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Halloween and All Things In Between – Weekly Wrap Up

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It’s no secret that the Holiday season is surely my favorite time of year.  As a child, even if we grew up with little money, my parents always made this time of year special and I’m thankful that I got my creative sense and fun swagger from them.  Lots happened this week, busy busy busy!  So, here is a quick weekly wrap up.

This year, Halloween came and went faster than I could ever imagine and before I realized it, Halloween crept up on us and we were all getting dressed to trick-or-treat.  My husband and I took the boys to the Pumpkin Patch earlier in the week which was fun, they had a blast (vlog coming soon) and while we were a bit late to get up there, we still found us some fun pumpkins to carve and draw on.  Since this has been a yearly tradition for us to go, everyone was excited and we were so thrilled to see the boys have a blast.Pumpkin patch 2014

I’m also happy to say that we are hitting cooler weather, woohoo.  While we don’t really have snow here with exception to the summit of our dormant volcano, it’s still nice to know that I might be able to rock out some warmer threads this season.  We are all looking forward to cuddle weather.  We also had Parent Teacher Conference for all three boys this week too… I’m proud to say that all three of them are excelling wonderfully.  To say we are proud parents would be an understatement.

pumpkin patch 2014

While my husband had to work on Halloween night, my sister and I took the boys out to Trick-or-Treat in a neighborhood we were quite familiar with, we go there each year.  Expecting to hit the mother load of candy this year, we were a bit bummed that half of the houses were not giving out candy.  I think we may need to find a new location.  It was a bummer, but nonetheless, we got some goodies anyway and it was about having fun – not the candy.

Halloween 2014

This year the boys picked out their costumes to wear instead of Mommy painting their faces.  Kevin (Ka’eo) was a ghoul… the one from the Scream movies.  The cool thing was that his mask dripped blood and everyone really got a kick out of it.  Luke was Captain America, Isaiah Superman and I decided I wanted to really embrace my tomboy-ishness and painted a skull mask on with some face paint and makeup.  I did the top half of my face (my eyes) using makeup to give it a sultry sexy tomboy appeal. lol Details for my makeup are posted below.  My sister Harmony did a mask out of makeup – I loved it, reminds me of like a Dark Angel look.

Halloween 2014

We were quite happy to see a few commercials the last week and wanted to take advantage of the deal.  It was FREE Spooky Face Pancake night at IHOP, so the boys, my sissy Harmony and I enjoyed breakfast for dinner.  Yay us!

Halloween 2014

Halloween 2014

Overall this past week was quite a blast.  It went by much too quick for my liking, but what is most important to me is spending this time with my family.  Sometimes during the holidays we forget to stop and think about what is most important… we are either too busy shopping, cooking or working to blink and it is too often that we forget to soak in all the awesome memories.  I can admit – I’m surely guilty of that.  So make sure to stop and make a memory of what you’re experiencing… the work, the food, everything in between will still be there when you are done making memories. xo

Halloween Skull Makeup

As promised, here is my makeup from Halloween.  Everything was super simple to create and this was a great choice for me since I needed to be done and ready to go to catch all the good candy. lol  For my eye makeup I am using a combination of the Anastasia Beverly Hills Tamanna and Amrezy Palettes.  Both have been favorites of mine all month and I really loved that it gave me a great fall smoky look. I know I promised to have a review up for Tamanna, so I hope to do that soon.  I am using Ardell 120 Whispies, Kat Von D Tattoo Liner in Trooper, Paula Dorf 2+1 For Brows, Tarte Smoldereyes Pencil in Fig and Mally Evercolor Liner in Midnight and L’Oreal Voluminous Miss Manga Mascara.

Halloween Skull Makeup

For my skull part of my face, I am using White Halloween Cream Makeup, Milani Bella Eyes Shadow in Bella Black, Mia Mariu black eyeliner, a blending brush, a pencil brush and an angled eyeliner brush.

Halloween Skull Makeup

I opted for a pair of jeans, flip flops and a black t-shirt since I wanted to be comfortable, a little warm since it has been chilly out and I wanted to have mobility.  My shirt is a custom shirt and I’ll be posting about that soon.  I hope you all had a fabulous week and a fun Halloween.  While I know some people do not celebrate the holiday – I totally understand that, I hope you had a wonderful day nonetheless.  My feet hurt, I’m a bit tired but at the end of the day, I surely had a great one.

