Final Thoughts on 2016

Hello all!
I decided that I was going to do one last blog post for 2016 and I finally decided that I was going to give my final thoughts on 2016 in general. This is going to include my own personal experiences of 2016 and what I think of 2016 in general. I also am going to include some goals that I want to achieve in 2017.

My personal experiences of 2016 have 3 major events that occurred. Two of them where amazing beyond belief and one almost spiraled me into a depression so let's start with the two happy events first.

First I finally opened up an Etsy shop where I began selling planner supplies. It's still a small Etsy shop but I have got big plans for it in 2017 so I'm really excited to see how much I can make it grow.

And even more amazing event that happened was that I became an aunt! My sister gave birth to a happy bouncing baby boy at the end of June and I am so in love with my little nephew! He's so cute and already has the entire family wrapped around his fingers.

The event that almost spiraled me into a depression took a toll on not only myself but my entire family. My father passed away on Nov. 14 and it hit us all very hard. He had been in ICU for almost an entire month due to liver failure from years of drinking alcohol to excess. For the last 2 months before he was administered into the hospital, he lived with me and I became his main caregiver along with my grandfather and uncle who has down-syndrome. It was hard, I'm not going to lie but it was worth it. Over the years, we've grown apart because he was a man of harsh actions and even harsher words. But in the end, we did make up and bury the hatchet. I was able to tell him that even though I will never forget anything he has said over the years but that I could forgive him. And in fact, I forgave him the moment he said those hurtful things and even forgave him for things he never said out loud; but spoke with this eyes.

Okay that's enough of that because emotions are still raw on that one.

Sadly this year has been horrible when it comes to not only deaths of close family but also of celebrities. I cannot believe that some of my favorite actors, musicians and authors are no long with us. And we seem to be losing more and more every day and I just want 2016 to be over with.

I am so excited for 2017 to come and I can't wait to see what I accomplish in the coming months. I have several goals that I want to achieve and if I'm honest some of the goals aren't just a want but a need. I'll list them below but keep in mind I change my mind like the wind changes direction. But I do want to keep these this year.

My Goals for 2017
1. Lose weight!
2. Expand my Etsy Shop
3. Finish writing at least one book, if not more.
4. Budget better
5. Grow my blogs
6. Spend more time with friends
7. Do things that I say I'm going to do and don't go back on my word.

And that really is all that I have in mind for goals next year. I'm pretty sure that I will add more to my list and that it will grow as the year progresses. But I really do want to achieve all of my goals this year. I just hope that I can cross off a few of these by the end of next year.

Thank you for reading my blog(s). I will list my other blogs below so feel free to check them out!

Until next time!

My Experience as a Caregiver
http://my-experience-as-a-caregiver.blogspot.com/

A Southern Girl's Weight-Loss Journey
http://southern-girl-weight-loss-journey.blogspot.com/

Daily Zenscape
http://dailyzenscape.blogspot.com/

Truvia Nectar Review

This is a liquid sweetener that is made from Stevia sweetener and blended with honey.

I love to use this in my green tea that I make nearly every other day. There is just something about mixing honey with green tea that just makes it extra special. It has the sweetness of Stevia and the added sweetness of the honey so no extra sweetener is needed. I have come to brew my green tea a bit more bitter than usual due to the sweetness that this liquid sweetener adds to my hot drink.

I do recommend this because everyone needs a little honey in their life. Not to mention with the weather getting colder and colder, honey is good for soothing sore throats which comes in handy.

There really isn't much else I can say about this product and once again I apologize for the recent being a little short. I am trying to get back to my old self but with the holidays coming up, it is hard to move past memories that seem so fresh and new. But please bear with me and hopefully with the new year coming in, I can make the reviews much longer and this blog better than ever!

Until Next Time!

Truvia Review

I tried this sweetener a while back but I just never got around to reviewing it for one reason or another. But now that I've recently used it, I was reminded that I had yet to review it.

This sweetener reminds me the most of sugar and for that it makes it easier to use than other sweeteners out there on the market today. It tastes so similar to sugar that I find myself having to double-check myself to make sure that I am actually used it instead of sugar. This makes the transition of removing myself from sugar entirely more easier because my body doesn't crave the familiar taste of sugar when I use this sweetener.

Now I have used other sweeteners alongside this one, in order to get a full comparison of this product and others. And in all honesty, no matter what sweeteners I try, I always find myself coming back to this one. The only one that comes close to taste is the Splenda Naturals, which I just reviewed. I feel that since is has more natural ingredients that out of all the other sweeteners out on the market that it might be the safest, healthier one to use. But for now I'll stick to Truvia every now and then because even though I use Truvia now instead of sugar, I still don't want to overdue it on any sweetener/sugar.

Well that's it for this short review, thank you for reading!

Until Next Time!

Tasty VoxBox Review - Kashi GOLEAN Dark Cocoa Power Plant-Powered Shake

Now I've had my share of powered shakes, especially in the mornings. I really like to have them in the mornings because I just feel like I get the most good out of them if I drink them in the mornings. Not sure how true that is but it motivates me to drink them so I'm not gonna complain at all.

I'm not one to drink cocoa flavored shakes in the mornings, I tend to lean more towards the fruit and veggie flavored ones. I just like the taste of them better in the mornings but I was willing to give this a try.

Now it does have a great taste and it mixes really well with almond milk. It didn't have any chalky residue which made me happy, because that is one thing that I just can't stand in a shake is the chalky residue that gets left behind; even after you mix it. However, I wouldn't have this everyday. For me, it's just too sweet to have everyday but some might like that. I would have this certain shake maybe once a week as a pick-me-up. Especially if I'm going to have a busy day, I feel that this would be the perfect pick-me-up shake to have.

All in all, it was a great shake mix but not one for me to have everyday. I do suggest that you try it yourself as everyone's taste is different so what might not work for me, might work for you.

Well that does it for this review. Keep a lookout for more reviews coming! Thanks for reading!

Until Next Time!

Disclaimer: Influenster just sent me this product/coupon for review purposes only. My review is of my own words and is not influenced in any way at all.

Tasty VoxBox Review - SPLENDA Naturals Stevia Sweetner

Since I've been trying to get healthier lately, I've been turning to sugar alternatives for the few times that I just have to have sugar; such as in my coffee and those few times that I feel like I need in my tea.

I'm not really big on eating sugary drinks anymore like I used to be when I was younger. This especially goes for sweet tea since I live in South, it is a common drink in every household. But as I have gotten older, the need to drink sugary drinks has diminished over the years; which really isn't a bad thing at all. In fact, it is one thing that I'm happy about as I've aged. However, sometimes I do get a craving for a glass of sweet tea and instead of making a big picture; I'll make myself a small glass of it and use a sugar alternative.

So I was happy to get to try SPLENDA Naturals as a replacement for sugar. Now granted, it does have a slight off sugar taste as an aftertaste but it's not bad at all; so you get used to it pretty quickly. I would say it is a great substitute for sugar and since it is made up of natural ingredients, I feel that it is a nicer sugar alternative compared to others out there on the market.

Another short product review but there isn't much one can say about this product, except go out and try it for yourself to see if you like it. Because everyone has their own taste of things.

Until Next Time!

Disclaimer: Influenster just sent me this product/coupon for review purposes only. My review is of my own words and is not influenced in any way at all.

Tasty Voxbox Review - Frank's RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce

Image Source: Google

Hello!

Today I'm going to be reviewing Frank's RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce that I received in my Tasty VoxBox from Influenster.

I was so happy to get this product in full size and I put it right to use! I am a firm believer that every household needs to have at least one bottle of hot sauce in it at all times and I am so glad that this is the bottle that I have.

I have tried many different hot sauces in the past but I have to say that this is my all time favorite. It has just the right amount of heat to it and it is not overpowering at all; which is great for my grandpa who pretty much hates things that were too hot and spicy.

You can also build up on the heat which is always a great thing since everyone has different taste for hot and spiciness in their food. I also love the fact that they advertise this hot sauce as something that can be used in anything! I look forward to putting that to the test as I cook with it overtime!

The most recent recipe that I used this in was my homemade beef stew.

My Homemade Beef Stew! 

