriving career in San Francisco, thirty-six-year-old Brooks McClain has returned home to spend what little time his mother has left before she succumbs to the deadly disease that is ravaging her. The seasoned investigative reporter has taken a position with the local newspaper and been on the job less than twenty-four hours when he’s summoned to cover the death of Pauline Thorpe.  Brooks is all business, but the more time he spends with Daisy DiStefano, the more invested he becomes; there’s something about a single mother, a defenseless child, and an unsolved crime that has stirred Brooks’s protective instincts like nothing ever has before.  And when the unthinkable happens, Brooks will do whatever it takes to clear the name of the woman he’s fallen for and the child he’ll protect at any cost.  Romantic and suspensefulEvery Time I Think of You shows how far two people will go to fight for the ones they love, and the life they’ve always imagined.
 
Tracey Garvis-Graves has been kind enough to answer some questions about the writing process and how she came to write Every Time I Think of You... Check it out:
 
One of the questions I’m often asked is, “How did you come up with the idea for this book?” My books are fairly plot-driven, and Every Time I Think of You was no different. I could see the opening scene in my head like a movie so I knew what the inciting incident – in other words, the event that would send the main characters’ lives in another direction – would be. But in this case, my opening scene was the result of not only plot, but also a character. I have wanted to write a book where the main character was a crime reporter for a while now. I tend to gravitate toward heroes who are regular guys, and I wanted to see what would happen when I put this particular hero into various situations (and a little hot water). What would he do? How would he react? What, exactly, was he made of?
 
However, if main character Brooks McClain was going to be a crime reporter, that meant I had to come up with a crime (which ultimately, I’d have to solve). I’ve never written a book with a mystery or suspense element before, but I wasn’t going to let a little thing like that get in the way of telling this story. I’ve said time and time again that I never want to be an author who writes the same book over and over, but with that motto comes challenges. I have to deal with the discomfort that comes from tackling something different than I’ve done before, and often this means learning new things.
 
I have a love/hate relationship with research. I keep telling myself I’m going to write a book that doesn’t require as much research, and then I write a book that requires extensive research. I should really start listening to myself! Some of the things I did in the name of research for Every Time I Think of You included taking a four-hour firearms safety course and learning how to load and shoot a gun, which was something I didn’t have any experience with.
 
I also studied ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, by reading memoirs and poring over countless websites dedicated to the disease. Although the timing of the recent ALS ice bucket challenge is merely a coincidence, it makes me happy to know that this devastating illness is receiving such an outpouring of support from the general public.
 
I studied addiction, specifically methamphetamine addiction. What I learned was heart-wrenching, eye-opening, and often tragic. In total, I read six memoirs about addiction and read countless online articles. I watched a fascinating Frontline documentary from PBS about methamphetamine addiction and its effects on law enforcement and the community
 
I reached out to a criminal defense attorney in California so that I could gain an understanding of that state’s legal processes, and I spent several hours in person and on the phone with my cousin Jack, who is a detective with the Des Moines Police Department. Jack was instrumental in explaining the outcomes of all the different scenarios I proposed (naturally, I named the detective character after him). I interviewed three different crime reporters (who all told me slightly different things), and one of them saved me from a potentially embarrassing gaffe. In Every Time I Think of You, I include an actual newspaper article written by Brooks McClain. Newspaper reporters use the Associated Press Stylebook to ensure that their articles are written correctly whereas The Chicago Manual of Style is the go-to guide for fiction writers. The crime reporter who proofed my article had me make a small tweak so that it was correct in form.
 
I spoke to a nurse, to make sure I got the details of Daisy’s DiStefano’s work schedule correct. There were less significant things I needed the answers to, such as what kind of jewelry a nurse would be permitted to wear to work and what floor she might work on if she were involved with a particular patient.
 