Did you have fun this Halloween?  What were your highlights from this week?  Wishing you all a fabulous weekend. ~xo

Signature Honey

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PhantomFit Resistance Loop Bands

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I’m all about exercise and staying active, cardio and weight resistance, but I also love using resistance bands to help strengthen my ankles.  About 6 years ago I sustained a bad injury to my left ankle, resulting in a class 3 sprain.  Now, I would have rather my ankle break completely so that it would heal properly, but due to the fact that it did not, my injury is a burden constantly.  Having had several physical therapy appointments over the years, resistance bands has become a part of my lifestyle.  I have tried several different types and brands and found that the PhantomFit Resistance Loop Bands have become a favorite of mine to use.

phantom fit resistance loop bands

The PhantomFit Resistance Loop Bands ($12.99) is an affordable way to get in your exercises without all the strain of weights.  The sets include a total of four bands and one nylon carrying bag.  The bands included are:

  • 1 Blue “Light” Band
  • 1 Red “Medium” Band
  • 1 Green “Heavy” Band
  • 1 Black “X-Heavy” Band

After injuring my ankle, I have been using resistance bands to strengthen my ankle.  While most bands do work well, I like the fact that the PhantomFit bands come in four different strengths, allowing me to start my exercises with a light band and when I’m comfortable, work my way up to the X-Heavy band (black).  I also like that my husband and sons can use the bands as well.  My husband, who can easily use the Black band, enjoys using the bands to strengthen his shoulder (which he had surgery on about 6 years ago).  As a family, we also love using the bands as a form of exercise in place of our weights.  Using the bands work well form arm, leg and ankle work outs and I love that they are durable, light weight and portable.  If we are traveling, this can easily be tucked into our luggage or overnight bag without taking up any room.

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PhantomFit also offers a 100% lifetime no-hassle free replacement guarantee.  If it breaks, they will replace it.  Overall, I am impressed with these bands and my family and I have enjoyed them over the last month.  We incorporate them in our daily work out routines as well as use them to strengthen the parts of our body that need Physical Therapy.  This will definitely become a brand we will use moving forward in the future.

Signature Honey

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

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Easy Zucchini Pasta Featuring Priority Chef

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I will be the first person to admit, and the last… that I’m addicted to pasta.  Since I was a young girl, I have been addicted to Italian cooking and along with that came my obsession with pasta.  But, as much as it is a comfort food for me I know that too much of it is just not good for my body (or my weight), so I try to substitute my pasta with different choices.  I use a variety of ingredients to create my pasta dishes and here’s one that I would like to share with you.

zucchini pasta

 

I LOVE Veggie Pasta… and I’m not talking about the pasta being flavored with vegetables but still using traditional “pasta” ingredients.  When I say veggie pasta, I mean actually using vegetables (like zucchini) to create pasta like (like spaghetti shaped) veggies that you lightly saute.  Now, if you are not a veggie eater… this way of eating may actually convert you.  It’s simple and I use vegetables like Butternut Squash, Zucchini, Yellow Squash, carrots, cucumbers and so much more… but my absolute favorites are Zucchini, Yellow Squash/Yellow Zucchini and Butternut Squash.  Sauteed quickly in garlic salt, pepper and a little coconut oil and you have a treat that will even trick the kids into eating their veggies.  The veggie pasta is slightly crunchy and satisfies texture you want in food but it also tastes great, has awesome health benefits and easy to make.  So keep on reading for an easy zucchini pasta recipe.

Dual Julienne vegetable peeler

 

I have several types of utensils and tools to create my julienne style veggie pasta.  When using an item to create your yummy pasta, you want to make sure that it is sharp and easy to use.  Priority Chef offers a great Dual Julienne and Vegetable Peeler and I use both sides to create my pasta from my favorite squash type veggies.  They julienne side is used to create skinny spaghetti like pasta with your vegetables while the peeler side makes larger cuts of vegetables which I like to use to create vegetarian lasagna.  Because the peeler side will peel your vegetables a little wider, it makes the perfect sized peels that are similar in width to that of lasagna noodles and is perfect for creating just that.

Dual Julienne vegetable peeler

 

Since I’m a busy mom, I’m all about getting things done and accomplished quickly and efficiently so for me, a dual ended anything that allows me to use the item in more than one way without searching through countless utensil drawers for another one is a great idea.  The Priority Chef Dual Julienne and Vegetable Peeler retails for $19.95 which is a pretty darn good deal considering you are getting a product that works and works well.