I used just a little in the whole pot and then added it to my bowl since I like mine to be a little extra spicy. Since I already add cayenne pepper to it, I knew that the spiciness was going to be real! And I was right! But it was so good! I'm a true Southern girl and the spicier the better in my opinion!

This was one of the things that I thoroughly enjoyed in my Tasty Voxbox! I can't wait to use this hot sauce in more recipes!

Until Next Time!

Disclaimer: Influenster just sent me this product/coupon for review purposes only. My review is of my own words and is not influenced in any way at all.

Ebates Review

Hello!

Today I'm going to be giving my review of a popular website, Ebates!

Now I've heard of Ebates before but I honestly never gave it any thought at all. Because I have always been told that if something sounds too good to be true, then it's probably not worth your time. So I overlooked this site and went on about my daily life.

However, my interest was peeked a few months ago when Influenster gave out a badge for it where all I had to do was to sign up for it. So I signed up for and after that I pretty much forgot about it. Sad to say that I didn't realize what I was missing out on. So once again I went a few months without acknowledging the website and it's emails.

But as Christmas began to grow closer and I knew I wasn't going out on Black Friday, I decided that perhaps I should look deeper into this website that promises me not only great deals but also promises to pay me back a certain amount of what I spend on my online shopping. So the more I looked into Ebates, the more I began to kick myself for not giving this website a chance earlier. It is literally so easy to do and it is so safe! I can't believe that I didn't give it a chance until now.

If you don't know what Ebates is, it is a website that you sign up for free and they give you a certain amount of Cash Back when you make any online purchase by going through their website. There is an easier way to explain that but I hope that it is understandable. If you want a much clearer explanation, check out the website and look around for yourself; to see if this site is right for you! Which I'm pretty sure it is for everyone!

For instance, right now on Amazon you can get 10% Cash Back when you purchase something from Amazon by going through Ebates so that they can record your purchase. No credit information is taken but you can apply your credit card number, if you wish to make in-store purchases. But if you're like me and you just hate the idea of shopping in a crowded store then online shopping is where you want to be. While I haven't been doing Ebates for a long time and I haven't acquired that much in Cash Back; I know that I will continue to do it and recommend it to others so that they may save as well!

I will link my referral link so that you can sign up for Ebates as well! When you sign up, you get to chose your own reward in the form of a gift card! And also when you recommend it to your friends and have them sign up for it, you get rewarded as well! If you refer 3 friends and they purchase something through Ebates then you can get $75 in Cash Back!

Referral Link: https://www.ebates.com/r/AKERAW3?eeid=28187

Until Next Time! 


Personal Note:
I know that my reviews have been lacking lately and I beg your patience. My father recently passed away, a week before Thanksgiving and it has been a difficult time adjusting to it for my family. While it was expected, we didn't expect him to pass on that soon and it hit all of us hard, especially my elderly grandfather. And I've been pretty much not myself for this entire year and I'm just now getting back to my old self so please be patient with me. The reviews will get better and longer, I promise. I just need some time to get back to my old self. Just wanted to leave a quick note!

Nature's Path - Flax Plus: Pumpkin Flax Granola Review

Hello!

Today I'm going to be reviewing a new granola that I recently tried and found absolutely delicious! Now I'm going to be straight up front, I don't really care for the taste of pumpkin at all. I don't know what it is about it that I don't like but it's just not a flavor that I turn to. But when I saw this product, I was curious because I had tried Nature's Path products before and I loved them; especially their granola. So today I'm going to be reviewing Nature's Path - Flax Plus: Pumpkin Flax Granola.

Image Source: Google

I randomly found this product while shopping for Thanksgiving and threw it into my cart. To which I completely forgot about it until I was searching through my pantry for some granola to snack on. At first I was a bit confused as to why I would get a product that was pumpkin flavor but I guess I wasn't really paying attention to it, no matter.

Now I can differ on how I eat my granola and it literally depends on the time of day that it is. If I eat it early in the morning, I have to have it with some kind of almond milk; no argument about it. However, when it comes to me eating it at night; I tend to eat it by itself as a little crunchy snack. And this is how I ate this granola and I was not disappointed.

Even though they have pumpkin in them, the taste isn't strong at all. I mean I can still taste it but it does not overpower my senses as a lot of other products that contain pumpkin have done in the past. I found myself enjoying  snacking on this that I have put it on my grocery list to get again and I don't say that about every product that I try. There is also a tiny hint of cinnamon that can be found which just makes this granola even better to me!

The granola was so flavorful and filling that I am going to make it an evening snack a few times a week. I just hope that this flavor remains past fall/winter. And yes, like many of Nature's Path products this granola is vegan and gluten-free but please be aware that it does have soy in it for those that have a soy allergy.

Well that's it for this review! Thanks for visiting my blog and if you have any suggestion(s) on what I should try next then please feel free to leave a comment!

Until Next Time!

Tasty Voxbox Review - Yogi Tea

Image Source: Google

Hello!

Today I am going to be reviewing the two different flavors of Yogi Tea that I received in my Tasty Voxbox from Influenster. The two flavors that I received were Cinnamon Berry Probiotic Balance and Green Tea Kombucha.

The first tea that I am going to review is the Cinnamon Berry Probiotic Balance. This tea has a blend of intriguing ingredients that all combine for a great probiotic in order to help out your digestive system. Some of these ingredients include: Hawthorn Berry, Coriander, Cumin and warming Chai Spices. Also please note that if you want to know what the other ingredients are for this tea or for any of Yogi Teas, you can always visit their website as they list every ingredient for each of their teas. I'm not a fan of cinnamon teas at all but I wanted to give it a try because I did receive this sample a few days before Thanksgiving and everyone knows how we tend to overeat on that day so I thought it would be nice to treat my digestive tract and show it some well-deserved love. Now I wouldn't buy this tea myself, at least not in this flavor because the cinnamon to me was right in your face. However, my sister tried this tea and said that the cinnamon was subtle tasting to her so I'm pretty sure it's just me. It did help ease tension in my tummy after the large meal that I had that day so I am very happy with that. Now if I can find this tea in another flavor or perhaps find something that I can mix with it so that the cinnamon is not so strong to me; then I would totally buy it again.

When I tried the Green Tea Kombucha, I didn't want to put it down. I love anything and everything that deals with Green Tea and I knew that I would love this tea without a shadow of a doubt. And I did not disappoint myself. This tea combines the delicious blend of both Green Tea with Kombucha in to provide antioxidants that support overall health. This tea also contains Spearmint, Lemongrass, Plum and Passion Fruit flavors in order to harmonize this tea to have a more light fruity flavor. This tea was so soothing and sweet that I didn't even have to any extra sweetener to it or anything, which made it even more better because I wasn't putting anything extra in my body. I can't wait to add this tea to my growing collection of Yogi Tea!

Well that's it for this review so...

Until Next Time!


Disclaimer: Influenster just sent me this product/coupon for review purposes only. My review is of my own words and is not influenced in any way at all.

Tasty Voxbox Product Review - French's Original Crispy Fried Onions

Image Source: Google

Just like Cranberry Sauce and Dressing, French's Crispy Fried Onions are a must have for any Thanksgiving feast. But they even go beyond that!

The most famous way to use these delicious crispy onions are on top of a Green Bean Casserole. Now for how I used mine, I decided to step out of the box when it came to using them this year and I tried something different. Instead of making a Green Bean Casserole this year, I used these in my dressing. It was really simple and it gave my dressing that little extra crunch that it needed. Because I don't know about you but sometimes I want a little bit more of a crunch when it comes to my dressing; I think it tends to be too gummy and moist, depending on who makes it. So I made my dressing as I usually do, on the stove first and then right before I placed it into the oven to brown; I took a couple of small handfuls of French's and crushed them a bit and sprinkled them all over my dressing.

I baked it for a little bit less than 10 minutes because it is cooked fully and I just wanted it to brown a little. And when I brought it out, it smelled so good and it tasted any better! That little extra crunch that French's gave it was perfect! It didn't overpower the dressing at all and worked very well with the other ingredients in the dressing itself.

Since this recipe experiment was a success, it makes me excited to try out more recipes with this product. Thanks Influenster and French's for giving me a chance to try out this product on my dressing!

Well that's it for this review because there really isn't much to say about this product because it really is so good and that I urge everyone who hasn't tried it to try it.

