I Love To Read

7

2012 Reading Challenge

Jacquie has completed her goal of reading 125 books in 2012!

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125 of 125 (100%)

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This year I challenged myself to keep up with the books I read using the Good reads page. I set myself a Challenge of 75 and then in September upped it to 125.  I am happy to say that TODAY I read the 125th book! So here’s what I read this year!

What books did you read this year? I would love to know!

2012 Review Extravaganza!!

I am a little late with these but I love doing this so  I wasn’t going to miss this year!!

January

 

I shared my New Years Resolutions.

I started my last Semester at my College in SC and got stuck with a VERY paranoid girl on the elevators.

I Shared my favorite Rose Gold Nail Polish

My little bitty blog turned 3.. Oh my gosh it’s almost 4!!

I got tagged in a blogger Tag and told ya’ll a little about me!

 

Febuary

I shared some of my dream wedding ideas

I showed my Penni Puppy in Fur Baby Friday

 

March

I got a Voxbox!

I visited Kensei in Memphis and didn’t do much work while I was there!

My Year In Photos

I know I have been a horrible blogger lately, I’ve just been so busy with the move, and finding a job and getting settled in and everything, then over Christmas I got sick… So This is basically my year according to Instagram! If you want to follow me I’m @starri09

BirchBox Brag!!

I love getting my Birchbox and seeing what everyone else got in the boxes they got!!

So This is what I got for the month of November!

Honestly there were a lot of repeats in this box;

All images taken from Birchbox’s website because I am still unpacking and can’t find my camera cord!

The Mary Lou Manizer from The Balm cosmetics, it came in an adorable little case and was about the size of an eye shadow, the only bad thing is I got this last month too.

Full Sized Eyko eyeliner in Navy, really pretty liquid liner, I like this brand because I’ve gotten them before.

Full-sized lip butter from MOX this one wasn’t a repeat product and wasn’t bad at all.

Got this perfume sample before, and didn’t like it then or now. I saw some people got Flirt and I wish I had, even though I’ve gotten it before I really like that perfume.

So what did you get in your Birchbox? Don’t forget if you want to sign up just click the link, $10 a month for a bunch of goodies in your mail box!

The Holly Jolly Tag!

So I am pretty sure that these are supposed to be done in a Vlog form but because of the move I don’t have a spot where I can vlog yet, I am going to just type these out! I would LOVE to see what everyone else answers!

THE QUESTIONS!
1. Do you start your Christmas shopping on Black Friday or wait until the last minute?
I am a last minute shopper, I am honestly the type of person who will be at the store on Christmas eve at 11 pm looking for things to buy!!

2. If you could be in any Christmas movie what would it be?

Oh gosh this is WAY hard!! I think I would love to be in a movie like How The Grinch Stole Christmas, or Miracle on 34th Street or Home Alone (1, 2 or 3 but NOT 4) or for a newer movie Unaccompanied Minors!

 

3. Which do you like better: Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?

Christmas Day!!

4. When does your family put up your Christmas tree and who decorates it?

This is going be hard for me, My family usually puts up the tree the weekend after Thanksgiving and Usually myself and Jujube decorate it. But this year because I’ve just moved to live with Kensei I don’t know how or when we will set it up.

 
5. White lights or colored lights?
White on the tree, colored everywhere else!

6. Are you guilty of peeking at your presents or do you like the surprise?
I was a peeker growing up, I haven’t done it in a while though, I mastered the art of sneaking throughout the house, locating all the presents and peeling back the wrapping paper so that I could peek!

7. Would you rather live in a gingerbread house or in Santa's Workshop?
Santa’s Workshop, while I Would LOVE to live in a house made of gingerbread and candy I would literally eat my way out of house and home!

8. Tell us your Christmas Eve traditions!
Usually last min shopping, watching a Christmas movie, probably Once or Twice upon a Christmas with Kathy Ireland, looking at the Christmas lights and making cookies for Santa! Not sure what I’ll be doing this year though!

9. If you could be under the mistletoe with anyone who would it be?
Kensei!!

10. What tops your tree?
At home we alternated an angel and a blinking star, Kensei and I have to pick out our own tree topper this year.

11. Can you name the 12 days of Christmas?
Yes, yes I can, 12 drummers drumming, 11 pipers piping, 10 lords a leaping, 9 ladies dancing, 8 maids a milking, 7 swans a swimming, 6 geese a laying, 5 goooold rings, 4 calling birds, 3 French hens, 2 turtle doves and a partridge and a pear tree!

