My February Influenster #JadoreVoxBox

I have been a part the Influenster community for about 2 years now and I always feel like it's Christmas each time I receive a VoxBox. I received the February Valentine's themed, J'adore VoxBox. I am so impressed with the contents.  

The first item that really jumped out at me was the KISS lashes. I am 40 years old and have never tried false lashes before. I have wanted to just for fun, so I look forward to trying these. They area called KISS Looks So Natural Lashes and retail for $3.99. They are available at Walgreens and CVS Stores Nationwide. I must say, they do look real!

Next up, Boots Botanics Shine Away Ionic Clay Mask ($9.39). I have looked a couple reviews already and have heard good things.

I love that this box was not just for women. They included a full size bottle of Vaseline Men Spray Lotion ($7.99 for 6.5 oz can). My husband tried it already and wasn't really impressed. It did work as far as being a moisturizer, I just think the scent was too strong.

My 17 year old daughter claimed the Frizz Ease 3-Day Straight Flat Iron Spray ($9.99 for 3.5 fl oz) She will be testing it out this weekend since she is addicted to the flat iron. I can't wait to see how it works on her bounty of hair!

I have already enjoyed a cup of Red Rose Simply Indulgent Tea ($4.49 for carton of 20 tea bags) in the Lemon Chiffon flavor. It was light and rich at the same time. I am a little leery about trying the caramel variety. I might have the husband try that one today. He is our hot tea drinker in the house.

Last but not least, I received a family size bag of HERSHEY'S KISSES Milk Chocolate ($5.29 for 18.5 oz bag/$3.28 for 11 oz). What can I tell you about these Kisses? They are the same classic, chocolaty deliciousness they have been since I was a little kid. I have some big strawberries in the fridge that will be getting dipped in some melted Kisses this afternoon.

Overall, this is a great box and as usual, Influenster does not disappoint. Are you an Influenster? It's FREE to join and I can email you an invitation if you would like. Who doesn't love getting freebies to try out? Email me if you are interested.

Wall Art Prints from Minted.com

I am a very simple person. I am not into a lot of "stuff" all over my home. As a matter of fact, although I have owned my house for many years, I still have a lot of empty walls that could use some sprucing up. One place in particular is my office. The only thing I have hanging up is a calendar and some random sticky notes. I have been browsing  wall art prints from Minted.com and came across a few pieces that caught my eye. This one called, "Museum" is my favorite:

What's neat about this particular print is that you can choose from 3 color schemes. It has such a feminine and sophisticated feel. You can choose from a variety of sizes and frames. You can also go with an unframed piece if you want to personalize it with a frame of your own.

The Minted site gives some great suggestions for grouping wall art prints for a contemporary and unique look. I saw some fun pieces that are all kitchen or food related that would make a cool clustered look for my dining area. 

With the amount of time I spend in my office, my wall needs to be treated to a lovely piece of art. My eyes could use the treat as well! 

Be sure to connect with Minted.com on Facebook and Twitter for the latest products updates and promotions.

I received a gift code as a thank you for sharing this article to promote Minted.com's wall art prints. All opinions are my own as always. 

Kardashian Kids coming to Babies“R”Us beginning March 15th

Kourtney, Kim and Khloéé Kardashian Unveil Their First-Ever Collection for Baby Girls

NEW YORK, NY (FEBRUARY 19th 2014) – Kourtney, Kim and Khloéé Kardashian, in collaboration with Jupi Corp, will soon debut designs for girls up to 24 months at Babies“R”Us, the nation’s leading juvenile products retailer.  The Kardashian Kids collection features much adored motifs including butterflies, shimmering stars and a uniquely sweet take on the Kardashian’s signature animal print.  The line ranges from newborn onesies, snuggly caps and cozy blankets, to stylish and functional two-piece sets, jackets and dresses.  Kardashian Kids will be available exclusively at select Babies“R”Us stores across the U.S. and online at Babiesrus.com/KKids beginning March 15.

“Since becoming a mom, I’ve been so inspired to create Kardashian Kids with perfect prints, heavenly fabrics for a baby’s skin and to bring fashion to the baby world that is affordable,” said Kourtney, mother of Mason and Penelope.

The sweetly sophisticated pieces include delicate details of layered lace, pearl-embossed buttons, georgette appliques and leatherette.  Pastels, touches of gold, calming neutrals and pops of color are all a part of the collection’s color palette.  Cherished items include a playful white cotton onesie with girly tulle ruffles, soft gold polka-dot leggings and darling butterfly-printed bloomer shorts. From newborn must-haves to luxurious special occasion pieces, the line offers gentle fabrics in delightful and tender designs.

“Our grandmother opened a children’s fashion store, and from an early age I adored baby fashion.  Later when Penelope was born, my sisters and I had so many ideas for how we wanted to dress her, but didn’t always find what we were envisioning.  Now, as a mom, I cherish the time my baby and I spend together getting her dressed.  The items in this collection are exactly what I have imagined for her,” said Kim, mother of North.