Until Next Time!

Disclaimer: Influenster just sent me this product/coupon for review purposes only. My review is of my own words and is not influenced in any way at all.

TastyVoxbox Product Review - SMARTMADE by Smart Ones

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In my Tasty Voxbox from Influenster, I received a coupon to get a free SMARTMADE by Smart Ones frozen meal.

Now I'm not a fan of frozen dinners, in fact I stay away from them as much as possible because I love making my food fresh and ready to eat. But when I saw all the different kinds that they had, I was willing to give it a try.

The frozen dinner that I chose was one of their Asian inspired meals which was Orange Sesame Chicken. This frozen meal consisted of breaded chicken tenderloins that are in a zesty sesame orange sauce and accompanied by vegetables and brown rice.

Now I'm going to be honest, when I first opened the box and looked at the contents I wasn't excited about trying it at all. The thing with me and frozen dinners, they just don't look eatable at all. They look like fake food, which some of them are but I'm not going to go into that right now. But I decided to give it the college try, so that I could give my honest opinion about it. After I cooked it, it smelled pretty good but I was still a bit apprehensive about it.

Now it is not something that I would eat everyday, not something that I would eat a few days out of the week to be honest but it was pretty good. I just prefer to cook meals myself but I can see how someone can easily eat these every day. Granted I'm not sure how healthy that would be but considering that they are from Smart Ones, I'm guessing that they are better for you when compared to other companies that make frozen meals.

The chicken was pretty good as were the vegetables and the rice. I wasn't a fan of the zesty sauce but it was alright. I didn't have to add any extra seasoning which was nice because last time I had a frozen dinner, I literally had to almost bath it in pepper just to get it to have some extra seasoning/flavor to it.

So all in all, it was pretty good. I don't think I would buy it again but that's because I'm just not  a fan of frozen dinners. But as far as this one goes it is one of the better ones that I have tried so SMARTMADE/Smart Ones knows that they are doing.

Well that's it for this review. Until Next Time!


Disclaimer: Influenster just sent me this product/coupon for review purposes only. My review is of my own words and is not influenced in any way at all.

TastyVoxbox Product Review - Country Crock Buttery Spread

There really isn't much to be said about Country Crock Buttery Spread. It is something that everyone has tried at least once and more often than not, it is a brand that people will turn to and always have in their fridge.

For me, I have tried other buttery spreads but none of them compare to the taste of Country Crock. I'm not sure what is it but this is the only brand of buttery spread that doesn't taste plastic to me. So I do tend to steer towards this brand more than any others, especially around the holidays where I seem to be cooking meal after meal. So I definitely keep my fridge well stocked with this product.

And like I said there really isn't much that I can say about this product because in the end it all depends on what one is looking for in a buttery spread and how each individual likes the taste of a certain brand. I am also going to be including a recipe that Influenster shared with me in the Tasty Voxbox.

Make It Yours Cookie Recipe
Makes approx. 4 dozen cookies

Ingredients: 
- 1 Cup of Country Crock Buttery Spread
- 1 to 2 Cups of your choice of mix-ins (such as chocolate chips, sprinkles, nuts, dried fruit, etc.)
- 3/4 Cups Packed Brown Sugar
- 3/4 Cups Granulated Sugar
- 1 Large Egg
- 1 Large Egg Yolk
- 2 Tsp. Vanilla Extract
- 3 Cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 Tsp. Baking Powder
- 3/4 Tsp. Salt
- 1/4 Tsp. Baking Soda

Directions: 
- Preheat oven to 375F.
- Mix brown sugar, granulated sugar, Country Crock, egg, egg yolk and vanilla in large bowl until well mixed.
- Stir in flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda until blended (dough will be soft and creamy).
- Add Mix-Ins (such as chocolate chips, sprinkles, nuts, dried fruit, etc.)
- Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets 3 inches apart.
- Bake 10 to 12 minutes until edges are lightly golden.
- Cool 1 minute on wire rack; remove from baking sheets and cool completely.

Hope you enjoyed this short review and quick recipe! I can't wait to make this for the holidays!

Until Next Time!

Disclaimer: Influenster just sent me this product/coupon for review purposes only. My review is of my own words and is not influenced in any way at all.

What I Got in My Tasty Voxbox from Influenster

Hello!

Today I'm going to share with you what I received in my most recent Voxbox from Influenster. For those of you who don't know what Influenster is, it's a website that is free to join where you can get free products to review via a Voxbox. I've been a member for about 4 years and it keeps getting better and better. I have loved every single product that I received and reviewed. I cannot wait to see what they have coming for 2017.

But enough of that for right now, let's get into what was in my Tasty Voxbox. As always, I will be posting a review of each individual product as I try them out so keep a lookout!

As you can see from the above picture and also from the title, this Voxbox is for food lovers aka foodies! This box was wonderful to get because I happen to receive mine the day before Thanksgiving, the ultimate foodie holiday ever in my opinion; so this voxbox and it's products were well received. Now to get into what all I got in this delicious voxbox! As always I will include how much of the product I got, a brief description of the product and the full price of the product. I will also put each products media accounts for those that are interested.

SPLENDA Naturals Stevia Sweetener
Received: 2 Single Serve Packets w/ Coupon
Cost: $3.99/40 count & $6.99/80 count
A no-calorie natural sweetener that tastes great and helps you say goodbye to sugar. For more information on how the SPLENDA Brand does naturals, visit splenda.com/naturals
Instagram: @Splenda
Facebook: Splenda Facebook
Twitter: @Splenda

Frank's RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce
Received: Full size/12 oz
Price: $3.49
Frank's RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce is made with a premium blend of aged cayenne peppers that add a kick of heat and a whole lot of flavor to your favorite foods. The great taste of Frank's RedHot made it the secret ingredient in the original Buffalo wings created in Buffalo, NY in 1964.
Instagram: @FranksRedHot
Facebook: Frank's RedHot Facebook
Twitter: @FranksRedHot

SMARTMADE
Received: 1 Coupon for 1 Free Product
Price: $3.49 - $3.99
Introducing SMARTMADE by Smart Ones, a new premium range of thirteen delicious meals inspired by you. SMARTMADE meals are made like you make them, using techniques like grilled, roasting and smart swaps, such as white bean puree for cream or couscous for white pasta - just like you do at home.
Instagram: @SmartMadeMeals
Facebook: SMARTMADE

Country Crock Buttery Spread Coupon
Received: 1 Coupon for a free Country Crock Buttery Spread
Price: $1.99 - $3.12
Country Crock buttery spread adds country fresh taste to family recipes and is made with real, simple ingredients like delicious oils, purified water and a pinch of salt.
Instagram: @CountryCrock
Facebook: Country Crock Facebook
Twitter: @CountryCrock

French's Original Crispy Fried Onions
Received: One full size
Price: $3.49
Get the most out of your holiday season this year by eating good and giving back. This holiday season, your purchase of French's Original Crispy Fried Onions will provide 1 million family meals through Feeding America. Whether you're making a traditional Green Bean Casserole or a better version of mashed potatoes with our Crunchy Onion Bacon Potatoes, French's Fried Onions has the solution for you.
Facebook: French's Onions Facebook
Twitter: @Frenchs

Yogi Tea
Received: 2 single use bags (Cinnamon Berry Probiotic Balance & Green Tea Kombucha)
Price: $4.49/16 count
The Yogi collection includes 60 varieties of herbal, green & black teas rich in delicious flavor and healthful purpose.
Instagram: @YogiTea
Facebook: Yogi Tea Facebook
Twitter: @YogiProducts 

Kashi GOLEAN Dark Cocoa Power Plant-Powered Shake
Received: One Shake Packet Mix
Price: $29.99
Fuel an active lifestyle with Kashi's GOLEAN Dark Cocoa Power Plant-Powered Shake that's vegan, gluten-free, Non-GMO verified, and has 21g of plant protein. This isn't just any chocolate shake; it's carefully crafted with high quality Fair Trade dark cocoa to fulfill your deepest chocolate desire while adding whole food nutrition to your favorite smoothie recipe. With a clean, simple ingredient list plus added benefits like probiotics, sprouted legumes and other superfoods this plant powered shake helps support your active life.
Instagram: @Kashi
Facebook: Kashi Facebook
Twitter: @KashiFoods

Well that's all that I got in my Tasty Voxbox! Make sure you keep a lookout for product reviews coming soon! If you are interested in joining Influenster then please feel free to comment below and I can send you an invite via email. I have a few invitations left that I can share!