12. Have you ever gone Christmas caroling?
Nope, but I’ve always wanted too!

13. Do you countdown to Christmas? If so, how many days are left?
I do! 30 Days!!

14. What are some foods and treats you can count on having every holiday season?
Apple pies, eggnog, hot coco, and Christmas sugar cookies!!

15. How has Christmas kept its magic for you as you've grown older?

I honestly don’t know, it never lost the magic, I just love love love the season, the lights, the fact that people seem nicer around the holidays, its my most favorite time of the year!!

I would LOVE to see everyone else’s answers! Either leave your answers in the comments or link your post if you do this tag!!

New Home, New Job, New School New Life!!

Everything is new to me now!! I just completed my move to Memphis TN and got my official letter to the University of Memphis, AND got a job within one week of looking!! It’s a part time hotel job for 3 months and then a raise and move to fulltime! I just need to figure out a way to get everything unpacked and my classes set!

I missed you all, so I should be updating much more often now!

The Big Day!

Well this is going to be quick, I have got to finish packing TONIGHT I load up tomorrow and move to Memphis on Friday!! AHHH So much to pack and so little time!!! If only I was moving in the Tardis… I could use the bigger on the inside feature!

Please Vote!

I just wanted to remind everyone in the US to please take the time to vote tomorrow,

I don’t usually talk about politics on this blog, and regardless of the party you like, if you “want change” or “want the same” I think that every American over the age of 18 should vote.

“But my vote really doesn’t matter” is a cop-out people have died so that you would have the freedom to vote, do it! The people who fought for us to be able to vote obviously felt that it was worth dying for, worth fighting for, they left us a voice, and what good is a voice if you stay silent?

Please Vote.

and on a lighter but similar note:

Sunday Social

What is currently on your wish list?

Honestly? I wish I had people to come help me pack! But for a more materialistic wish I want to get the Sephora Cinderella set.

Share a new iPhone, droid, ipad app you have recently discovered that we all need:

I’ve been addicted to two games lately Happy Street – which is basically a farmvilleish game but super cute and Plague Inc., which is a game I didn’t think I’d like you create an illness and infect the world with it, I got it for Halloween and its quite addicting.  If anyone has or gets Happy Street add me as a friend!

What is a new Fall TV show you have added to your DVR?

I am about a season behind on the TV shows, I have a strange obsession with watching every show in order so if I miss an episode I won’t watch any more until I can catch up. Currently watching Once Upon A Time, Raising Hope, Psych, Burn Notice, NCIS and Warehouse 13

Share your Social Media links for us to follow you on(pinterest, twitter, facebook, etc)

In order of how I use them!

Instagram

Pinterest

Facebook

Twitter

What is a TV show or Movie or Song you could listen to or watch over and over and over and never get tired of…feel free to name one of each:

TV Show- Married With Children

Movie- Adventures in Babysitting

Song- Bubble Pop!

Blog Angel Reveal Part 2!

I had a lot of fun for my first time as a Blog Angel, Janette is an amazing blogger! She is super consistent and I LOVE reading her blog! I don’t know if I was able to help her out as much as I wanted to, but I commented on every post and tweeted and Google plus’d her! If you haven’t checked out Janette’s blog yet what are you waiting for??

I plan to continue to follow her, because I was totally lurking on her blog before this, but from now on instead of lurking I promise to comment more!!

If you want in on the Blog Angel action sign ups for December start on November 10th!!

October Birchbox!

So I got 2 birchboxes this month! I signed up for the goop box and the regular box, and honestly? I wasn’t super happy with either box.

 

Want to see what I got?

In my Regular Birchbox I got:

Dr Jart BB Cream, I’ve gotten this sample before and honestly I prefer my Skin 79 BB cream then this one.

Nexus split end samples, haven’t used them yet because I don’t like foil packets unless I am traveling.

Tili Bag: pretty Ziploc bag

SUPER small lip-gloss sample in a nude color..

The Balm cosmetics Mary Lou Manizer super pretty highlight color in about the size of an eye shadow pan, I am a little sad about the size because I’ve gotten full sized Laura Gellar highlighters and Full sized stila Shadows from birchbox before.

 

Then in the Goop Birchbox I got

 

I got Essie polish in Carry On, honestly didn’t like the color one bit, its supposed to be a dark purple, it looked mostly black with a yucky purple tint to it.  but Full sized polish so yay.

