Five on Friday

Happy Friday, peeps! As I sit here writing this, I've got one more week left of work. YEP! I've got a new job with another orthopaedic doc coding for that practice so all I've been doing is training this week. While it's sad to say goodbye to all the people I've met at my current job, I'll be moving on to meet other wonderful people and I'm excited! Change is good, real good.

Things haven't been too exciting lately but here's a look back at my favorite things from the week.

one | cheetahs, rawr--These sneaks were on sale at Target a few weeks ago so I just had to snag them. They are cute and casual and will go with EVERYTHING.

two | 7 years ago--Jerry and I met 7 years ago on 03-13-14. I know that was last week, but I didn't write a Friday recap post last week, so whatevs. (If you want to read more about this story, read this.)

three | adventurous--I don't really know how this started, but we decided to let the cats out of the house recently on one of the warm days and they loved it. And their favorite thing? Rolling around on the concrete.

four | handy dandy--I know you've probably seen organizers like this one or this one, but I randomly passed an aisle in Lowe's and saw these tiny pipes for like 30 cents or something. All you need is a few of the Command Strip velcro pieces and you're good to go! No more clutter on the counter!

five | sweet banana bites--I'm still dying over these things! Such a yummy snack and you should definitely try them yourself :-)

I hope everyone is having a splendid Friday and has lots of Spring-type weather planned for the weekend. Although, we've got more 40 degree weather coming up next week, I'm going to soak in the rays while I can and I hope you do the same!

I'm linking up with H54F, Five on Friday, Friday Favorites, That Friday Blog Hop, and Fresh Face Friday.

RECIPE | Sweet Banana Bites

One of my friends used to make this amazing treat and I just HAD to share it. I completely forgot about it until I saw something similar on Pinterest. So I just had to make it over the rainy weekend. It's another one of those snacks that's not the most healthy of treats, but it's way better than eating candy or cake. Mmm, cake.

It's super simple to make and you can adjust it how you like! If you want to add some nuts with your bananas, go for it. If you want to trade the cinnamon for brown sugar, be my guest :-)

INGREDIENTS

2-3 bananas
A drizzle of honey
A sprinkle of cinnamon

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Slice the bananas and lay them flat on a baking sheet close together. Drizzle the honey lightly across each slice until they all have at least a little on top. Then sprinkle the cinnamon in the same fashion. Pop them in the oven for about 10 minutes. I couldn't remember how long to cook them myself. I started with 5 minutes but they didn't look "done" so I cooked them for another 5 minutes and they were perfection!

And you're finished!! I dare someone to tell me that this snack isn't DA BOMB! I like to munch on these to replace a craving for something worse like ice cream. Speaking of cold treats, these would be so good cold/frozen. Just an idea.

I'm linking up with That Hump Day Blog Hop, Random Wednesday, and Your Whims Wednesday.

March '14 Birchbox

It's sad to tell you this, but this post is for my very last Birchbox. I know I said I'd give it a year to decide whether I was convinced to keep it, but in the end, the boxes were still just "eh" like they were from the beginning. So I just went ahead and cancelled it. I still have access to their online store if I ever do want to purchase an item from them.

This month's box is all about "Spring Forward". They wanted us to focus more on our daily routines with the extra hour we got earlier in the month. They also wanted to show us how to get more out of the products we already use with different tricks.

Sounds handy, right?!

COOLA
Tinted matte SPF 30 for Face | Full-size, $36
  WHAT  Organic tinted moisturizer with lasting sun protection that evens tone and masks flaws.
  HOW     Smooth a thin layer onto clean skin.

I think I first sampled this brand in one of my very first Birchboxes.  I love that it's an organic product, but it's TINY and I'm not about to pay almost $40 for a full-size of it. I do like that this is a tinted matte SPF, but still. No thank you.

DDF
Ultra-Lite Oil-Free Moisturizing Dew | Full-size, $42
  WHAT  Derm-developed oil-free formula that leaves skin soft with a luminous finish.
  HOW     Apply a thin layer of this fast-absorbing hydrator evenly over skin.

Ever since I've seen those Vaseline commercials about the spray-and-go lotions, I've been thinking about trying them. And I actually really really love this stuff. It goes on like a lotion, but it's lighter, almost like a mix between lotion and germ-x.  You know how an anti-bacterial dries pretty quickly? It's like that. Pretty cool.