Until Next Time!

Life Update

Life Update

I just wanted to get on here and say really quick that I won't be reviewing anymore products for a couple more weeks. The reason being is that my father passed away earlier this evening due to complications of an illness that he has been suffering since March. I am not abandoning this blog at all but I ask for patience from my readers in this time so that I may be with my family throughout this time.

I'll be back to posting more reviews because I really do want this blog to continue to grow as large as I can get it but for right now that has to be on hold. Thank you for understanding.

Until Next Time.

Suave Essentials Body Wash Review

Today's product that I am going to review is the Suave Essentials Body Wash in the scent Ocean Breeze.

Now I have used these produces for years and I will continue to use them because I do like these products. Not only are these products very affordable (around $1.25 @ my local store) but they do compare to other body washes that tend to be a bit more costly.

Now this body wash does take a bit more than other body washes would normally take but it could be because I like a big lather whenever I use it. But even then, one bottle will last me a pretty good bit; about 2 weeks or so. It really does depend because I do switch body washes because I tend to get tired of the same scent day after day. This scent that I recently tried, Ocean Breeze, is said to be comparable to the Bath and Body Works Body Wash in Juniper Breeze. This however, I don't think is fully true. While it does remind me of this scent, the scent from Bath and Body Works has a more stronger scent; and lingers on the skin more than this Suave one.

That's one thing that I don't like about this "cheaper" body wash and I use the word cheaper not in a bad way at all. But I do wish that scent lingered on the skin a bit longer than it does though but for the price that you pay for it, you do get a really great body wash. Especially when I can find it at Dollar Tree so I can save a bit more money on it.

Highly recommend body wash! Definitely one of my favorite body washes and as I stated it really is super affordable!

Until Next Time! 

Splenda Naturals Review

Today I'm going to be reviewing Splenda Naturals, which is pretty new from Splenda or at least I think so; I'm really not sure. After my review, I will be listing some information about this natural sweetener for those that want to know more about it.

Now over the past year, I have pretty much tried to cut back on all sugar which includes Sweet Tea and sugar in my coffee. So after cutting back I tried doing a few sugar substitutes but none of them had the same affect or taste that sugar seemed to have.

Recently I was giving the opportunity to try out this sweetener thanks to Crowdtap and I was beyond excited to try a new sweetener.

The first thing that stood out was that not only did it not have any calories but it was also naturally sweetened and made with Stevia extract. Another thing that I noticed was how it tasted. It doesn't take artifical at all! It takes like sugar only a little less sweet which I admit is actually nice and pleasant. I have tried it in my coffee several times and I find that I enjoy it's taste more than I do regular sugar which is great! I haven't tried it in anything else but I can't wait to.

Well that's all I can say about this product. Now I'm going to include some information about this sweetener.

Conversion Chart
Sugar    Splenda Naturals
2 Tsp    1 Packet
1/4 Cup      6 Packets
1/3 Cup      8 Packets
1 Cup    24 Packets

Nutrition Facts
Calories    0
Total Fat     0g/0%
Sodium    0mg/0%
Total Carbohydrate    2g/1%
Erythritol    2g/
Protein    0g

Until Next Time!

Dickinson's Enhanced Witch Hazel - Hydrating Toner Review

I was really excited to try out this product because I never have tried anything with Witch Hazel in it; so I didn't know what to expect at all when it came to this product. But since it is a hydrating toner and that is what I have been needing then I was more than willing to try it out.

First off, when it comes to the smell I really am not a fan of it at all. I can't really describe it fully but to me it smells like a sour flower, if that makes sense. It has a really unique scent that is for sure but while it is kinda strong, it does fade after you put the product on the cotton-pad.

The product itself is watery but it's not too watery so I don't have a problem with it. I don't know if this is me personally but whenever I first applied it, I felt as if it irritated my skin just a little. But it was just a slight stinging, almost nonexistent and it went as quickly as it seemed to start which was nice.

After trying out this product for the first time, I could already feel the toner affecting my skin. I could feel my skin becoming a bit more tighter, which was an odd feelign but not an unwelcoming one. It just took me a few times trying this product in order for me to get used to the feeling.

My biggest worry with trying out this product was that my skin is very sensitive and even though this product is for sensitive skin; sometimes it doesn't matter to my skin because it will become irritated and turn red in certain areas. This especially affects the skin on my cheeks, my nose and above my eyebrows. However it seems that my worries were misplaced as my skin didn't seem to react at all to this product which made me very happy.

It is recommended that one uses this product every morning and every night but for me I only use it in the morning for now. However I may start uses it for both morning and night. But for right now, I think using it in the mornings is the best for me.

If you haven't tried this product then I do recommend in trying it because it really is a nice product.

Until Next Time!

Curel Hydratherapy Wet Skin Moisturizer Review

Now I was expecting the same result that I got with the Jergens Wet Skin Moisturizer but Curel just didn't do it for me. Not that the results weren't good, they were but I just preferred the Jergens Wet Skin to the Curel one.

I just felt like it left residue on my skin and it kinda broke me out in random spots on my arms and legs. I feel that Curel would be good on older, tougher skin so I passed it along to my mom and she loved it. It worked so well with her and she sings it's praises. So I was happy that it worked for her and didn't give her a bad reaction to it.

This doesn't mean that Curel is a bad brand, not at all! It just means that everyone is different and their skin need different types of care. Where it broke me out, it healed her skin and gave it much needed moisture.

So this review is going to be pretty short, but please keep in mind that you can try out this product for yourself to see if it works for you; it just wasn't right for me at all which saddens me cause I was so happy to try it.

Until Next Time!

Jergen's Wet Skin Moisturizer Review

I was able to try out this product free thanks to Crowdtap. I have never tried any product like this before so I was really excited to try it. And I am so glad that I was given the opportunity to try it.

If you don't know what this product is, it is a lotion that you put on right in the shower without drying off! You put a dime worth on each arm and a quarter worth on each leg. I usually end up putting some on my stomach and back but it's only a little, I'd say a bit less than a dime worth. And let me say, INSTANT RESULTS! My skin has never felt softer! Like I have never had a product that worked this quickly before. I have always had rough skin on my elbows and no matter what products I use, it simply wouldn't go away. But I kid you not, after only using this product ONCE; I immediately noticed a difference.

It does feel odd when you first apply this moisturizer. The best way I can explain it is that as soon as it comes into contact with your skin, it literally becomes a water-like substance. It is seriously really cool. Another thing that I like about this product is the scent. It smells like coconut and while I'm not a big fan of coconut, it is a very subtle scent of coconut; so I'm not bothered by it at all. Also the scent just clings to your skin, like for hours and hours after you apply. Oh also, when you dry off don't rub, just pat the areas dry that you have applied this moisturizer. That way it absorbs into your body easier and you don't wipe it off.

I've been using this for about a month and I have really noticed a difference in my skin. In the smoothness of it, even the scent of the moisturizer has seemed to become one with my skin because I randomly will get a whiff of coconut throughout the day; which is awesome because everyone likes to smell good. The bottle is pretty big so I know it will last me for a few more months and when it runs out, I'll just run out and buy some more!

Definitely one of my favorite products of 2016. Which speaking of that, I plan on doing a My 2016 Favorite Products blog post near the end of December so keep an eye out for that; because some of the products that are going to be on it will be products that I haven't reviewed yet! :-)

Until Next Time!

Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine Intensely Smooth Leave-In Conditioning Cream Review

If you have thick, curly hair that is known to be very frizzy, even after straightening then if you're not familiar with this product; then I highly recommend it!

My hair is not only thick, curly but it's super long and it really does have a mind of it's own. Even when I straighten it, it still becomes frizzy and out of control in just a few hours. I hate that! And I know that I'm not the only one that hates it. It can be so annoying, especially in humid weather; which is very common where I live. I'm so glad that I was given this product as a gift and I was able to try it out. I couldn't believe that I have finally found something that actually works to not only tame my frizz but didn't leave my hair looking greasy and feel weighed down.