 

Lunabar in Lemon Zest, I don’t mind getting these in the plain fruit flavors I actually enjoyed this one!

from Left to right Marie Veronique Body oil, eh nice sized sample nothing to write home about. Joanna Vargas Daily Serum, I actually love this I’ve been using it day and night my dry patches have really gotten better, as long as I’m using it, but at 85 a container I won’t be buying it. Sprout Lip Balm… YUCK hated the smell, it smelled like soap and just tasted nasty! I’ll stick to chap stick and EOS.

Influenster Beauty VoxBox Review!

So have you guys heard about Influenster yet? It’s an invitation site a lot like birchbox where you can get a box of fun items to review! I was lucky enough to be chosen for their Beauty Voxbox, and here is what I got!

It comes in a super classy white box, with the Influenster sticker on it. When you open the box up this is what you see!

First I got a travel size of Not Your Mothers Smooth Moves Frizz Control cream:

This was great for me because my hair is REALLY frizzy! It smells amazing like coconut, and a little goes a LONG way! Unfortunately if you put more then a few drops on it can make your hair look greasy and crunchy.

NYC Limited edition eye shadow palette: $4.99 at drugstores:

I liked the fact that it came with both a primer and a highlighter, that makes this a good travel palette, BUT the shadows didn’t have much pigmentation for me and were VERY powdery, Wet and Wild has some trios for 2.99 that are much better pigmentation and creamy. I am going to try using the silver and black wet to see if that helps any. 

I have seen people rave about these Goody spin pins, I have mid back length long thick frizzy kinky hair and am always looking for a way to put my hair back that won’t cause damage and breakage. I wear my hair in a lot of buns at work and figured that by using these I would be able to not use the damaging pony tail holders as much. You have to twist them in and I feel like it is snapping my hair when I twist and I don’t get a very secure hold, maybe it is because I need more then two because of the amount of hair I am attempting to use?

 This product I have already used, I got it in a birchbox a while back and it wasn’t bad. It’s a single serve packet of orange drink, that reminds me a lot of Tang, remember Tang? It is supposed to be a “Healthy Energy Drink” and while I didn’t feel more energetic, I know that this is probably more healthy then a soda or a red bull. It does KIND of remind me a little of Alka-Seltzer though.

 I WANTED to LOVE these so freaking much! I am awful at applying false lashes, they never look right, stay on or feel right so this little kit seemed like a dream come true, but and this could be complete user error, I couldn’t get the lashes to stay with the provided glue. I tried EVERYTHING I could think of… any one have any false lash tricks???

This was honestly my favorite part of the Voxbox! I got a mini Bath and Body Works candle in Cider Lane, and a coupon for a 3 wick candle for $10!! The smell was amazing and I love Cider Lane, my only complaint, and honestly this is more BBW’s fault, It is October and I went to the store to get a full sized Cider Lane, they are completely done with their fall scents and have moved on to Winter, WTF?? I know the stores are starting Christmas but it is not even Halloween yet… So I got a Christmas full sized candle instead.

Check out Influenster’s new look and if you want an invite I’ll send you one!

Swapoween Reveal!!

I had such an amazing time this year with the Swapoween, this year there were an odd number of people who signed up so we all got to do basically a secret swap! My package was sent from Mary!

It was wrapped up so pretty!! And Mary included a card that was adorable!

 

I don’t know HOW Mary knew I adored tumblers but I LOVE them! And this one with the cute skull detail is perfect for Halloween!  Mary says she loves them too!

Inside my Tumbler was some yummy flavored drink mixes, perfect for me because  I am trying so hard to drink more water!

you can kinda see the color in the photo above but this is a GEORGOUS silver polish! I love nail polish so this was a perfect gift.

Okay How cute is this pumpkin? I agree with Mary, it is not fall with out awesome decorations and guess what? She MADE this!! I love it, and wish I was as talented!

Socks and Mittens, this are so soft and just my style! Plus these mittens are great when I go to work at 5:30 and it’s still chilly out!

How cute are these skull earrings? Perfect for Halloween!

And these window clings are amazing! I love them, SO Cute, plus No Spiders!!

Unfortunately I wasn't;t able to get some pictures of some of the things she sent me because I opened the box on my way back from picking my sister up and by the time we finished the 2 hour drive she had pretty much demolished the Candy Corn (my all-time favorite fall candy!) The skittles, Twizzlers, dum-dum lollypops, Mike and Ikes and the sour candy! But Those are all Mary’s favorites and She has great taste because they are mine too!!