On Marriage

Good news!  Our wedding photos are finally being attended to by our photographer!

Bad news....we still have to wait until October 18th to get them.  Womp womp.

Why must this process take so long?!

We've been married for a month already, which I just can't believe.  We sat down last night and watched a rough cut video of the day that my friend and her father recorded.  I still cried just watching it.

I can honestly say that marriage does not feel a single bit different that being engaged or even dating.  It's kind of weird actually. I was expecting some being change, maybe because thats what we are lead to believe by TV and media these days? So much of what we hear these days on marriage is negative.  Men are lead to believe that it is basically a miserable "trap", which I think is terrible. Why is that?

Yes, I am sure our changes were less striking because we had already been living together, but I still expected something to feel different.  Anything.  We looked at each other multiple times on our honeymoon and exclaim that we were now married, now labeled a husband and wife.  Then we would discuss how it didn't feel any different!

You know what though?  I am thankful that there wasn't a change.  Just because we now have a piece of paper that says we are officially one and I am in the process of changing my name, doesn't mean that things have to be different.  Things were great before and they are going to continue to stay great!

What about you?  Did life drastically change after you were married? Did it feel different?

Currently

You guys I am so tired these days. Wait, scratch that, I am exhausted. I have been working all day and then coming home to try and organize our new home.  Yes, we moved in over a month ago, but then we have a wedding and a honeymoon and everything is still just an utter mess!  There just aren’t enough hours in the day and so blogging has kind of taken a back seat.

That being said, I thought I’d let you know what we are currently up to!

House

While we are on the subject, I thought I’d show you what is really holding us up in the whole “settling in” process.  That would be our kitchen cabinets. We decided when we moved in we were going to stain or paint them before moving anything into the kitchen.

It was a terrible idea. 

We purchased the Rustoleum cabinet transformations kit from Lowes and got to work.  The kit itself is amazing….but it takes soooooo much work.  Like hours and hours. And hours. They were an ugly brown-ish orange color and we are turning them into a beautiful chocolate brown, which is the only thing that makes us push forward.

This gives you a good idea of the process.  Thankfully, that whole side is now almost complete.

Bad news is….now we have to do this whole side!

Here's a closer look at the two side by side:

I seriously can’t wait until these are done.  I think they look amazing and the color looks beautiful with our countertops, but time consuming would be a serious understatement!

C

Well now through February is considered “off-season” for C.  Good news is that while I am sad I don’t get to watch my hubby play football, there is still plenty of football to be viewing!  Football year round is a glorious thing.

C surprised me after the Arena Bowl in August by telling me he had signed for another year which is really exciting.  Next up are contract negotiations, which should hopefully happen in the next week or two.  It will be nice to know what to plan for next season.

Currently he is working at Crate and Barrel (hello discount!) while he studies to pass the insurance exam. I know right? Insurance?  Ew.  It just sounds terrible to me, but it’s something he really wants to do!  And it’s something he can definitely do during the season with flexible hours, which is awesome.

Books

As you’ve seen on the blog, since the last update I finished InCold Blood by Truman Capote, Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness by Susannah Calahan and Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell. You can click on the links to read my reviews.

Two other books I read while on my honeymoon were I Didn’t ComeHere to Make Friends: Confessions of a Reality Show Villain by Cortney Robertson (from the Bachelor) and Still Missing by Chevy Stevens.  Both were great books!

If you have ever watched the Bachelor or Bachelorette TV show I would highly recommend I Didn’t Come Here to Make Friends. It was absolutely fantastic.  It was a very easy read (I think I finished it in two days while on my honeymoon) but that didn’t make it any less exciting.  I had watched Cortney’s season and it was very interesting to hear about the show in general from someone’s point of view.  I have to say, even though she was portrayed as a villain, hearing it from her side almost makes me feel sympathetic towards her! There were tons of behind the scene details about the show which I really found interesting; I couldn’t put the book down.

Still Missing was very good as well; I would put it in the same category as Gone Girl.  A crazy story to start with and then lots of twists as you get deeper into it.  It was a bit uncomfortable when I was reading it because it is about a Real Estate Agent that gets abducted while showing a house.  If you have paid attention to the news at all lately….there was just a Real Estate Agent that was abducted while showing a house in real life.  Creepy! 

