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Wednesday, February 19, 2014

I'm Addicted

I have to admit...I'm completely addicted to television! It's seriously bad. Once we got the Hopper (Or as we still refer to it...the HOPPA! Love those commercials! Haha.) my addiction got worse. I didn't think it was possible, but it sure did happen. Since we now record every prime time show by default, we've picked up new shows that we wouldn't have otherwise.

Like everyone else, I have my favorites. I also have guilty pleasures and "I save this on the DVR to watch when literally nothing else is on" shows. Luckily, my hubby and I are more or less on the same page with television shows. So, here's a breakdown of what I'm loving on the tube lately!

Pretty Little Liars. I know, I know. I am not a 15 year old girl. BUT, this show is by far on my favorites. There's always a plot twist I didn't see coming. I am in love with the suspense, the twists, the turns, and the utter insanity this show revolves around. Last night's episode further secured my complete sadness over one of my favorite characters becoming a total psycho. So good! (But so sad..!)

Beauty and the Beast. I know. Another "teeny bopper" show, as my husband would say. But this one has totally sucked me in. Lately, I can't get to my DVR fast enough to watch it. The "beast" is played by Jay Ryan, who is a serious hunk of man candy! This show is a throw back to the Beauty and the Beast show from the 80s/90s with Ron Pearlman. I remember watching that with my momma! It has all the  necessities - drama, romance, action, and a little sci-fi. The rumor is that this might get cancelled after this season. If it does, there will be tears. So many tears.

NCIS:LA. We watch the original as well, but this one is my favorite of the two by leaps and bounds. It involves more man crushes...Eric Christian Olsen (swoon) and LL Cool J. There is action and humor, plenty of drama, and as of late, a dash of romance. This is one my husband loves to watch as well. It's a Tuesday night favorite!

The Vampire Diaries. I never outgrew my Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Twilight obsession. Plus, Ian Somerhalder. 'Nuff said.

Those are my most recent favorites. Other honorable mentions include Criminal Minds, Hart of Dixie, Big Bang Theory, The Millers, Nashville, Chicago PD, Revenge, Being Human, Once Upon a Time, Revolution, and The Walking Dead. Told you I had a problem! I also love mindless smutty reality television, mostly Teen Mom 2, and Real Housewives (but only Orange County and New Jersey). Hubby looooves Bones and Castle. Those are his obsessions.

We also tried some new shows that we thought were awful. My advice? Avoid Enlisted. Like, never let you television be on the channel it's on so you accidentally have to watch it. Yikes. We also stopped watching The Crazy Ones (it's not as funny as we hoped), and I have up on some ABC Family teen shows - Ravenswood and Twisted. Too much fakey drama. Yuck.

So, here goes nothing. My name is Annie, and I'm 100% addicted to television! Oops! What shows can you not live without??

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Birchbox Breakdown - January

The weather here still stinks! I have used more vacation days for snow than I have for actual vacation...oh, the joys of being a commuter in the winter!

Today's topic is one of my favorite things - Birchbox! I am in LOVE with the whole idea of Birchbox...amazing little beauty samples delivered straight to your door. I am a beauty product fanatic! I am always trying new perfumes, makeup, lotions, bath products...so the fact that I can get samples dropped in my mailbox monthly is pretty amazing. I also love that I can get some pretty high end things that I would never be able to try otherwise ($70 for a moisturizer that doesn't work...? No thanks!) A couple of my favorite perfumes, and my current moisturizer were brought to me through Birchbox, and I am insanely in love with all of them.

Haven't heard of Birchbox? Let me explain. Basically, for $10 per month, you can get beauty samples (read: NOT full sized items) delivered right to you. All the products you receive are based on your beauty profile, which you complete once you sign up for Birchbox. You can also purchase gift subscriptions, so fellas...make your lady love you even more on Valentine's Day and sign her up! And ladies, there is a men's Birchbox option, so you can send your honey tons of great manly products (for slightly more per month, at $20 per month). If you want to know more about Birchbox and how it works, you can click here.