In addition to the factual research necessary to write this story, I also had to choose the path I’d take to solve the crime. I learned that there were a few different ways I could handle this: One, I could write the story in such a way that the reader would probably not know who committed the crime until the very end. Two, I could choose the slightly-less-suspenseful route and let the reader be privy to clues that would allow them to guess the identity of the perpetrator much earlier. That way, I could let the focus of the story rest on how the person would be brought to justice. I chose option two because I felt it would lend emotional resonance and depth to the story.
 
Now that I knew how I’d tell the story, I needed to concentrate on the characters. I usually have a pretty good outline in place before I sit down to start writing. This method doesn’t work for everyone, but for me it helps to have a roadmap of sorts so that I don’t waste too much time writing myself into corners. This is not a spoiler because you know from the blurb that the book deals with the aftermath of the death of Daisy’s beloved grandmother. However, once I was about a fourth of the way through the first draft, I realized that the character I’d chosen to commit the crime didn’t actually do it.
 
I fought it for a while, but the more I got to know these characters, the more I realized my inner muse was right. This person couldn’t have done it.
 
Delete, delete, delete, delete. Sigh.
 
The real perpetrator had a motive, but it was subtle and at first I couldn’t see it. And the person who I’d originally intended to commit the crime was actually somewhat responsible. But it will be up to the reader to draw their own conclusions about what transpired that evening in Daisy’s grandmother’s apartment, because the opening chapter of the book is narrated by Daisy’s three-year-old son, who has a very limited ability to explain it. I actually first wrote this opening chapter from the point-of-view of Daisy’s grandmother, Pauline. It gave the book a much darker tone than I wanted so I scrapped it and decided to let Elliott take the reins.
 
There is also one final plot thread that I chose not to tie up with a big red ribbon. Initially I wrote a paragraph that would have explained why a certain character made the choice that he did, but then I realized it wasn’t necessary. Readers are smart and book discussions are extra fun when there’s a bit of speculation involved.
 
I’m not an especially fast or prolific writer, and that’s fine with me. Between the research and the actual writing time, this book took fourteen months to complete, and there were times I wanted to pull my hair out. I’d told my husband there were a couple of twists I was hoping to pull off, but wasn’t sure I knew how to accomplish them. I told several people that writing this book made my brain hurt (but one of the readers who received an advance copy told me she kept saying to herself as she read it, “This book is so smart!”). When I hear feedback like that, it tells me that everything I did in the name of Every Time I Think of You was worth it.
 
I hope you enjoy Brooks and Daisy’s story.
 
 
Tracey has been kind enough to offer an excerpt from Every Time I Think of You for you to check out!!
 
EXCERPT:
I glanced at my watch. “I need to get going.” I stood and Daisy followed me toward the door. “Don’t hesitate to call the police for any reason. Pay close attention to your surroundings. Keep your door locked. Don’t ever open it without the chain on.” I paused, once again struck by how alone she seemed. Was anyone watching out for her? “Listen, I don’t mean for this to sound as sexist as it’s going to, but is there a guy around?
 
Rarely did I ask such a personal question, especially when the answer was absolutely none of my business.
 
And I’ll admit to being more than just professionally curious as I waited for her answer.
 
“There was, but not anymore,” she said. “It’s just Elliott and me. We’ll be okay. When someone knocks, I look through the peephole. If I don’t recognize the person, I leave the chain on when I open the door. I also bought a gun.”
 
She said that last part with such nonchalance that it took me a second to process it.
 
 “You what?” I probably said it with a little more force than I should have.
 
 She looked taken aback. “Shane helped me pick it out.”
 
 I was speechless. “I’m sorry, but you don’t—”
 
 “Look like the type of person who would own a gun?”
 
 It was hard to argue with that statement when it was exactly what I was going to say. “Yes.”
 
“I didn’t buy the gun because I wanted to. Frankly, I would rather not own one. They scare me,” she said. “But I bought one anyway because the thought of looking something evil right in the eye and knowing that I’m more than likely going to come out on the losing end of it terrifies me. The fear that I’ll be assaulted, or raped and left for dead, or worse yet, that someone will try to harm my child, is the reason I have this gun. That’s the type I am.”
 
