Five on Friday Link-Up

OK I'll bite. I have always wanted to join up since this week there are plenty of things that I am loving and you all know how much my brain likes to ramble on...

{ONE}

My baby MOVES! She's on the go and no one can stop this unstoppable force! ...Except sleep.

{TWO}

I think I'm getting to the point where Crossfit is the part of the day I look forward to. Which actually is a good thing! I used to loathe and complain about going and now I think of it as a day in the park. A park where I get extra sweaty. lol

{THREE}

The view from my classroom. I know I should be 100% focused on the lesson of the day but seriously. I can't help it if I can daydream a bit and zone out to all the things I am thinking at that particular moment...

{FOUR}

I went to try this for a week. 2 meals for $75/wk delivered right to your doorstep. Healthy eating which tastes SOOO good. I love it! Who knew healthy eating could not taste so bland? It's too good, in fact...

{FIVE}

courtesy of http://www.creativereview.co.uk

MY BIRTHDAY WEEKEND! Which also falls with Labor Day weekend so that means party party party! No, not really. 

But it does mean that I get to celebrate being home with the kids and the hubby :) And that is something definitely great to look forward to :D

Have a great Labor day weekend!

Thursday Thoughts

My oh my. Labor day weekend is upon us which I am sure that many of you aren't even really here here. You're just...there.

Confusing?

Anyway, so I am linking up today to Ramblings of a Suburban Mom for a little Thursday Thoughts:

- It's a little refreshing to be getting back into the grind of school. I think a little change in the environment is a good thing because doing the same old thing can get a bit boring.

- I miss my JD. I haven't really spent too much time with him these last few weeks since I started going to CF at night and since he started his little daycare trial. D:
I have noticed a few changes in his behavior:
1) He's eating. A lot. Which is a big deal because he's been super picky when it comes to food and now he eats everything with no problem! I mean he still has the whole vegetable thing going on but other than that he's improved in his eating habits.
2) He's socializing a lot more. I mean, he's not a social butterfly but his mannerisms have been showing a lot more since he's had to put everything we taught him into play.

- I also miss E. Since the daycare is right next door to aunt-in-law's (do we say that? I know Hispanics have a word for it) house and that's where my MIL has been staying so it's easier than having JD waiting for me to go get him at the daycare. So E just stays with her grandmother and I have the freedom of getting work done a lot faster than if the kids were with me. The sad part is, I still don't get a lot of work done because I end up calling every couple of hours to see how my little E is doing. D: Typical mommyhood.

- As for my CF progress, I can tell that I have been making some. Every week that passes by, I see some sort of improvement in my strength and my endurance levels. Which believe me, after being sedentary for so long... there's bound to be some sort of change in my stamina.

Note: I do CrossFit not to lose weight, but to build strength and endurance. I want to be fit, not thin.

That's it for now, what are your thoughts? Share and link up!

52 Weeks of Blogging with A Purpose; Show & Tell Monday -- Week 11

Every one who isn't a parent does the same thing after hearing that kid in the middle of the grocery store (you all know the one). "I would never this or I would never that." I found myself eating my words after being a parent, but not all my words thankfully. There's a few that you might be nodding your head to as we go down the list and agree that we are guilt of such things...

I said I would never...

...bribe my kid. I'm not a horrible parent to be bribing my kid from time to time. If it gives me at least 5 minutes of quiet time when we are somewhere that we need to be silent (and not kid-friendly), the least I can do is bribe him with my phone, iPod or a piece of something yummy (not candy or anything with sugar, the last thing I need is for him to be even more up the wall). I'm sure a few of you can relate.