Now I don't put it all over my hair because it's really only the last 2 inches of my hair are my main issues with becoming frizzy and unmanageable. So I put maybe a little less than a nickel size worth and it keeps my ends from frizzing all day! I still couldn't believe it even after seeing the result on my own and I have never been so happy to have this product in my hair product collections.

One thing that I have noticed since using this product is that even when I don't use it for a few days after washing my hair, my ends aren't as frizzy as they usually get before I tried out this product. I can't help but wonder if even after washing my hair that it is still helping my hair stay sleek and manageable. Either way, I'm not going to question the results because I don't want them to go away.

I do highly recommend this product along with the other products in the Sleek and Shine line from Garnier Fructis. And once again apologizes for the short review but longer ones are coming soon! Thank you for being patient.

Until Next Time!

Garnier SkinActive Brightening & Smoothing Daily Moisturizer Review

Once again I find myself reviewing a product that has a pretty long name and once again I find myself not minding in the least. When I first tried this product, I admit that I was not a fan of it at all; I felt that instead of being moisturizing that it felt greasy on my skin. I didn't like the way it felt on my skin at all so I didn't use it for a good week. But I decided to try and give it another go since I had already spent the money on it and I wasn't about to let that money go to waste.

So I tried it again and for some reason the second time I used it, I loved it! I don't know if my skin was just having an off day when I first tried or something else. But like I said, after I tried it for the second time I was hooked on this product. It went on smoothly, it didn't feel greasy on my skin at all and it worked miracles for the dry skin that seems to plague me; especially on the sides of my nose, the sides of my cheek and in my eyebrows. I was surprised that this product helped that dry skin so much in all honesty because I have tried several other products before but none seem to have had the result that SkinActive seemed to have. Granted it took about a week of daily use but I immediately noticed the difference. The redness that I was plagued with as well as the dry skin was pretty much gone. So I find myself using this moisturizer daily and becoming more and more hooked on it after every day.

I really shouldn't have doubted this product because Garnier has to be one of my favorite companies that product several of my all-time favorite products that I use consistently in my daily routines, etc. I do highly recommend all of their products and I urge everyone to go out and try this product for themselves to see if they like it.

Again I apologize for the short review but there are personal matters that I have to have most of my attention if not all of it on at the moment. I thank you for understanding and bid your patience a bit longer.

Until Next Time!

Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration Lotion Sunscreen Review

Today I am going to be reviewing the Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration Lotion Sunscreen, that is a mouthful but the product is well worth the long name for sure.

Now usually I absolutely hate the smell of sunscreen, can't stand it so I sometimes find myself not happy at all whenever I have to apply it. But with this however, I find myself actually looking forward to putting it on because it just smells so much like coconut and just what you would expect a beach to smell like on a hot summer day. It's also not greasy as compared to other sunscreens that I have tried and a little does indeed go pretty far. The fact that it's weightless, not greasy, has a pleasant scent to it and is SPF 30 makes this sunscreen my all-time favorite one to use.

And just because it's not summer, doesn't mean that you shouldn't be using sunscreen. I know where I live, the sun has been out so much these past two weeks that I've been making sure that I always have my sunscreen on. Granted I do this daily anyway, no matter what the season because I love my skin and I want to keep it healthy and to protect it.

I do suggest that you always wear sunscreen though, cause you can never be too careful and this is one that I highly recommend because when you put it on; it really just feels like you are putting on lotion. And who doesn't like putting on lotion?

Well there's not much else to say about this product and I do apologize for it being so short but as of right now my family is going through some personal things and I find myself stretched for time to do the things that I really enjoy doing. So the next few reviews might be short but please bear with me and hopefully the personal things will work themselves out one way or another.

Until Next Time!

Garnier Fructis Grow Strong Shampoo & Conditioner Review

Today I'm going to be reviewing Garnier Fructis Grow Strong Shampoo & Conditioner.

I have been using this shampoo and conditioner for a few weeks in order to get a real feel for this product and to see if it really would live up to its promises. Now while the results wasn't immediate, which I really wasn't expecting at all but rather it did take time for me to see results. But I'll say this I was rather pleased with the results when I started to notice them.

My hair has always been thick but it was never really strong and it didn't grow as fast as I would it to which is why I started to take Biotin so I can grow my hair out faster. With this shampoo and conditioner, I wanted to see if it would make my hair stronger and healthier; which it really did after some use. Now I wash my hair three times a week and it works for my hair because it doesn't get greasy as I don't use any other product in it except for smoothing oil every now and then. I mean I don't even use a hair dryer on my hair unless I have to. So for the past few weeks I have washed my hair using only this shampoo and conditioner waiting to see results. I began to see results about the second week and I liked what I saw. My hair was indeed healthier looking and I can tell that it is getting stronger because it doesn't break off as much as it used to before I started using this shampoo and conditioner.

So I do like this shampoo and conditioner and I will continue to use it along with the other shampoo and conditioner pairs that I use. I like to mix up what I use on my hair so that my hair doesn't get used to just one product over time. If you want to try it for yourself I do highly recommend it but then again, I haven't found a Garnier Fructis product that I don't like.

Until Next Time!

Dove Go Fresh Body Wash Cucumber & Green Tea Review

This is hands-down one of my all-time favorite body washes. Now it is a bit costly when you purchase it individually or at least it is for me at the stores that carry it near me. So whenever I purchase this, I buy it in a big 3 pack so I know that I won't have to purchase it as often and for me that can last me a couple months if not a bit longer; so I end up saving a bit of money which is always nice.

The scent is so fresh and clean smelling that I usually use this body wash in the spring and summer because the scent just seems to fit those seasons the best. But I still will use it throughout the year however because as I said it really is one my favorite body washes to use.

The formula is perfect for my sensitive skin and it doesn't break me out which is always nice. I seriously hate the fact that my skin can be so sensitive to products because there are several products that I want to be able to try but I really don't want to push my luck with them. But with this body wash, I don't have that reaction and my skin not only feels soft but moisturized. However I have started to notice recently that my skin will dry out if I strictly use this product for a couple weeks straight. So in order to give my skin a break, I will usually use a different brand of body wash for a few days and the dryness clears right up.

Now I know that this is how my skin personally reacts to certain products and that it doesn't reflect on the product itself so I don't want to deter anyone who has been looking to try this product out. I do suggest that if you want to try out this product then try the travel size first in order to see if your skin has any reaction. But it is for sensitive skin however some people have more sensitive skin than others.

Until Next Time!

AVEENO Yogurt Body Wash & Yogurt Body Lotion Apricot and Honey Product Review!

AVEENO Yogurt Body Wash Apricot and Honey
Just when I think I have found the perfect body wash, I try a new one and my world opens up again. Now I'm going to be honest, I didn't really expect much from this body wash but I was so wrong. When I first tried it, it wasn't the typical body wash that I have used and when I say that I mean the body wash itself was a bit thicker and more slimier if that makes any sense. So I used a bit more than I would usually do and boy was that a mistake! My loofah was nothing but Apricot and Honey scented foam! I know that I've said a little goes a long way but this statement really needs to be a staple with this product and printed onto the bottle itself. I also wasn't expecting it to be as moisturizing as it was but to my amazement I have never felt such a moisturizing body wash! I don't know what formula AVEENO has found that works like this but they need to keep it up. Just after using this body wash one time, I immediately noticed a difference in the way my skin felt. My skin has never been softer and I absolutely love it! This body wash really makes me feel like I've spent the day at the spa, being pampered and everything. Such an amazing feeling and product! It really makes me want to go out and try more products from AVEENO to see what else this company has to offer.
And the scent is amazing and lingers so sweetly on me, even after a few hours after I took a shower. It isn't a strong scent so if you have a sensitive sense of smell; I feel that this body wash is gonna be perfect for you. It is so subtle but yet you can still smell it. I can't help but wonder how long the scent will linger on me; I can't wait to find out.