“With our ever-expanding family and our wide circle of friends having children, designing a baby collection was the next natural progression for my sisters and me. We hope the charming patterns and the uniquely stylish items are gifts new parents will be delighted to open,” said Khloéé.

“The line was designed with fashionable parents in mind, and although trend is at the core of the collection, we never let it compromise quality and functionality. We always want to ensure we are offering our customers the finest quality at the best possible price and knew Babies“R”Us would be the perfect fit,” said Bruno Schiavi, Jupi Corp Chairman and Founder.

“At Babies“R”Us, our customers love sweet and sensible looks for their little girls, and always appreciate a good buy – something with fashionable flair and an affordable price tag. That’s just what Kardashian Kids offers,” said Tom Via, Senior Vice President, General Merchandising Manager. He continued, “Kourtney, Kim and Khloéé each have their own, unique perspective and bring their individual strengths to the table. This has resulted in an adorable collection that pays close attention to the details that moms – and gift-givers – look for, and we’re thrilled to launch this line exclusively in March.”

Kardashian Kids items will retail from $15 to $30 and will be available at all Babies“R”Us stores and online at www.Babiesrus.com/KKids. Fans can stay up-to-date on the latest Kardashian Kids news by following on Facebook (facebook.com/kardashiankids), Instagram (@KardashianKids) and Twitter (@KKidsOfficial).

Kicked-up Baked Beans (Easy Weeknight Recipe)

Need a quick meal idea for the work week? Try my easy Kicked-up Baked Beans and have a hearty meal on the table with minimal effort. 

Ingredients:
2 Cans of Bush's Grillin' Beans (I use 1 Bourbon & Brown Sugar and 1 Steakhouse Recipe)
Andouille Sausage (or your favorite sausage) cut in small chunks
2 tbsp very finely diced onion
2 tbsp chopped cilantro
1/2 tsp garlic powder
cracker pepper to taste
1 tbsp brown sugar
a few dashes of Cajun seasoning  (I like Tony Chachere's)

Heat oven to 375 degree. Place beans in the bottom of a casserole dish. Add sausage and remaining ingredients. Lightly stir to combine everything. Bake for about 30-35 minutes. Enjoy over your favorite rice.

You can easily adjust any of the ingredients to your liking. Andouille is spicy so you have to go easy on which seasonings you add. Let me know if you try this recipe.

Winter Storm Pax and a little earthquake to shake things up a bit | Winter 2014 in SC

February has been a very, very interesting month. We have lived in South Carolina for over 16 years and have experienced all four seasons, our share of storms and everything in between (so we thought). We had our second snow storm hit this last week which is quite rare for SC. Normally snow for us is maybe an inch or some flurries. Not this time, we had 4 inches of sleet, snow, freezing rain, snow, sleet and more freezing rain, in that order!

I am sure we are being laughed at from the Northerners about our little 4 inches of the frozen stuff. Laugh all you want. This does NOT happen here!

Of course our entire state for the most part was shut down. Everyone was urged to stay indoors for good reason. Our state is not equipped to handle snow and ice. Snow plows and sand/salt trucks are very few and rarely needed. The biggest scare for us was the ice situation. I know that most of the rural areas lost power and had a lot of fallen trees and even structures collapsed. I am so thankful that it wasn't as bad as it could have been. Besides the inconvenience of not being able to leave the house for 3 days, we got through it. I am one of those Southerners who run to the grocery store to stock up on extra items, and for good reason! At least we had a lot of good things to snack on and lots of firewood covered up in tarp out back in the event we had to use it. It's better to be overly prepared in my opinion.

My husband cleaned our cars off before anything else added to what was on there. I watched him push huge sheets of frozen precipitation off. It was amazing! We even had to shovel our front deck and steps. Of course, living in the south, we don't have an actual snow shovel. We used traditional garden shovels and even dust pans. Hey, we had to make do with what we had!

Don't I look like I am floating in this photo? I was standing on top of frozen grass. We had to be careful because it was very slippery. I am not an ice skater, that's for sure! I felt so badly for the neighborhood dogs as they struggled to walk or stand up on the ice.

William wanted to play in the snow, but unfortunately, it wasn't that type of snow. He did enjoy exploring outside and making tracks in the crunchy ground.

We are lucky that the temperatures are rising and everything is melting pretty quickly. Later next week, we are looking at seeing temps in the upper 70's. We thought we were done with the crazy weather until last night. Valentine's night 2014 will never be forgotten. Many of us in South Carolina, Georgia and North Carolina felt an earthquake for the very first time. Although it was very quick and a 4.4, it was enough to scare us silly. Facebook and Twitter exploded with updates about the earthquake. I know our California friends were amused!

Hopefully the weather will start to improve for everyone. I really feel for my friends living out in states that are getting hit super hard by storm after storm. I can't imagine living in that. What has the weather been like where you live?