...be that mom to let my kid be the screaming kid. JD screams...loud. And I mean he has (or had) this ear-piercing scream that would make most moms want the ground to swallow them whole because it sounded like you just beat the shit out of your kid. I had such a difficult time when those terrible twos came along (and threes? they don't tell you about the threes). Believe me, it became more and more frustrating when I really wanted to give him something to cry about. But instead of reinforcing that behavior with my (very obvious angry) tone, I ignored him. I did. I let him scream and cry it out in the shipping cart while I kept shopping. My behavior analyst professor would be pleased. After a lot of patience and the dirty looks from fellow shoppers, it (THANKFULLY) went away. Now of course there's other things that I wish would change (sigh), but it part of his growing experience and mine as well.

...be a stay-at-home mom. The idea of staying home and being a housewife instantly made me cry. I hated the idea of it. Instead I am a work-at-home mom. I am still home with the kids and I wouldn't change it for the world. I have the ability to see my kids grow and to still provide for the family. Of course that'll change once JD starts Pre-K. Oh, the feels. D:

...let my kid stay up late. Ok, I have been pretty good at keeping up a routine and a night schedule. But there are nights where my husband does not get home until after 12. So sometimes JD misses him and tries to stay up to see him...of course his little self can't stay up until 12 so by 11 he is knocked out. He's so frikin sweet, that kid...

...let my kid watch T.V. I never wanted him to. But sometimes...I find myself that it's the only he'll let me get any work done. Sure, he helps me get some stuff done like picking up his toys or he "helps" me cook. But other times, he can get in the way. -_- 

What about you? Did you find one that made you think, "crap, that hit close to home"? Share some of your thoughts or link up!

Sunday Social -- Week 12

Time for another link up with Ashley and Neely for a Social Sunday :)

1. What do you miss most about being a kid? I miss waking up late or waking up to seeing my favorite cartoon shows...I miss the energy I used to have to play video games and do a million things...I miss "me" time. lol
2. Did you have a nickname growing up? What was it? I didn't really have a nickname. Except maybe "owl eyes" (no explanation required there) or "that really awkward girl" which is not really a nickname but you could tell what kind of child I was growing up lol
3. What was your favorite thing to do at recess? The monkey bars. Oh and the slides. I still like sliding when I'm at the water park (or some sort of water park).
4. What did you want to be when you grew up? I wanted to be a veterinarian. Lol I love animals :3
5. Did you participate in any school activities? In elementary, not really. By middle school, I joined a science club for all 3 years. Then in high school I went from super nerdy to super fab dancer/flag twirler and back to nerd (I moved like 3 times in my high school years).
6. What is the funniest thing you did as a kid that your parents still remind you about? Well not my parents, but my grandparents have such a great memory for these sorts of things -.- My grandmother specifically remembers where I used to always say "Me first, me first!" for everything. -.- And I mean, EVERYTHING. Oh and I used to laugh at my own jokes. I still do that, actually.

Happy Sunday everyone :)

It's Friday, y'all!

Ok, I don't normally say "y'all" but it seemed like something that fit with "It's Friday"! ...Or am I wrong?

SO happy Friday to you all, there's a few things on my mind today...

When isn't there any?

- First and foremost, Ben Affleck as the new Batman.

courtesy of nerdist.com

Can I just say: I am neither for or terribly against it. I mean sure, it's weird seeing Holden (See: Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back) becoming the Dark Knight himself, and I don't necessarily agree that he would be a perfect candidate for Bruce Wayne. But like all movies, we just have to wait and see what the future holds. 

This is some big ass shoes for Affleck to fill and the internet is not a kind place ATM(*).

Observe, Exhibit A.

- I am seriously thinking about going on a trip to Target soon. Since Fall is upon us soon, the bikini and swimwear/outerwear are going to be on the clearance rack. Meaning more savings = more yummy drinks on the cruise. 

I swear I am not an alcoholic.