English Laundry
No. 7 for Her | Full-size, $90
  WHAT  This fruity scent mingles feminine floral notes with a vanilla-almond base.
  HOW     Spritz onto pulse points. You might just be tempted to flounce around in a pretty frock.

The spray thing on this sample doesn't work but I could still smell its' scent. It's extremely similar to the Artelier perfume I got in a box several months ago. And because of that, I'll stick with the other because this one is WAY too expensive. I already feel like I'm getting robbed paying $70 for perfume. But $90? Nope. Not gonna happen.

Gilchrist & Soames
London Collection Body Lotion | Full-size, $16
  WHAT  This fast-absorbing hydrator leaves skin silky-smooth with a light, earthy scent.
  HOW     Massage generously into skin, focusing on trouble zones like flaky elbows and knees.

First off, the scent is VERY earthy, almost just like grass. I will argue that it's not as fast-absorbing like it claims to be, but it's still a good lotion. I'm just not sure I want to smell like this stuff. Just a personal preference, I guess.

Ojon
damage reverse Restorative Hair Treatment + Restorative Hair Treatment Plus | Full-size, $33 each
  WHAT  Two generations of a cult classic hair-restorer, which hydrate and add megawatt shine.
  HOW     Warm between palms before applying generously to hair. Leave 20 minutes, rinse, and shampoo.

I felt this stuff through the packaging and it feels like clay or something. I guess that's why they tell us to warm it between your palms before applying it. The oil in this treatment is supposedly only found in rainforests of Central America so that's pretty cool. I'm not exactly sure the difference between the two. The only thing I can think is that one claims to have antioxidants and the other doesn't.

.....A TREAT FROM GHIRARDELLI.....
Take a timeout to embrace Ghirardelli's Cherry Tango Square. After you try the unique blend of deep dark chocolate, tangy cherry, and satisfying almond crunch, we dare you not to do a little happy dance.

I'm not much of a cherry and chocolate kind of girl but I tried it anyway to see if my tastebuds have changed. Nope, they haven't. I gave the rest to J and he devoured it.


In the end, the products in Birchbox just weren't something I'd buy in the real world. Yeah, it was totally fun to see the surprises in the box every month, but I'd rather get more practical things. I tried adjusting my profile online but it didn't help much.

These were solely my opinions so I hope I didn't sway you in the wrong direction. If you've been interested in any of the products that I've posted about over the months, then you should give them a shot! Visit their site and follow the instructions on how to sign up.

Look what I got!! Oh wait, that's a LOT of orange.

I went to our local flea market (between two cold snaps) a few weeks ago and it was HEAVENLY. I don't know about you, but I could spend some serious money there. They've got food, makeup, furniture, jewelry, pet items, clothes, and other home items. You can even find some good lube and baby dolls; whatever tickles your fancy.

I told myself that buying from the flea market was okay because it was cheaper and I wouldn't be spending much even if I did have a basketful of makeup items in my hand. And if you're wondering, yes, I'm still sticking with my spending budget. As of this shopping trip, I still had some to spend. BUT, by today, it's all gone. I'll have to wait until May when I get more for my birthday.

These are the things that came home with me that day. And as you can tell, there's quite a bit of orange things. Why, you might ask? 

As you may or may not know, orange is one of spring's hottest colors. I discovered a beautiful orange shade of lipstick by Rimmel back in the Fall and have been in love ever since. I know you might turn your nose up at the color, but with the right shade, it can pair very well with your skin tone. Just trust me on this one. Come find me, I'll find some lipstick for you and you'll see how amazing it is.

1 | Revlon PhotoReady Blush in Coral Reef
I have a new found love for creme blushes. I was always uncomfortable with the application so I just didn't fool with it. I found this stuff pretty cheap buried beneath some other crap and it's a beautiful color! It seriously is just the right amount of coral to brighten your face.

2 | Maybelline Master Glaze Blush Stick in Coral Sheen
This blush stick actually came from Wally World, but I bought it before I got the Revlon product above. They are 97% the same shade. I'll probably end up returning this one. It has a little bit of shimmer to it, which can be nice, but I'm digging the other one more.

3 | L'Oreal Voluminous Original Mascara in Blackest Black
I wasn't in the need for mascara at the time, but I love this brand usually ONLY for their mascaras. This one's good to take with me while I'm on the go. I have others that I use when I want more drama.