TV

Ok, I love fall!  Soooo many new TV shows!

I’m pretty sure we recorded 15-20 new shows.  Is that sad? I mean, that’s a lot of TV!  We decided though we will give each show that sounded slightly interesting a chance and weed the bad ones after after watching an episode or two.

One that I instantly connected to was How to Get Away With Murder.  I hope that this show is able to keep it up.  A lot of new shows have a few awesome episodes and then have nowhere to go.

Another show that I forgot to mention that’s almost over (sad face) is 4^th and Loud.  This show is on AMC and it follows the new Arena Football team the LA KISS in their first season.  The team is owned by Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons (of the rock band KISS) and the show is really interesting.  If you’ve ever been interested in what goes on behind the scenes in football, I recommend this show.   C and his team have made several appearances and I even had like a 10 second cameo. Woot!  I’m famous now guys!

Well that’s all for now.  I am really hoping to have some wedding pictures soon for you….why must photographers take so long?!?

Any book recommendations or awesome fall TV shows you think I should check out!?

Lip Factory Review - September

It’s time for a Lip Factory review!

To me, this box is like Ispy, but with more full sized products. 5-7 full sized products to be exact! If you have the money ($22), this is a good one to spring for! They aim for a “full face” of makeup, but their main focus is…lips of course!   This box comes a little later in the month too which I like because it really spaces out the awesome mail that I get!

Sometimes this box has a theme and sometimes it doesn’t. This month the theme is “Autumn Arrives.” I have to say maybe only one of the products feels Autumn-like to me.

So here it is….the September Lip Factory box!  

           1)     girlactik Pout shine in “Pretty” – .42 oz. (FULL SIZE)

I am really bummed about the color of this.  Its just way too light pink for me, I think I would look really weird wearing it.  The price is kinda crazy too, I rather purchase something similar from a well known brand like MAC!

Full Size: $19.00  My Value: $19.00

           2)    J.Cat Jar Eye Liner in “Jet Black” – .09 oz. (FULL SIZE)

J. Cat seems to be lagging behind everyone on its various products. I’ve seen this type of liner before, now a year later J. Cat comes out with the cheap version of it. The brush included is thoughtful if its your first time purchasing it, but if you buy it multiple times it seems like a waste of money.

Full Size: $5.99 My Value: $5.99

           3)    OFRA Lip Gloss in “Orchid” – 8 g. (FULL SIZE)

I feel like I have gotten this exact gloss before, but looking back I guess I was wrong.  Either way its too shiny for me.  I love the underlying color, but I just don’t look good with that much sparkle on my lips!

Full Size: $12.95 My Value: $12.95

            4)    Model Co. Eyeshadow Trio in “Naturally Neutral” – .08 oz. (FULL SIZE)

             I don’t really find anything too exciting about this, but I don’t hate it either.  I guess 

             it is because the colors are nothing new.  I have way too many “neutral” brown 

             shadows. Either way, this would probably be a nice travel set.

Full Size: $26.00 My Value: $26.00

5)  None? Angle Eyeliner Brush – (FULL SIZE)

I find it very odd that there isn’t a brand listed on this brush or even on the insert that provides more detail about each of the products included.  I highly doubt that this brandless brush is worth $9.50!  I already have a favorite angle brush for my liners though so I won’t be using this. Plus, the liner that came in the box already comes with a brush, why would I need two?!

Full Size: $9.50 My Value: $9.50

Final Cost: $22.00

Final Value: $73.44

I’m pretty neutral on this box, maybe leaning towards a little let down.  First of all, I feel like “autumn” means browns and corals and such….not pinks. I’m hoping I can get use out of the gloss (maybe over another color) as well as the shadow and liner.   I know I won’t be using the Pout shine or the brush!

What do you think?

If you’d like to sign up…..use my referral number? Pretty please?  It’s 385223.

(Also, I swear I’m not a review blog….I just like sharing these fun things! I have not been compensated for this review.)