- This is my last weekend where I will be worry-free. I start classes again this Tuesday. yikes. I am sort of looking forward to it since I am just THAT much closer to graduating with my Bachelor's. But I'm pretty sure that I will be so much happier once I am in December. (end of the semester)

So, until Monday my fellow bloggers/readers :)

(*)At the moment.

bluum August 2013 "Giggle Monster" (8 month old) review

Bluum is getting better at the whole delivery thing. By the time I see my tracking number, it's finally on it's way to me! This time, they used Fed-Ex tracking and I feel is much more reliable than USPS or DHL for that matter.
Another note: I don't know what or how bluum picks what people get. I have this habit of googling the crap out of all the boxes that bluum sends. Looking for the same themes and things like that. But, even if someone gets the same theme, they get different things. (Which was a good thing since I was afraid that maybe I was going to the same thing I got the month before...yikes.)
Anyway, on to the review!

This month's theme is "Giggle Monster". Between you and me, E is more like just monster. O.O DON'T MESS WITH HER AND HER FOOD.

Happy Family Happy Munchies Rice Cake - Apple: ($3.00):

The first time I got anything from this company was through Citrus Lane in their toddler box back in May. And it was pretty good. E has been in the habit of chewing (yes, it's funny seeing her chew with no teeth) a lot of different foods so this is something I know she will definitely consume and I will have to buy more.

Razbaby Snack Pack ($7.00):

This just saved me hours of headaches looking something similar to this. I already use the NUBY formula dispenser but the unfortunate thing is that if you don't twist the knob part just right, it'll spill formula into the other compartments and I'm through with that mess. This also separates into 3 little packs so this will also be convenient for long times that I am away from E (rare but it happens).

Little Learners Snuggle Bunny book & plush toy ($13.00):

Toys for E = welcomed. Plus it brings a book, JD also enjoys it because since he already understands most of the actions that the little bunny does in the book, he likes to mimic them which is frikin cute as hell. He really likes doing it with this book and that makes my heart melt and I hope he never grows up :(

Dreambaby Rainbow Outlet Plugs ($4.00):

Another item that was on my "to buy" list. I don't know where I leave those damn little plugs after I take them off! So in my forgetfulness I am left with a few open outlets. E is already kind of doing those little military crawls so I am deeming that a mobile baby and getting the house baby-proofed ASAP.

Funktion Clutch ($39.00):

My oh my. First off, I did not expect such an item to show up in this month's box. I really like it, then again I'm a sucker for purses and clutches. It's perfect for those rare Ladies Nights with a few moms that I hang out with and I can't wait to show it off :P

Luna Fiber Bar Vanilla Blueberry ($2.00):

Before I could even get a picture of it, both Edward and JD were staring at that bar waiting to get a piece. So, I didn't get a change to try it but heard it was great! -.-

The total value for this box is $68.00 versus the $25 I paid for the box which is a great deal :)
I know that a lot of people have been having issues with their boxes and things like that according to their FB page, but from the looks of it, bluum is on top of all those problems and trying very hard to fix all those issues. That's a plus in my book, more of a reason to at least try them out :)

Disclaimer: Links on this blog are referral links (unless otherwise noted). You and I will both be rewarded for accepting the referral = awesome-ness.

Thursday Thoughts

It's time for another edition of Thursday Thoughts over at Ramblings of a Suburban Mom! You know, where I rant about the things that are going on or those random thoughts that could occur to me :P

~ OMGOSHOMGOSHOMGOSH, what a wonderful thing to wake up to! I get an email from the lovely host herself telling me that I won the raffle for a Zoku Quick Pop Maker and Slush & Shake Maker:

Winner is me!

Hahaha, I couldn't believe it and it seriously made my day :D

~ Also, thing number two that made my day: have you done some googling today? This should be a word by now. If you haven't, then you're missing out on one of my favorite Beethoven pieces. <3

~ E is already cutting her first tooth! Is that how you say it, "cutting"? Anyway, the point is, her first tooth is coming out and my poor nipples have already suffered the consequences this morning. D: I never had the biting problem with JD so I may have to look into ways to get her to stop before it gets out of hand...Suggestions?