 Here's a breakdown of my January box!


After you remove the lid and tear open the tissue paper like it's your job, this is what you will typically see with your monthly box! I was pretty pumped to see some nail related product staring me right in the face!

These were my January products (I will give you more info in just a second). I also received a coupon for the Burt's Bees product. 

My boxes tend to focus on eye makeup, perfumes, and nail polish/art/supplies. I get these types of products because I've designed my beauty profile to eliminate the things I don't really use/wear - namely foundation, lipstick, hair products, and powders. I did have an issue at first with getting a lot of foundations and powders. The problem was that 1. I don't wear those things, and 2. They never matched my skin tone! You can choose "fair" from your list of options, but some things were still too dark, and others were way too light. So, I felt like I was "wasting" one product a month. I simply changed my profile, and viola! Fixed!


From my Birchbox product card:
Nail Rock Sequin ~ Full Size $6.99
The UK brand's two-step system for the world's brightest disco-ball mani. Use two coats of polish. Dip wet nails into sequin pot, let dry 20 minutes, and shine on.
* I haven't yet used this product, as I've had a gel manicure on my nails. It is something I love, since nail art is near and dear to my heart. I see a St. Patty's Day DIY mani in my future! This would be adorable on an accent nail with the others painted gold (Think OPI's Glitzerland)!*



From my Birchbox product card:
Beauty Protector Protect & Detangle ~ Full Size $21.95
Best-selling elixir that locks in color, protects from heat damage, and adds silkiness. Spritz onto damp strands before styling. Warning: the heady scent is addictive. 
*They're right. This does smell fantastic! It has also kept my very, very, very fine hair silky without weighing it down. I'm not convinced I want to purchase a full size bottle just yet, but I'm thinking about it!*

From my Birchbox product card:
INIKA Mineral Eyeshadow in Eternal Marine ~ Full Size $20
Packed with certified-organic ingredients, these natural pigments stay vibrant for hours. Apply to lids dry or wet using your favorite shadow brush.
*I haven't used this yet. I keep meaning to, but I am so set in my morning routine, that I keep forgetting to use it, and have been sticking with my usual Too Faced palette.*
 From my Birchbox product card:
Juicy Couture Viva La Juicy ~ Full Size $25-$90
Wild berries flirt with mandarin and soft floral notes for a scent that's fun and happy. Spritz onto pulse points to bring out your inner girly girl.
*I was familiar with this scent before my Birchbox. I'm not super crazy about it...it's just too floral-ish for me. Now, last month's sample of Viva La Juicy Noir...YES PLEASE! I always like the "muskier" scents better. (Musky is a really weird word, isn't it?)*
 This was my "Birchbox Find." These aren't always in every box, but are things that Birchbox thinks are great, so they give them to you in addition to your other products (never in replacement of a product). It's a Burt's Bees Intense Hydration Day Lotion with Clary Sage. There was a coupon for this product in my box, as there usually is for a "find."
*This makes my hands super smooth. It's a great one to leave in my office drawer for emergencies when Bath & Body Works lotion just isn't cutting it. For my "go to" lotion (aka my purse lotion), I am still in love with Eos. The lip balm and the lotion...LOVE it!*
While I haven't tried all of my products yet, I am liking the leave-in conditioner, and the Burt's lotion. I always look forward to my Birchbox every month...it's like Christmas! I have also joined ipsy, which is similar. I wasn't crazy in love with my first "bag," so I think I will give it another month or two before I share anything about it. I just want to be sure I like it before I pass along the information!
 
If you are in love with the idea of Birchbox, and the products I received last month, you can use my link to sign up by clicking here.

*These opinions are my own. I was not compensated by Birchbox or any of the other companies mentioned above to share their product. The Birchbox was also purchased with my own money. I just like to share what I love! :o)*