Bon's Book Club - Eleanor and Park

This month’s book for Bon’s Book Club was Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell. I was kind of excited to read this book because I have heard so many great things about it.  It seems to be one of the “it” books of the year!  Here is the description from Amazon:

“Bono met his wife in high school, Park says.
So did Jerry Lee Lewis, Eleanor answers.
I’m not kidding, he says.
You should be, she says, we’re 16.
What about Romeo and Juliet?
Shallow, confused, then dead.
I love you, Park says.
Wherefore art thou, Eleanor answers.
I’m not kidding, he says.
You should be.

Set over the course of one school year in 1986, this is the story of two star-crossed misfits—smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try. When Eleanor meets Park, you’ll remember your own first love—and just how hard it pulled you under.”

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TiThis

Well, this book fell pretty flat to me.  I read it, but I didn’t love it.  In fact, about 25% into it I decided to put it down and read a more interesting book.  Only once I was done with that book did I pick this back up and plow through it.  Thankfully I was on my honeymoon and had lots of porch time overlooking the beach to read.

I think the main reason I didn’t like this book was that it almost seemed to be going nowhere.  It was the same old thing for almost its entire 335 pages.  His point of view, her point of view, his point of view, gasp they held hands, how he felt, how she felt, blah blah. Over and over again.  A teenage relationship can only build so much and this one wasn’t any different.

The couple themselves seemed so very awkward to me and I spent a good part of the book cringing. I guess I never had an awkward teenage romance….or at least that I remember!

Also, I hated the ending. So there’s that.

I’m honestly not sure what people see in this book.  It wasn’t terrible by any means, I guess I just need more excitement in my books??

Next up for Bon’s Book Club is Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald by Therese Anne Fowler.  I’m honestly not sure what to think about this book.  I hope its good!  I mean, she was friends with Gatsby in real life, its got to be interesting right?

Have you read Eleanor and Park? What are your thoughts?

Ipsy Review - September

Ipsy time!  

It was lovely to come back from my Honeymoon with all sorts of awesome beauty goodies waiting for me!

I really think this is the best bag out there, especially for the price…just $10 a month!  If you are looking to start a beauty subscription, I would definitely try Ipsy first.

The theme of this month’s bag is “Street Style.” Again, the theme is a bit odd to me.  At most, 2 of the items match it!

Anyways…. Here is the September Ipsy bag!  

           1)     Nourish Organic Face Cleanser – 1 oz.

            I am curious to try this. I have seen this brand at Target, so I know it’s not too difficult to 

            find.  I like that its actual a tube with multiple uses too and not just a single packet, that 

            makes it a lot easier to get a point of view on the product!

Full Size: $13.99 6 oz. My Value: $2.33

           2)    Mitchell and Peach Luxury Hand Cream – 1.1 oz.

            Eh, not a fan. For some reason, I have never been a lotion person. I just don’t use it. 

            Especially if it smells like grandma’s like this one does! 

            Full Size: $27.83 for 2.1 oz. My Value: $14.57

            3)    Pacifica Eyeliner in “Gun Metal” – .026 oz.

             I really dislike Pacifica brand for some reason.  I have gotten two of their other products in 

             my monthly beauty subscriptions and they were terrible.  Just so….cheap feeling.  No more 

             pacifica!

 Full Size: $11.00 My Value: $11.00

4)  Crown Brush Crease/Shadow Brush – FULL SIZE

This looks just like a brush that has come in several of my eyeshadow palettes.  I never use them because its really difficult to keep a dual ended brush looking decent! I will be giving this one a try though, maybe the “crease” end of it will benefit me!

Full Size: $6.99 My Value: $6.99

      5)  Cailyn Tinted Lip Gloss in “Love Affair” – .14 oz. (FULL SIZE)

I hate this!  It is sooo far from my color it isn’t even funny. I wish I had gotten the other color, which was more of a coral.  Bummer.

Full Size: $19.00 My Value: $19.00

Final Cost: $10.00

Final Value: $53.89

Well I guess since I was overly excited about the last bag and loved everything in it, I should have expected to be bummed by this bag? I really only think I’ll get use out of the face wash and maybe the brush. 

What are your thoughts?

If you’d like to give it a try you can sign up here!

(As always, I swear I’m not a review blog….I just like sharing these things in hopes that other people will get to have the same fun that I do!  I am not compensated in any way.)