~ Remember my procrastination? And remember I said today is a good day? Maybe I didn't say it out loud here but I have been saying that today is a pretty good day. I ordered my International Edition books (which btw come from Malaysia) on Monday and 2 out of 3 came in already! What else could go right today? :D Edit: Upon actually opening the paks, turns out they packed 2 books in one pak so I got all my books for next week!

~ I was recently complimented on how my legs have been looking. I really hate my legs because I was once told that my legs were fat and I never wore shorts since then. Which I should've ignored them from the get-go because I have dancer legs and have had them forever. <.< But since I started CF, my legs have become a little more defined and it's a noticeable change. All I need is a serious tan or some color to the pearly white-ness that is me. xD

~ The countdown to my birthday continues and I still can't make up my mind on what I want to do. This is essential though: presents and cake and drinks. :3

That's it for now, what are your thoughts today?

SO WHAT Wednesdays

OH it's been so long since I have posted this link up, I decided it's about time I declared my so-whats for the week! I am saying SO WHAT IF...
- I JUST bought my books for the new semester. I had, what, more than 2 months to search and buy my books on time? Procrastination my friend. Procrastination.
- I splurged on that chocolate chip frappe from McDonald's when I should've been thinking that a salad or a fruit cup would've been a healthier choice. Yeah, I forgot for a moment my goal for the cruise body.
- I skipped out on Crossfit on purpose yesterday. 150 wallballs. 150 WALLBALLS. It's not the 150 part that kills me, I could squat 150 times like there's no tomorrow. It's the fact that there's a 10lb medicine ball that I am throwing and catching while squatting is the "fun" part. I saved my arms but I know that usually when I miss out on something I hate, there's something worse the next day. D:
- All I am thinking about is the cruise. CRUISECRUISECRUISECRUISE. WITH NO KIDS. :D
- I don't wanna go anymore because I have to leave the kids behind for 4 days. D:
- I am really dragging out my posts on bluum and Citrus Lane. I feel a little lazy. (See point four.)
- I spent last night playing video games at an arcade and counted my DDR(*) time as workout time.
- My birthday is getting closer and I don't really feel like doing anything <.< I don't even want to host a party or have Edward host a party. I want cake and presents. And maybe a couple of margaritas or tequila shots. >.>
That's all for this link up! What are you saying so what to?

 



(*)Dance Dance Revolution. This game really makes you break out in sweat! lol Look for standard mode. You'll see what I mean. Disclosure: This post may contain referral links unless otherwise noted.

Ipsy August 2013 "Glamour Academy" Review

Ah, I had been waiting for this bag for THE longest! (It decided to stay stuck in GA for like ever) It is definitely my favorite subscription box (bag, whatever) and I have not regretted it! Even though I don't really get what I really wanted (you'll see what I mean), but in the end, I am happy with these products I have never seen/heard of before.
Let the ipsy review begin!

Lovely pink bubbled envelope

First look

 Noya lip balm:

I'm not going to lie, I WAS SO DISAPPOINTED I DIDN'T GET THE LIPSTICK. For those of you who do not know, it was either this or the Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick. And I really wanted the latter. D:
Either way, this lip balm was actually pretty good. I love that it smelled (and tasted) like cherry and this is one of the items that will replace my MK lip balm since it's already down to the last twist. ;P

Pacifica Alight Multi-Mineral BB Cream:

I have been out on the market looking for good BB cream. First because I wanted to see the big fuss is all about. Second, I wanted to learn how to use it. Hmm. Ipsy, you might have read my mind this month. (except on the UD T_T) It is very light-weight, I used it after my morning routine of face-washing. A little goes a long way and it made my skin look pretty flawless. It is a little shimmery, but a least it's subtle and I could get over it. Makes a hell of use for those out-the-door moments when you can't really spend 30 minutes to make yourself look at least a bit more presentable ;)

Michael Todd Jojoba Charcoal Gentle Exfoliating Facial Scrub:

I'm not a big fan of facial scrubs. But I hear good things about this brand and it's facial cleansers/scrubs. I'll give it try in the near future but for now, my face feels/looks perfectly fine.

