It's been a while since I've thrown a party and I am thinking that I may get one together this year for 4th of July. I love the red, white and blue themes and any chance to drink adult beverages with friends sounds like a good idea to me. I've been cruising through my Red, White and Blue Pinterest board for 4th of July party ideas and I think I found some!I also came across these awesomely cute ideas in my inbox this morning from Family Fun. Sweet & Salty Sparklers - 4th of July Snack IdeaLayered with white chocolate and studded with sprinkles and M&M’s, our pretzel treats add flare to any party spread. Cover a baking sheet with waxed paper. Melt 1 cup of white chocolate chips in a medium, heat-safe bowl according to the package directions. Use a spoon to drizzle 1pretzel rod at a time with chocolate (you’ll have enough chocolate to make a dozen), then lay the rod on the prepared sheet and scatter it with red and blue sprinkles and M&M’s. Chill the pretzels in the refrigerator until the chocolate sets, about 15 minutes. Red, White and Blue Saber PopsFeel the force of ice-cold refreshment—and keep hands unfrozen—with these felt cozies. For each, ...
Ipsy Review: Inexpensive Beauty Subscription Bag Plan
Do you Ipsy? No? Well, by now I am sure you have seen at least one of your FaceBook friends post that they just got off the waitlist for Ipsy (I'll tell you that little secret in a minute). So you may be thinking what is Ipsy and why is everyone going nuts for it?Remember a few months ago when I told you about my obsession with the Glossybox beauty subscription plan? Ipsy is sort of the same thing but on a smaller scale and a much smaller price tag. At $10 (includes shipping) a month you get a cute makeup bag (that is sort of their signature thing) with 4-6 new beauty products, often with just one of them being worth more than the $10 price of the subscription. Basically, Ipsy is the perfect way to treat yourself to something fun and get in on the subscription beauty bag craze at very little cost. I also think it makes a great gift for a college student. And lets not forget all of these tend to be the perfect size for traveling.At first I was worried that the products in the Ipsy bags would be a bit too "young" for me...like glitter nail polish and the like but I have been pleasantly surprised. I gave the nail polishes to my nieces and the bags are still on the money plus ...
Jawbone Up24
A couple of weeks ago Verizon sent me up to San Francisco to meet with other bloggers on the #VZWBuzz team and visit the Verizon Innovation Center. Geeks beware. If you ever want to just truly geek out on the new tech things coming to market you may want to score an invite here. I saw so many cool things being tested, some I can talk about and some I can't. Some are things just in conception and others are full blown and already on the market. One of the biggest areas of tech innovation is in sports and personal health. Some tech I was blown away with are meant for the NFL and a little hush hush so instead I will tell you about the innovations in personal health that are widely available to the market.One of these little goodies is my new constant companion. The Jawbone Up24. While its being marketed as a fitness device I'm actually using it to help me track how I feel and what effects my lupus. Yes, I know the purpose is to get me moving more but right now I am just mining data about my body from it and its been really useful.I wear the Jawbone Up24 24 hours a day and in addition to giving me data about how little I move...which is a scary little amount (averaging around ...
May Came. I Survived.
Wow....did May just happen? REALLY? It was a BLUR!Quite frankly it was the month I have been dreading for years. The month I never thought I could get through. Yet, somehow, miraculously I survived. Barely. But I did.I am dragging around the battle scars of my oldest's 18th birthday, high school graduation, a house full of family staying with us, and a great trip with long weather delays to San Francisco. All wonderful things. All a lot on me physically and/or emotionally.All so many things I have gotten through but haven't processed. And I am not ready to quite yet. Not ready to put those feelings out there. Suffice it to say that I have always been dangerously close to my kids. Losing one, even if just for 9 months to Omaha, won't be easy for me and each day that passes this summer just brings that closer.This summer I plan to treasure a healthy Carter (who is in a Lego Robotics class as I type this) and Connor who is getting ready to leave my nest, while working at least 3 jobs this summer and trying to cram every last second with his friends at the gym.I am immersing myself in travel and life and getting out there. I am also starting to concentrate more on ...
Samsung Note 3: My Personal Assistant & BFF
I have had a lot of phones. I test them for Verizon Wireless as a part of the #VZWBuzz team and love most of them to some degree or another but its rare that I love a phone in its entirety. You might remember I just compared my last three phones and ended up liking the Droid Ultra the best. But now a new heavy weight champ has entered the ring and I love, love, love it- the Samsung Note 3 Phablet.What's a phablet? Its a phone and tablet crossover. I admit it is big. Compared to an iphone it looks ginormous. One of the #VZWBuzz Insiders Tommy did a great video that shows you how the Samsung Note 3 stacks up to the other devices in the market But even with it's bigger than average size I can still easily slip it into the back pocket of my mom jeans (don't judge) without its case. With it's white leather and rose metal look it is simply the most beautiful phone I have owned and to be honest, I often go naked (the phone) with it because I love showing it off. But for those occasions when a case is absolutely required like traveling and going to sporting events or concerts I rely on my handy, sporty Spigen in orange. Here you can see both completely different ...