Dual Julienne vegetable peeler

 

I love that this tool has two sides and while I mostly use it on my vegetables to make veggie pasta, I love how easy the vegetable peeler side glides through cheese blocks, making it a much more affordable alternative to buying already shredded cheese in the store.  I save a bit of money by buying block cheese and shredding it myself.  I can easily use either side to create the size of cheese shreds I want to use.  The options are endless, honestly.

Dual Julienne vegetable peeler

 

Like with any tool or utensil used in the kitchen, there definitely is a learning curve to using this product.  But after just a few tries, I got it instantly and it is a breeze.  Like with any peeler or julienne cutter, you can expect the clean up to be a challenge, but I found it to be a breeze when I used my scrub brush… just a little swipe of the brush and it was clean and ready to use again.

zucchini pasta

 

So, like I said previously – creating your zucchini or veggie pasta is simple.  I preferred to use the julienne side this time around and just ran it down the length of the vegetable.  As you can see if easily sliced through the vegetable creating nice spaghetti sized strips of zucchini that are ready to be cooked for your meal.

Dual Julienne vegetable peeler

 

Take a skillet or wok, frying pan or whatever works for you and turn it on medium.  Add a little coconut oil or extra virgin olive oil if you have that on hand and when the oil has been heated, add your zucchini shreds.  Season your pasta with salt, pepper and what ever other ingredients you would like (fresh herbs or dried herbs are always a favorite in our house).  Serve alone, with your favorite protein or meats or pour (or toss) some homemade (or jarred) tomato sauce / pasta sauce and you’re ready to go.  This simple little add on is a favorite of my children and mine and we do enjoy it in our house so I know that as simple as it is – you’ll enjoy it too.  No more waiting for your water to boil, this is actually faster than you think.

Signature Honey

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

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Popsugar Must Have August Box 2014 – Unboxing and First Impressions

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I love monthly subscription boxes and while I’ve had my fair share of them, I think the Popsugar Must Have box is definitely one that you must try out at least once.  This awesome subscription delivers a plethora of treats from beauty and skin care to food, fashion and more and for just $39.95 a month, shipping included.  I love receiving this box because I know that everything included is full size so I’m definitely getting my money’s worth with just a couple of items.  This month there was a range of surprises and treats that I couldn’t wait to dig into.  Check out my video embedded below to see the unboxing, or click here to watch it directly on YouTube.  Scroll down to see all the delectable treats and fine goods I got in my August box.

popsugar must-have august box

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As you can see – the box was filled with a bunch of awesome goodies.

Paddywax Candle

The Paddywax Ocean Tide + Sea Salt Mini Jar Candle ($10) smells like a beautiful sea breeze in a jar.  Fragrance notes of sea salt and the ocean tide, this soy-wax candle brings the beach directly to you.  I love the scent… it is subtle but you still get an awesome fragrance from it.  The packaging is awesome and reminds me of sea glass. When I use up the candle, I will be saving the jar for little knick-knacks or to make my own little candle DIY.  www.paddywax.com

thinkThin brownie crunch high protein bar

The thinkThin Brownie Crunch High Protein Bar didn’t last long.  After snapping the photo, I ate it in a quick jiffy.  This was a special extra in the box this month and I really did enjoy it.  It has a nice chocolate taste and is 20g of Protein, 0g of Sugar and great for on the go or after a work out for a quick snack.

Kendra Scott Elisa necklace

Next in the box was the Kendra Scott Elisa Necklace in Black Cat’s Eye ($50).  I was very excited to get this necklace because those that know me, know I’m big on natural minerals and stones, crystals and such and this will be a great addition to my growing jewelry collection.  It’s set in 14k gold over brass, and I love Gold jewelry and it has a gorgeous black oval stone that is classic and timeless. This is the first and only piece I own from Kendra Scott so I’m very proud to have this in this month’s box.  This piece alone pays for the entire box and then some… so the rest of the goodies included are actually extra goodies. www.kendrascott.com

Goodbyn Purple Meal and Dipper Set

The Goodbyn Purple Meal & Dipper Set ($8.00) Now – this next item is awesome for me and I’m super excited to get it.  First off… it’s purple, yes… praise the purple loving Gods… it’s purple.  Then it is an awesome way to keep track of meal portions and is a great portable way for me to travel with a meal when I’m on the go.  I’m so busy sometimes, I skip out on a meal because I just don’t have the time, but this will really give me the option to pack something to eat ahead of time and be on my way.   www.goodbyn.com