Chella Dazzling Dark Brown Eyebrow Color Pencil:

I am envious of all girls who have naturally full eyebrows. Even when I "fix" my eyebrows (when I say fix, I mean comb them and the occasional tear-fest from waxing), I am bound to very short eyebrows and a horrible scar from when I was like 3. This will probably be a new addition to the whole fixing my eyebrows routine and I can't wait to use it. :)

Pixi Beauty Lash Booster Mascara in Blackest Black:

I wouldn't have picked any other color other than black. I have tried using this electric blue from BBW (I forget which brand) and yeah...I'll never do that again. I'll stick to the black. lol This will probably be in hiding for a while until I use up the last mascara I bought (e.l.f, btw). But I will be excited to give this a go when I do decide to change things up a bit and add a little mascara when I wanna feel a little dressy. (life of a mom, right?)

Last but not least,

THE LONG AWAITED BAG

Oh this. THIS is what I was really waiting for this entire time. I was not entirely thrilled with the stuff I got but this makes up for it tenfold. It's got a Harry Potter-esque thing going on and it makes me feel like I should be getting to Platform 9 and 3/4 before I miss the train ride to Hogwarts. (my inner nerd just passed out)
This will definitely be going into my bag when I go back to school and all shall envy ;)

I know that most of these products were trial-sized and I didn't really have a value for them. But seriously, $10/mo and you get different products for you to try along with specials and coupons for you to buy the full-size? I don't know about you but that sounds like my kind of deal. Try it out!

Did you get an ipsy bag this month? Let me know what you thought of it!

Disclaimer: This post contains referral links. You get referred to a great subscription and I get a small thank you gift. It's a win-win!

Sunday Social Week 11

1. What is something you've always wanted to do but are afraid of? I've always wanted to skydive. That's been my dream to do as a big F-U to my fears. Vertigo is like my number one fear next to cockroaches and creepy crawlers.
2. Where do you see yourself in five years? I see myself working on my Master's and by then already renting a house instead of a small apartment and possibly working on baby no. 3 (yes, you heard me. Remember, Edward wants a big family)
3. What are you looking forward to before the end of 2013?  I am looking forward to my first cruise! Woot! I cannot wait and have a countdown on my phone and everything! lol
4. What are your hopes for your blog? I am hoping to see my blog flourish in not only readers but also in discovering myself and the kind of person I am and what I can bring to help other people who also search the internet for answers.
5. Do you always see yourself living in your current town/city? I do and I don't. I do because I have learned to love my city...but then again, maybe there are better opportunities for my family elsewhere and I'll never know until I decide that it's time for bigger and better things. So it's always a big IF and it's a big conversation with Edward but until then, I see myself still living in the beautiful and frustrating MIA.
6. What is your morning routine? Wake up at 7 AM and feed E. JD wakes up shortly after and we cuddle while E is still feeding. We get up and have breakfast in our PJs and then run like crazy (mainly me)  when we realize we've taken too long to get up and eat breakfast. lol

Happy Sunday readers!

Unmentionably Cheeky August 2013

So, this is month 3 of one of my favorite subscriptions, Unmentionably Cheeky  :) This isn't so much of a review post as it is just a peek into what you can receive once you decide to subscribe! (For $8/mo + free shipping, this is a no-brainer.) You can view my previous posts here and here.

Delivered via USPS (fast shipping!)

Packaged so nicely.

This month I got undies in pink, purple and black. Each one a different style of super cheeky, lacy and combination with that promise of cheeky-ness.

Another note: They have great customer service and they respond to emails fairly quick. You have the ability to pause your subscription at any time if you feel like you've been getting way too many panties. (No such thing, right?) Also, I have already washed them and everything. They have survived! Still stretchy and comfy as from Day 1. Try them out, you won't regret it. ;)