I saw her then, really saw her. Five foot seven, maybe, but small-boned. She was wearing a fitted V-neck T-shirt that emphasized her slight build. I could see the prominent ridge of her collarbone and the deep hollow at the base of her throat that I suddenly couldn’t stop looking at. She’d be no match for anyone. If she wanted a gun, I was hardly in a position to tell her she couldn’t have one.
 
I’m sorry,” I said. “I was out of line. It’s really none of my business what you do.”
 
“It’s okay. Pam reacted the same way you did. But I’m doing everything I can to be a responsible gun owner. I’ve signed up for the safety class so I can learn how to handle the gun. How to shoot it. I’ll apply for the permit as soon as I have my certificate. I’ll go to the shooting range, and I’ll practice.”
 
Taking her to the shooting range was something I could do to help her. It would also give me a chance to spend time with her, which was something that was becoming more appealing by the minute. I could feel the boundary between witness and reporter starting to blur, but I really didn’t care. It had been a while since a woman had sparked my interest the way Daisy had. “You don’t have to justify anything to me. It sounds like you’re doing everything right,” I said. “I’ll let you know if I hear anything on the case.”
 
“I would really appreciate that.”
 
Elliott put down his coloring book and ambled across the room.
 
Daisy lifted him into her arms. “You look tired, buddy. Are you ready for your nap?”
 
“I’m not tired,” Elliott said, yawning and rubbing his eyes.
 
“Oh, my mistake,” Daisy said, smiling at him. “I think we’ll try a nap anyway, just in case.”
 
She looked at me. “Thanks for stopping by.”
 
“It was no problem. I’ll see you soon.”
 
As I stepped into the hallway she said, “Brooks?”
 
I turned around. “Yes?”
 
“Maybe I’m reading this wrong, but you seem to genuinely care about my safety, and I want you to know that I appreciate it. I need all the help I can get.”
 
I met her gaze and held it for a moment. “You aren’t reading it wrong at all. Take care, Daisy.”
 
She smiled and it illuminated her face, making every feature even prettier. She closed the door, and I made my way down the hall.
 
It was true that I cared about Daisy’s safety. Maybe Scott DiStefano had never abused or neglected Elliott, but Daisy’s decision to arm herself made me wonder what he’d done to her.
 
 
There is also an AMAZING GIVEAWAY to celebrate the release of the book!  One winner will receive (INT):
ONE signed copy of On the Island, Covet, and Every Time I Think of You. Also included, a $50 gift card to Barnes & Noble and Amazon. Also, the winner will receive an ARC of Tracey's next work-in-progress, The Girl He Used to Know (an adult contemporary second-chance romance novel). And finally, Tracey will either use the winner's name in The Girl He Used to Know (first name or last name only, or the actual real name if comfortable) OR the winner can suggest a name for a character. 
 
**The restrictions to this are that it will not be the name of a main character. It will be a supporting or minor character. Also, this is a fictional character. It is not a character based on the winner.
 
Enter HERE!!! Good Luck everyone! Now stop reading my blog and head to the bookstore or go download this great new novel!


 

 

Jamberry Nail Review

Hello everyone!
I've been MIA for about two weeks and I apologize for that.  My husband recently got home from Nunavut and we've been enjoying spending some much needed time together and with family.  I'm back into a routine now and should be back to regular blogging. 

I am a nail polish junkie.  I have subscribed to Julep for over a year and a half now and also L.O.V.E Deborrah Lippmann nail polish!  Working at the hospital and constanly taking gloves on/off means that gel nails aren't a great option for me as they tend to stick to the gloves which is a pain. I do love my polish but I have been hearing great things about Jamberry Nails and wanted to give them a shot.  I have never been very good at nail art and Jamberry offers an extensive catalogue of options to pick from!

I contacted my local Jambery Nails rep and asked for a sample to be sent to me.  I tried the sample on two nails and loved the results.  They were super easy to apply so I decided to order a full set. 