Mason Jar Cookie Company

The Mason Jar Cookie Company Celebrate! Cookie Mix ($12) Being a mommy of boys, goodies are essential and I’m always looking to add new treats to our foodie line-up.  We haven’t had the chance to bake these up yet, but know that I will post all about it once I do.  This treat is festive and ready to go – just add butter and an egg and bake it up for a delectable treat.  www.masonjarprovisions.com

Lollia At Last Perfumed Shower Gel

Lollia At Last Perfumed Shower Gel ($22).  I was pretty excited to see this in my box, because I have heard of the brand but have never tried the products before.  It smells really nice, but sadly – my box was a complete mess when it arrived due to the fact that this shower gel leaked everywhere.  It seems like the cap was not tight on the bottle and even after cleaning it up and tightening the cap, it continues to leak.  This shower gel is infused with shea butter and jojoba oil so I’m excited to give it a whirl with what I have left in the bottle.

Bite Beauty Lush Fruit Lip

Ooh La La – the Bite Beauty Lush Fruit Lip in Popsugar was a surprise to me but I was so excited to get it. ($22.00).  I’m a huge fan of the brand and this will be the first lip gloss that I have been able to try.  To celebrate Popsugar’s Must Have’s second birthday, Bite Beauty created this new shade for the occasion and it’s so sweet.  Strawberry, Coconut and avocado oils leave my lips yummy and pink.  www.sephora.com/bite-beauty

Bite Beauty Popsugar

The shade of Popsugar is a tad sheer, but it’s a gorgeous shade nonetheless and I love how it feels on the lips.  A little sticky but not so much that it’s irritating to use.  Definitely a gorgeous color.

Overall – I’m quite impressed with this month’s Popsugar box.  Overall I received a total of $124+ worth of products and all of them in full size.  Each month the Must Have box is $39.95 and includes full size goodies for you to test out.  I love the goodies Popsugar sends out because this particular box is much more lifestyle based, then beauty – so you get a variety of goodies that you can use on yourself or with your family in mind.  Have you tried the Popsugar Must Have box?  If not – is this something you may be interested in?  If you have, what are your thoughts?  Popsugar is a great way to try out some new things, click here to learn more about it.

Due to where I live – I apologize that it took me a while to get my unboxing up and live.  But I do have a discount code for anyone interested:

Get $10 off of a 3-month subscription by using CODE: AUG14SELECT Code is live and expires on 9/10/14.

Signature Honey

DISCLAIMER: POPSUGAR provided me with a complimentary POPSUGAR Must Have box. The opinions I have shared about the box are my own and POPSUGAR did not tell me what to say or how to say it.

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Monthly Favorites: Beauty, Fashion and Lifestyle – July 2014

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july favs 2014

I know I say this each month, but man…  July sure flew by faster than ever and August is already proving to be traveling at lightning speed.  I had so much going on I really just forgot to post my Monthly Favorites here on my blog… so I am sharing it with all of you now.  Last month was a month of discovery because I tried out quite a bit of new products, most of which I found I immediately enjoyed.

Check out my video embedded below where I go through each product or click here to watch it directly on YouTube.

Check out the rundown of products for last month below.

July Beauty Favorites 2014

I did a review here on my blog of the Hask hair care products in Argan Oil and Keratin Protein.  After using other products for a few months, I find that I still enjoy this line and it has made a whole lot of difference on my hair since the sun has been doing a full beat down.  Check out my complete review for these products here, and definitely check out the line where you can find them at select stores – I have been picking up my masks at Walmart.

July Beauty Favorites 2014

I have a review coming soon on the Verona Color Switch.  This product is pretty genius and I think would be a great benefit for Makeup Artists especially.  It allows you to take your brush and swipe it through the product cleaning off excess product so you can use the brush again.  I especially love to use this when I used the brush originally to apply a color and then swipe it through the color switch so that I can blend the shade out without transferring additional product and causing a muddy effect on your eyes.  I also love that I can go from a dark shade like black to a light cream or white shade without mixing them.  It’s a great product and I hope to have the review done soon.

L’Oreal has hit a home run with Voluminous Miss Manga mascara.  It has quickly become one of my favorites because you can actually see my lashes when I use it and used in combination with one of my favorites… Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara – they have become a pair made in heaven. lol

Kiss 11 Lashes have been my jam this past month… this is my third pair even with reuse and cleaning of previous pairs.  I love how affordable Kiss Lashes are, how thin the band is so it makes it near to impossible to detect you have them on and most importantly – how comfortable they are on the eyes.  I especially love that these are dupes to my favorite Ardell Demi Whispies… but a bit cheaper than they retail since I can get them in a larger pack if I can find it.