AVEENO Body Yogurt Lotion Apricot and Honey
This lotion is just as amazing as the body wash. The formula is perfect, not too thick and not too thin. And the same statement can be said that a little does indeed go a long way because even with just a dab of this lotion covers a pretty large area. I was able to use just a small amount of lotion by dabbing my fingers onto the top of the lotion, and covered an entire arm without having to re-apply more lotion. The formula doesn't break me out and is so gentle on my skin which has been known to breakout from different types of lotions. I applied this lotion right after bathing with the matching body wash and they really are the perfect pair. The lotion just locks in the moisture from the body wash, while also adding it's own into the mix. I love being able to just sit here and get a whiff of Apricot and Honey; I can't wait to see how long this scent will last.

So in review, I love both of these products and I am so thankful that I was able to review these products.

Until next time!

Disclaimer: I received both of these products free for testing purposes from Crowdtap. All of my opinions are of my own words and feelings towards these products.

Influenster Voxbox Review - Herbal Essences Voxbox

Hello and welcome to another Influenster VoxBox review! The Voxbox that I received from Influenster was the Herbal Essences Voxbox. This voxbox contained two products by Herbal Essences: The Hello Hydration Shampoo and the Tousle Me Softly - Let it Loose - Hairspray Fixatif. I will give my honest review on both products and please note that even though I received these products free for review, my thoughts and opinions are my own and are not influenced in any way. Now on with the review!

Now let's start with the shampoo. The bottle is a very decent size so it will last a long time even if you have long and thick hair like I do. From looking at the bottle, which is pictured in this post; one would think that the bottle itself is blue. That is not the case as it is the shampoo itself that is that pretty blue color which I loved. Now I will be the first to admit that when I opened up the bottle and smelled the shampoo, I was not fond of the scent at all. It reminded too much of sunscreen for my liking and I didn't want my hair to smell like that. However, I tried it anyway despite not liking the smell of it and I was surprised to note that the scent of the shampoo became more of a sweet coconut scent once I had some of the product on my hands. So I guess it was the bottle that made it smell like it which I am grateful for. Once I smelled the sweet coconut I felt myself be transported to what seemed like a beach vacation and it was amazing. The lather was perfect and as I stated before a little goes a long way. However, while it did help to hydrate my hair I still felt the need to use a small amount of conditioner. It could be because of the thickness of my hair, I am really unsure but I would suggest still using conditioner after using this shampoo. But all in all, it really is a great product.

As for the hairspray, I was pleasantly surprised by it. I don't like hairspray usually as it leaves my hair too stiff and sticky for my taste. Plus my hair is very thick and long, it seems to take more hairspray than normal. But to my honest surprise, this was not the case in this hairspray. Not only was my hair not stiff or sticky, it was quite manageable which was a big plus for me and made me want to share more about this product. Not only that but it doesn't smell like hairspray to me which is even more of a plus. I am happy that I was able to try out this product because now I have it when I need to use it. It also held up all day long and I was running errands for a good 8 hours or more and it held the style with no problem at all. So extra kudos for Herbal Essences for making such a great products.

Well that concludes this review. Thanks for reading and until next time!

Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless Foundation Review

Hello!

Today I'm going to be reviewing the Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless Foundation. I know that this foundation has been out for quite sometime but I've never been one for foundation, much less make-up because I just don't think it suits me at all. But I wanted to give this a try since I had an event coming up that I wanted to at least try to have make-up on and look presentable to say the least. So I took to the internet and looked up reviews for drug-store makeup and this one kept popping up pretty much everything; so I decided to give it a try.

I picked up a bottle from Wal-Mart, the shade that came closest to my skin tone was Shade 115: Ivory. To my surprise it was a perfect match so I was happy that I didn't have to lighten it because I know that sometimes my skin can be a bit lighter in certain areas of my face.

Now I will say that for me, a little goes a very long way because I don't really like to cake foundation on my face at all, I don't like the feeling of it and I'm always afraid that my dry skin will show up worse. However, that was not the case with this foundation. It went on smoothly and stayed on for the duration of the event which made me quite happy. Even though I don't wear makeup often, this type of foundation makes me want to wear it more often because of how well it worked for me.

I also have a problem with my pores, especially on my nose so I was afraid that it would make them more noticeable that what they usually are but nope; in fact I think it hid them pretty well. I also love the fact that this foundation doesn't make me look like I put wax on my face at all. And since it is very affordable considering I think I paid less than six dollars for my bottle, I know that everyone will be able to try this out for themselves. I highly recommend it and it makes me want to try more of Maybellines' products now.

That's it for this review! Until next time!

Suave Professionals Moisturizing Almond & Shea Butter Shampoo & Conditioner Review

This has got to be one of my top favorite shampoo and conditioner sets to use on my wild hair that is so hard to tame.

It really does a good job in not only smoothing it out but also keeping the moisture locked in so it doesn't look dead and dried out. Now I say that it is one of my top favorites but it's really not my all time favorite which is Garnier Fructis Sleek and Shine but I'm not here to review that as I'm pretty sure that I have already reviewed it.

But I really do like Suave Professionals as well; so while it's not a top favorite it is in my top 5 shampoo/conditioner favorites. I do find that the moisture doesn't stay locked in for as long as I like and after a few hours after washing I can already tell that it isn't as moisturized as it should be. But it really doesn't make me angry or disappointed however. This is because sometimes when my hair looks too moisturized it looks greasy and that just isn't a good look on anyone.

All in all I say that this is a great shampoo and conditioner. It is very inexpensive as I think I paid less than $7 for both bottles together so that's really not too expensive when compared to other products that do simliar things but cost at least 5x more. Which doesn't make sense to me for paying that much for a product but I've never tried any of those products so perhaps I am missing out on something that others see that I don't.

Until Next Time!

Amityville Horror & Amityville Horror The Possession Movie Reviews

Hello all and welcome to another horror movie today. Today is a special treat because I'm going to be reviewing two movies in one. Today I'm going to be reviewing The Amityville Horror (1979) and The Amityville II: The Possession (1982)

Both of these movies came out back to back so I was able to watch them without any interruptions which is fantastic. Now I don't want to ruin either of these movies by giving away spoilers, even though I'm sure that if you're a horror movie fan that you have seen both of these movies numerous times.

Personally I love the original Amityville better than I like the one from 2005 with Ryan Reynolds. Not saying that he isn't a good actor at all but I do prefer the originals when it comes to horror movies. I just feel like they can draw me in better than more recent horror movies or remakes of horror movies can.

One thing I can say about both movies is that they are very suspenseful and they set the perfect scene. The camera work on both films are simply amazing and they really make you feel connected to each character in the movie. The effects are also simply fantastic considering that both of these movies came out before advanced movie editing and in my personal opinion, both of these movies set the bar when it came to horror movies; along with The Exorcist of course which to me is in a league all of it's own.

I don't want to really spoil either of these movies because I want others to go and watch them; even if you've watched them before reading this review, watch them again! I mean they're classics and personally I don't see how anyone can not watch them.

Well that's it for this horror movie review! Thanks for reading! Until next time!

House on Haunted Hill (1959) - Movie Review

This movie was by far the best one that I've seen in a while, granted it did come out in 1959 but for me that's not the point. It doesn't have all the effects that horror movies do these days but rather it dealt more with the acting abilities and small scares that made movies like this enjoyable.

Vincent Price is one of the best actors that has ever existed to me and I love all of his movies, especially anything with horror in it. No matter what role he played, whether he was good or bad, I always found myself cheering for his character. I just couldn't believe that I have never sat down and watched his version of House on Haunted Hill, or if I did I don't remember it. Granted I wasn't even a thought when the movie came out in 1959, seeing that I am only 28 but still; I pride myself on watching old horror movies as they are some of my favorites.

Anyway, the movie is a little over an hour long and it kept my attention from start to finish. It was enthralling, from the characters, the story plot and of course the house itself. I enjoyed it much better than the remake that came out years later. Sometimes I ask myself why do they even try to remake such great movies but then again this is Hollywood and I guess some money has to be made in one way or another. But to me some remakes ruin the feel of the old versions; at least to me that is. Now don't get me wrong, I enjoy modern horror movies as well but there is just something about the suspense and drama that fills classic movies such as this one that is just hard to beat with most modern movies these days.

The acting was spectacular in this film and Vincent Price gave a perfect performance. His acting is just so spot on that there is no doubt that he was made for horror/suspense/thriller movies such as this one. I look forward to watching a few more of his movies later on this month and possibly even beyond that.