I went with a set of "Mint Green and Gold Horizontal Pinstripe" as I can't get enough of mint lately. This is the product photo from the Jamberry website:
 
My Jamberry Nails cost me $17.00 (plus tax) and shipping was free as my consultant was placing a big order. 
 
One set of Jamberry Nails can give you TWO manicures and TWO pedicures! They say the manicures will last up to two weeks and the pedicures up to four weeks.
 
This is what a sheet of Jamberry Nails looks like:
 
The backing on the sheet is clear so that you can easily hold them over your nail to determine the best fit.  The nails themselves cut in half which gives you your two manicures and two pedicures. 
 
In preparation for applying my nails I grabbed a rubber cuticle pusher, mini metal scissors and a nail file.  (Similar cuticle pusher and scissors found here and here. 
 

The application process was very straightforward.
 
Here are the instructions (taken from the Jamberry website and package):
1. Clean unpolished nails with alcohol wipe and push back cuticles.  (**Pushing back your cuticles is a very important step, do not skip this one, it made my application process so much easier!).
2. Match nail (finger or toe) to the nail wrap that best fits.
3. Peel off nail wrap and warm with a mini heater or blow-dryer for 3-5 seconds or until soft and flexible.  (**When I got my nail wraps I immediately cut each manicure sheet in half so that I made sure I would get my two applications out of them and wouldn't ruin the other half during the heating process.  I used a hairdryer to heat my wraps.  I peeled the wrap off and stuck a corner onto my metal scissors and then heated the wrap so that it wasn't flying all over the place). 
4. When warm, press the wrap onto the nail.  Apply firm pressure around edges to adhere the wrap to the nail.  Use rubber cuticle pusher to seal the wrap around the base of the cuticle. 
5. Trim the top with scissors and file off remaining wrap using a downward motion to remove excess.  (** File at a 90 degree angle).
6. Apply heat and pressure to the wrap again until it is bonded to the nail. 
 
 Here  is a link to the official Jamberry application video if you want a visual on how to apply them. 
 
I found that the nail wraps went on easy and quick and that they looked great once applied.  They stuck to my nails with no issues.  A lot of people mix different sets of Jamberry Nails together to create an even more interesting manicure.  You can follow Jamberry on Instagram for even more nail inspiration. 
 
I had my Jamberry Nails on for two weeks and they still looked great at the end of it.  I got lots of compliments on my nails and think I've converted a few of my friends to them too. 
 
This is what my nails looked like with my Jamberry Nails on:
 
 
 
 
Once you've decided that you've had your fill of the wraps there are two ways to remove them:
 
The QUICK removal method:
Heat the wraps with a blow-dryer for 15 seconds.  Break the seal by getting under the edge of the wrap with your opposite thumb nail.  Slowly peel the wrap from side to side.  If the nail wraps are not peeling easily or the adhesive is still bonded to the nail bed then follow the GENTLE removal process. 
 
The GENTLE removal method:
Soak the nail wraps in nail polish remover for 20-30 seconds and gently rub them off.  Soaking will break down the adhesive bond and allow them to easily slide off of the nail bed. 
 
I followed the quick removal method with no issues.  After the wraps were removed I cleaned my nails with alcohol.  My real nails were not ruined at all after the wraps were removed! 
 
I can't wait to order some more sets of Jamberry nail wraps.  They have a promo on for buy three get one free and I think I will be taking advantage of that very soon.  They even have a lot of themed nails and just released their Halloween collection! 
 
You can find the Jamberry website HERE.  There is even a monthly Jamberry Nails subscription box called "Stylebox" that you can subscribe to as well.  It is $25.00 a month and shipping is free.  It includes a minimum of $30 of Jamberry Nail product, a nail file, an orange stick and a monthly style guide. 
 
** I was not compensated for this product review.  I purchased my Jamberry Nails and just wanted to share my honest opinion with you.