July Beauty Favorites - 2014

Of course, I have been loving the new Milani Bella Eyes Gel Powder Shadows.  If you have been following me at all in July – you would have seen my review, which you can find here, as well as a tutorial using a few of the shades I mentioned in my favorites which you can find here.  Bella Chiffon, Bella Sand and Bella Bronze have been some of the favorites I have been gravitating to this past month and I know they will surely be favorites for time to come.

L’Oreal Infalliable eye shadows have been a favorite now since first trying them earlier this year.  While I am smitten and in love with Iced Latte, Gilded Envy has been a shade I have been rockin’ out in July.  I love just applying it with a quick wash of color and blending Milani’s Bella Cappuccino in the crease for a sweet every day look.  I promise I’ll have a quick tutorial for that coming up soon.

July Beauty Favorites 2014

 

Through most of the summer I usually pull for my more nude shades and since I’m already on my second tube of Milani’s Nude Creme, I figured I needed to switch things up a bit and pull out some shades I haven’t been using all that much.  I purchased Bite Beauty’s Duo Lipstick in Lychee & Musk earlier this year and have really enjoyed the shades as well as the formulation.  Creamy, moisturizing and the colors are gorgeous.  The only downfall is that the formulation of these lippies are so darn soft, the warm summer heat has been doing a number on them and I know that soon I’ll be needing to apply these lip colors with a lip brush because the lipstick is getting bent out of shape.  They are naturally soft so even without summer, they were already starting to warp.  Regardless, for the price tag I am loving these and I think that anyone would enjoy them.

Of course, NYX’s Butter Lipsticks have been a favorite for months.  I have been pulling for Pops much more now then I did any other time.  I have a review for this lipstick here and if you are someone who likes nudes, this may be a great addition to your collection.  Creamy, soft and buttery on the lips, it’s been a favorite of mine all month.

July Beauty Favorites 2014

After purchasing my Lorac Pro 2 Palette last month, I instantly fell in love.  The shades are perfect for year round because they are soft and wearable… you can easily use most of them for all over the lid one wash shades.  I love that there are a few bold shades as well.  I have a review of this palette coming soon as well as a tutorial coming up using colors that I have been rocking all month long together:  Rose, Mocha, Cool Gray, Nectar & Plum.  This is surely becoming a favorite palette of mine and will take it’s place right next to #1 in my Holy Grail pile.

Of course, we all know I’m about that Vanilla Cake scents.  I have been a long time fan of Pacifica and their Island Vanilla scent has been a top scent for me the last 2 1/2 years.  I haven’t used anything else but this scent all month long in July.

July Lifestyle Favorites 2014

Last but not least are my Lifestyle Favorites.  As I mentioned in my video, the boys have been enjoying listening to Magic’s Rude on the radio so it has become a favorite of ours in the house.  I think it’s beyond adorable when twin 4 year olds and a 10 year old knows all the words to a popular song and they love it.  I have been also getting great use out of my Glasstic Water bottle.  I have a review for it here, and definitely recommend it to anyone – especially people who love infused waters.  It has been a lifesaver for me to carry around my drink in this heat.

Last but not least is my Cafe Press Customized Plus Size V-Neck T-shirt.  I designed this last month and have been enjoying it.  I think Black and Gold are such a great combination and I have been loving the simplicity and the statement.  I’ll try to remember to post a quick Outfit of the Day the next time I wear it.  The fabric is breathable, it’s cut and fits this plus size gal really well and it’s personalized.  I love it.  You can check out more information about creating your own shirt or many other things here.

Overall – even if July flew by so quickly and August is here… I am thankful that I accomplished so much in the month.  The twins are off to school as well as my eldest and all started on August 1st so the house has been quiet during the day, and I miss them so much.  Our summers are always filled with fun and this summer was surely no exception.  From hitting the beach, to the park to just cruising and enjoying our time together – I was certainly sad to see it all go (excuse me while I tear up a bit), but all three boys were so excited for school (I’ll have more of that in another post this week).  It’s times like this when I reflect back on a previous month that I realize how awesome life is and I’m glad for Monthly Favorites that allow me to reflect on the month previously.  My number one favorite that I didn’t mention in my video – time!  The past two months has given me awesome and quality time with my littles and my husband… that overall, is the best favorite of all.

Signature Honey


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