The effects in this movie were pretty good and I am not ashamed to admit that I did jump at one that was completely unexpected, and I loved it. I don't want to spoil this movie for anyone who hasn't seen it which despite how old it is, I know that there has to be some people out there that haven't treated themselves to this wonderful horror movie. Truly makes me want to go out and collect as many Vincent Price movies as I can find and add them to my DVD/Blu-Ray collection.

And that is a mini movie review because I want others to go out and watch this classic for themselves.

Until Next Time!

Dawn of the Dead (1978) Movie Review

Movie Length : 2 Hours, 7 Minutes

Main Characters
Stephen
Peter
Roger
Francine

Movie Summary: Following an ever-growing epidemic of zombies that have risen from the dead, two Philadelphia S.W.A.T. team members, a traffic reporter, and his television executive girlfriend seek refuge in a secluded shopping mall.


If you've ever seen the remake of this movie but not the original, then I highly recommend you watch this one. Because as far as a good movie, this one beats the remake hands down.

To me it offers more of a backstory on each of the characters as well as different side-characters that don't really hold any value to the plot but they add a bit of spice to it and more of a depth to how humans would react to this type of situations; such as a zombie-breakout. Granted the remake of this movie had more characters that I really didn't see the point of them there, much less what their purpose was to the plot.

However, I should let it be known that the characters of this movie got on my nerves with their actions. They became overconfident in their fortress and in the end it was their downfall. Well two of them.

Oh warning, there will be spoilers so don't read beyond this point.

First off the only female character that is not a zombie, Francine, gets on my nerves so much with her attitude. I would have slapped her at the beginning of the movie and then proceeded to knock her brains out at every given chance. Granted at the end of the movie, she changed for the better but after watching her for nearly two hours complain after every little thing it got old quickly.

The other main characters were a variety of male mindsets, Peter, Stephen and Roger. Now Stephen got on my nerves because he kept trying to shot and he couldn't even aim straight but at the end of the movie he did redeem himself slightly but it still cost him his life. Roger's turning was sad to me because to me he really didn't deserve to be bitten at all, much less Peter having to shot his best friend. I would have liked Roger and Peter to be the two survivors rather than Peter and Francine. But I guess it's frowned upon to kill off a pregnant character...well maybe not but perhaps there was a reason why Francine wasn't killed off by the zombies.

Really didn't like the addition of the motorcycle gang but I can understand that during a zombie breakout of any kind that zombies aren't the only thing to be feared, nor are they they the most dangerous at times. While it did lose them their fortress aka the shopping mall, I did appreciate how they turned the zombies back to the invaders.

Another thing about this movie that I found odd was that the zombies maintained some type of memory of their past. Like the way Stephen was able to find the hidden doorway to the hidden room that him and Peter had worked hard on. I wish the movie would have explained this a bit further in detail but in the long run I don't guess it really matters.

All in all this movie was fantastic. The plot progressed in a steady manner. The zombies were awesome looking but I have come to expect that from a George A. Romero movie; much like I expect the gratuitous amount of gore that comes with these movies. So I have to give many kudos because of when this movie was made to the attention to gore that this movie has.

So I give this movie five zombie brains out of five.

Again I apologize for not posting daily as I wanted to but my family are going through some personal things that cannot be put on hold. But I do want to write as many reviews as I can so please be patient with me.

Until Next Time!

Update/My Apologies

I won't be updating this daily with my horror movie reviews and for that I apologize.

But there has been a personal family issue that has occurred and it requires all of my attention at this moment. I hope and thank you for understanding.

31 Days of Horror Movie Reviews - Day 1: Day of the Dead (1985)

The first movie that I would like to review after watching is George A. Romero's Day of the Dead from 1985.

Now I'd like to pride myself that I have seen every zombie movie out there from the very first one to the more recent TV shows. Granted some of them are lacking greatly and I would not even consider them a zombie movie given how the zombies themselves are portrayed.

However that is not this case with this movie because as sad as it sounds, I do not remember watching it and for that I want to kick myself for. This movie is a great zombie movie with plenty of gore to spare. However that does not mean that it does not lack in a few aspects.

Warning, this may contain spoilers so be aware.

First off, I'd like to address the stereotypical army captain. I'm sure you all know the one I'm talking about, "Do what I say or I'll shoot you" type. I swear it seems like every zombie movie has at least one of these guys and sometimes they're not even in the army. They tend to ware of my nerves a bit but overall I feel that this stereotype was pulled off rather nicely and the way that his existence was snuffed out was perfect. Also I have to give props for an epic final line from this character; even as death was gripping him in its' cold hard grasp.

Another was the female character in this movie. She is the only female character, well besides the zombies and she got on my nerves from the moment she opened her mouth. You've seen those types in other movies, the ones that think they know everything, that think that they can help anyone even when that someone doesn't need their help but still feels the need the push them over the edge in order to get their way. The ones that refuse to see the truth before their eyes when they know instantly that something isn't right but refuse to acknowledge it. Only to realize in the last ten minutes of the movie that none of this matters and only survival matters in any way shape or form.

There are a few more grievances that I could make but honestly they are little things that really can be overlooked. Now I want to get into what I absolutely loved about this movie.

I loved the fact that they never revealed how the virus was spread. Not one inkling as to how this all began and that makes me happy because I am so tired of watching more recent zombie movies/tv shows and for them to go into extreme detail on how the virus got started. I personal like the mystery of it as it keeps my interest on the movie instead of wondering how the writers even began to come up with that idea of spreading the virus.

Another thing that I loved was the amount of gore. It really wasn't scary at all but the gore made up for that. The attention to gore and the amount of time and effort that was put into each scene just makes me clap for everyone that was involved in this movie. It was as close to perfection as one could get for 1985.

Now I don't want to go into anymore detail but I highly suggest that if you haven't seen this movie, to watch it. If you've already seen it, watch it again in order to appreciate the work that went into this classic zombie movie as I see it.

Well that's it for this movie review.
Be on the lookout for another horror movie tomorrow!

31 Days of Horror Movie Reviews - Halloween 2016

Hello all.

Once again let me apologize for not posting a review in some time. There are personals reasons as to why I haven't been reviewing the way I want to but this is something that I really want to keep up with so I'm hoping that I will be able to post daily for this month.

This month me and one of my closest friends have made it a goal to watch one horror movie every night for the entire month. We have a list of 31 movies along with a list of backup movies if we don't feel up to watching the ones on the main list.

We have already finished the one for tonight so keep an eye out for that movie review to come soon.

Now please be aware that I know that my opinions on these movies will not be for everyone; because we all know that we are very different when it comes to horror movies. There are some people who love them and can watch them constantly; such as myself and my friend. But there are also some that just cannot stand to watch them no matter how horrofying they may be. So please keep this in mind as you read the reviews for this month.

Also I am going to put this warning here as well as in the beginning of every review, please expect some spoilers. I will try my hardest not to give anything away but I am merely human so I expect that I will slip up a few times. However I will try my hardest to with-hold any major spoilers.

Cutex Advanced Revival Nail Polish Remover Pads Review

Today I'm going to be reviewing a product that I received from my recent Voxbox from Influenster, the Goddess Voxbox. This product is just one of several products that came within this Voxbox, so be on the lookout for more reviews coming soon.

I have seen these nail polish remover pads around for quite some time yet I never have picked them up for myself. This is mostly due to past experiences with products that are similar to this and promise the same results; and I have been burned too many times so I just learned to stay away from products such as this one.

But since I had gotten a few pads for few, I figured what did I have to lose to try it out since I didn't spend any money on it so if I didn't like it, it wouldn't mean that I had wasted my money on something that didn't live up to it's promise once again.

However before even opening the small pack to reveal the pad, I already noticed a difference in this nail polish remover pad that the ones that I had tried previous lacked...moisture. All other previous nail polish remover pads that I had tried were all so dry that it seemed like there was no product on the pad at all. I hated that feeling on my nails cause it always made me think that I was scuffing up my nails with these harsh pads. And another thing that I noticed about the Cutex pads was that instead of being made with cotton like many other nail polish remover pads are, they are made of felt; which makes them extra soft and luxurious feeling to your nails.