4 | Maybelline Eyestudio Gel Eyeliner in Eggplant
Gel eyeliners are always so much fun to play with, especially when they're purple! Gel glides on smooth like a pencil but it's so quick to be a mess like with liquid liner. If you haven't tried gel, why not get it with a funky color?! Purple is dark enough that it looks just like black.

5 | Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in Juicy Papaya
I've also just recently began a love affair with Revlon's lip butters. They are so freakin' nice feeling on my lips. I could just purse them together all day long. This one is my suggestion if you're wanting to try out the orange but are scared with your first pick. This is a sheer orange and super moisturizing like chapstick so I'm sure you can get the hang of it.

6 | Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Rendevous
See? I told you I got a lot of orange things. If you've already tried out the color, this one is a must!! The lip crayon is easy to apply and is this gorgeous coral color. I wear it at least once a week.

7 | Covergirl Blast FlipStick in Cheeky
This one I have yet to wear in public. I tried them both on when I first brought it home but I've got a trillion lip products at this point and it's hard to choose just one!! This shade has a beautiful coral and a lighter, shimmery coral on the other end. Muey bein!

8 | Covergirl Color Sensational Limited Edition Lipstick in Fuchsia Fierce
I cannot get over this HOT summer color! I think I'm just going to start buying all my friends a shade like this for birthdays and Christmas and such and break them away from their usual makeup routine. I'm telling you, a lipstick like this will change everything.

9 | Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Darling Cherie
This shade is straight up lilac and I've honestly never worn a color like this. On my lips, it's different than I would have expected. The pastel perks up any outfit and I love getting a little bold with it. Why not try out lilac on my lips, right?!

10 | Sally Hansen Zero Bumps Bikini Spray
I don't know who thought of this stuff but it's pretty amazing! Whatever chemicals are in it really do what it tells you it will do. There are times where I have horrible razor bumps in my bikini line and they aren't all that pretty. This spray helps them go away! All you gotta do is spray it in that area, and the ingredients start to work their magic. It's pretty cool.

11 | Scunci No Damage Polybands

I have been ON THE HUNT for these tiny elastics for the past few months. My hair has just gotten several inches past my shoulders and is at prime braiding length. It just sucks because the only hair ties I have are the skinny black ones. I knew stores sold the plastic bands but all I could find were packs of like 5000. My friend stumbled upon these, a pack of 75, for like a buck.

Have you been doing any beauty hauls now that Spring is quickly approaching?? Comment below and let me know if there are more products I need to look in to or if I need to hunt them down at the flea market!

I'm linking up with Mingle Monday, Manic Monday, Monday Morning Gossip, Mix it Monday, and Funday Monday.

Broccoli Straw Salad

(source)

I've got another side salad that I wanted to share that I don't feel so guilty eating. Yes, it's probably still not the healthiest version of veggies I could be eating, but it sure as hell beats eating starchy foods like potatoes and corn. So that's a plus!

Here's what you need.

1 16oz package of broccoli straw salad (if you can't find that, broccoli cole slaw mix will work too)
2 3oz packages of chicken-flavored ramen noodles
1 bunch of green onions, chopped
1 cup of unsalted nuts (it calls for peanuts, but any will work in my opinion)
1 cup of sunflower seeds
1/2 cup of white sugar
1/4 cup of vegetable oil
1/3 cup of cider vinegar

In a large bowl, combine the broccoli straw salad, broken noodles, and green onions.

Whisk together the oil, vinegar, sugar, and ramen seasoning packets. Pour over the salad and toss so that it's even coated. Put it in the fridge, covered, until it has chilled. Before serving, top with the nuts of choice and sunflower seeds.

Because ramen noodles is like eating a brick of salt, here's another alternative. Instead of buying ramen packages, you can buy chinese/chow mien noodles. Instead of using that seasoning packet, you can use sodium-free chicken bullion cubes. They still pack some sodium but it's WAY lower than the ramen noodle seasoning packages.

Look at it this way. Chicken flavored ramen noodles are 1660mg of sodium. Making it the alternative way can get it down to 150mg of sodium. HUGE DIFFERENCE!!

Recipe yields 10-12 people and if you find even more healthy alternatives or if things can be omitted to your liking, please me know. I love this stuff. It's one of those "light" salads that goes beautifully with grilled chicken. It's a definite Summer recipe for me.

I'm linking up with Random Wednesday, That Hump Day Blog Hop, Still Being Molly, Life of Meg, and Monday Morning Gossip.