But Cutex pads weren't like the ones I've tried before. They were saturated in nail polish remover! It was fantastic and moist but not overly; just the right amount one would need to remove fingernail polish from ones' nails. And wow they do such a great job! I was able to remove the fingernail polish on not only one hand but on both and the pad still had moisture and space left over, so I could have possibly removed fingernail polish from someone else's nails as well! Sadly I couldn't try this but next time I am able to I want to test that theory out.

Another thing that I liked about these nail polish remover pads was that no matter how saturated with nail polish they seem to be, the scent of nail polish wasn't overpowering in the least. Since I have such a sensitive nose, I have to be careful what products I use and how much of a chemical smell they possess. But with these pads, I don't see myself having that problem ever which is so nice not to have to worry about something like that and have to sacrifice a great product due to an overpowering scent.

There isn't much else to say about this product as it really is a simple product but one so useful that I want to run out to the store and stock up. It also helps to know that the Cutex pads packed with botanical oils that help strengthen and nourish nails! I can't wait to see if these pads will make a difference after I use them for a little while.

Well that's it for this review!

Keep on the look out for more reviews coming your way!

Until Next Time!

@Influenster
@CutexNails
#SoCutex, #HealthyNails #contest.

Disclaimer: I was sent this product free to review it. My words and opinions are of my own and they are not influenced by outside venues. 

 

Graze Box Subscription Review

Hello all and welcome to another product review. In this review, I'm going to be reviewing Graze which is a monthly subscription box that gives you 4 to 8 snacks a month and costs $11.99. I contacted Graze a few weeks ago and asked if I could try out their box in exchange for a review and I'm so excited that they agreed whole-heartily. I was expecting just 4 snacks but to my extreme happiness they sent me 8 different snacks and I cannot wait to give my review on each of them because they all look so good and different than anything I ever tried before.

I simply love the look of the box. It is very simple but also high quality. The snacks were packaged very well within and didn't seem to have moved at all during transit, which is very nice. Each snack is packaged in a way that is easy for them to be carried in a lunch bag or a purse for easy on-the-go snacking. Which for someone who is trying to look for healthier snacks, I do appreciate the convenience and portion size of each of the these snacks. I also like the fact that in the box comes a piece of paper that includes all the nutrition facts of each of the snacks that come in the box. The nutrition facts also include a complete list of ingredients for each snack, which is great for anyone that has any type of food allergy or want to avoid a certain ingredient.

Garden of England
This snack is made up of mini strawberries, soft apple pieces and blackcurrants. It is really the perfect fruit snack in my opinion. The apples are sweet but not overly so while the strawberries and blackcurrants are a bit more sour but they blend together perfectly as you snack on them.This would be an excellent and filling snack to have with you when you're going out to the beach or evening going on a hike or a nice walk in the woods. Who am I kidding this snack is perfect for anytime that you're craving fruit.

Booster Seeds
This snack is a mixture of three different kinds of seeds: pumpkin, sunflower and flax-seed. Now I will say that I was a bit disappointed that there wasn't any salt on these seeds but that again is my personal preference. And to be honest, I've never tried pumpkin seeds before but I'm glad that I was able to try them. I will say that I did add just a bit of salt to these seeds but once again they were good without the salt; it is just that I like having a bit of seasoning to my seeds when I snack on them. I am still happy and glad that I tried these because I would have never found out that I really do like pumpkin seeds.

Smart Blondie
This is a little soft snack bar that is whole grain and is made with cinnamon and raisins. Now I've never been a fan of raisins but I do eat them from time to time and this was one of those times that I simply devoured this little snack bar. It was honestly the most perfectly mixed snack bar that I have tried in such a long time. It was filling and the balance of cinnamon and raisins was simply fantastic. It wasn't too much but it wasn't too little. It also tasted so fresh, like it had been just made the very day that I ate it. I continue to be impressed by the quality of snacks that Graze supplies in their boxes.

Graze Popping Corn
 Okay, can we please address the absolute adorableness that is this popcorn? It comes in such a tiny little bag that is perfect for taking with you to the office or anywhere that you have access to a microwave. A word of caution for this, please read the instructions because it is such a small bag of popcorn that it will burn easily if left in the microwave too long. The popcorn itself is seasoned with salt perfectly and doesn't need any extra, at least for me. I would compare it to Skinny Pop only a little bit less sweet which I do like. It was also a very filling snack as with other snacks in this box.

Thai Sweet Chili Bites
Sweet Chili Sauce with Baked Soy Bites
This little snack contains 8 Soy Bites and a tangy sweet chili sauce. The Sauce is spicy but not overly so, so it is very enjoyable even for someone that doesn't eat spicy food much or at all. The soy bites are lightly glazed and are delicious on their on but when dipped in the chili sauce, they are just simply an amazing combination. The bites are crispy in the way a very puffy baked chip is and they are so good on their on that I wouldn't mind just having a big bag of these just to snack on throughout the day. It gives a very very slight burn, just enough to tantalize ones' taste-buds and leaves you not wanting to wait for the next bite. And this little snack pack is only 80 calories! So good! My ultimate favorite out of this entire box! I have got to get my hands on this snack asap because I need it in my life.

Peanut Butter & Jelly
This little snack is made up of salted peanuts, raspberry strings and small cubes of vanilla fudge. Now I'm going to be honest here, the little raspberry strings freaked out a bit with their texture but I absolutely loved the taste. And when you eat one of each component that make up this little snack, it really does taste like you're eating peanut butter & jelly. The raspberry taste is very strong though so be warned if you're not really a fan of raspberry. But to be honest, even though I'm not a big fan of raspberries, I absolutely loved the taste of it. Definitely one of the oddest snacks but it has got to be one of my favorites as well!

Chocolate Pretzel
This pretzel snack contains 9 lightly salted pretzel sticks with cocoa & hazelnut dip to the side that goes really well with the pretzel sticks. The pretzel sticks are perfect for me because while they are crunchy, they're not rock hard so that it would hurt your teeth when you bite down on them. The pretzel sticks themselves aren't thin either but are pretty thick which is a nice change from the thin ones that can be found nearly everywhere. Another thing that I like about this packaging is that, on the cocoa & hazelnut dip it clearly says that it contains nuts now so this is a great thing considering how many people today have nut allergies. And just like with the other snacks it says how many calories the snack holds, which is 140 calories; which is pretty good considering how delicious this snack is, it is hard to imagine that it doesn't have more calories. Definitely one of my favorite snacks in this box.

Pumpkin Spice Flapjack
This snack comes with three sections of pretty good size so it is already a descent sized snack to begin with. This snack is basically a mix of rustic rolled oat flapjack with pumpkin spice. Now I have to be one of the few people on this Earth that is not completely obsessed with pumpkin spice. I've never really had a taste for it at all so I admit that I had my doubts when I first saw this snack, however I was pleasantly surprised at the taste. Other food/drink products that I've tried were just so over seasoned with the pumpkin spice that I found that it would quickly burn out my taste-buds. However, this was not the case at all with this snack. I found it very good, it had just enough pumpkin spice that you could taste it and enjoy the taste of the warm spice but not enough where you couldn't taste anything else. The bars themselves were pretty thick and so chewy! Definitely a snack I would bring with me for perhaps an after workout snack or even something to snack on in the afternoons instead of that bag of chips or candy bar.

But what I really found very interesting about this box was that each snack was so filling! When I mean filling is that I wasn't hungry for several hours after eating just one of these snacks. This is why I could only bring myself to eat one of the snacks daily; granted the other part was that I didn't want the experience to end but mostly it was because I was so full from eating just one snack that I felt I would end up wasting another snack if I were to try it.

This is by far one of my most favorite reviews that I have done. It was such a variety of snacks of all different flavors and textures. Graze has got to be one of my favorite food boxes out there today. And I want you to be able to try it too! So if you're interested in trying Graze, they have an awesome deal where you can get your first and fifth box for free by using the code LIZM1D4DB and just thank me (Shannon) and you can get your first and fifth box for free! Also you can cancel anytime you like!

Thanks again to Graze for sending me a box to review! I really did enjoy the snacks! 

Well that's it for this review! Keep an eye out for another review of a different subscription box. Here's a hint, if you love Japanese snacks then you'll want to know more about this box!

Until Next Time!

Disclaimer: I was not paid for my review. Yes I was sent this box for free but my thoughts and views on these snacks are of my own opinion. The pictures were also taken by me.