{Influenster} Vow Vox Box 2014

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Vow boxEveryone loves free stuff and especially when it is beauty/lifestyle type of stuff. I heard rumblings through the internet about this site called influenster and signed myself up. I never thought that I would be lucky enough to actually get free product, let alone an entire box full of free products. I received an email from influenster.com asking me to complete a simple survey for some upcoming campaigns. It took all of 10 minutes to complete and I sent if off. A few weeks later I got an email telling me that I was chosen for the Vow Vox box, a box for the bride to be.

I have no plans on getting married anytime soon, yet I was very excited to receive a box full of goodies in the mail. Then again Influenster claimed that the Vow Vox Box is for ‘brides, bridesmaids, mothers-of-the-bride, wedding guests, and wedding crashers of Influenster Nation!” Yippee I fit into that equation! Who needs to be a bride when you can sharpen your wedding crasher skills. So I totally crashed into this box.

“So what did you get in your Vow Vox Box?” Oh! I am so glad you asked! Let’s unbox it!

Vow Vox Box

Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure – in Barracuda: Don’t settle for just color when you can get a base coat, strengthener, growth treatment, and a chip resistant gel finish in one bottle.
———————> I am in love with this polish. It only took one coat of polish and my nails have yet to chip. Not to mention this shade of blue matches my Daddy’s 1982 Ford F150 short box with flair fenders perfectly.

Olay Regenerist Luminous Tone Perfecting Cream: Fade the look of dark spots in just 8 weeks, its brightening complex delivers tone ingredients 10 layers deep into the skin’s surface to help reveal pearlescent skin.
———————-> The cost of the cream is on the higher end, it is $30.99 which is way above my skin care budget. So I am glad it came in my Vox box and I am impressed with it. My skin looks healthier and I love that it is a light weight non-greasy formula.

Pure Silk Moisturizing Shave Cream: with added alone and extra moisturizers that will keep your legs looking and feeling like pure silk.
———————-> The scent of the shave cream is nice and it left my legs feeling soft.

EcoTools Pure Complexion Sponge: is handmade with 100 percent natural ingredients, including Konjac* vegetable fiber, for a better clean that reveals smooth, refreshed skin. Just wet the sponge with water and add your favorite cleanser.
——————–> I am always on the lookout for environmentally conscious products and I am so glad this was included in the box. It made removing stubborn makeup a breeze and left my skin feeling soft. I will definitely be buying a few of these.

Tide to Go Pen: is the #1 instant stain remover and helps remove some of your toughest fresh food and drink stains.
——————-> Can we say genius! I have been privy to the Tide pen for years and hands down love it. I always have one in my purse, in the Prius, and in my desk drawer at work. It literally does what they claim and you don’t have to walk around with the awkward stain on your shirt.

Influenster put a lot of thought into the products and I think its great that they included something blue too. Any of the above mentioned products will come in handy on the big day. Plus if the bride or bridesmaid or a groomsmen gets a stain on their dress/tux you will be the super hero of the wedding when you whip out the Tide to Go Pen.

**Note: I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes.**

{Divorced Life} I Always Thought I would Remarry First

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The end of a marriage is like a death, you mourn what was and try to quiet the memories. Its hard to believe that June 27th, 2014 will mark four years since I walked out of the red house on the quiet Woodbury cul-de-sac and never looked back. You just put your big kid pants on and walk boldly into the unknown. Each half has a chance to make a new start, to rebuild their life, and mostly a chance to find the correct better half.

My ex-husband jumped into a relationship the week after I left, he had her knocked up and moved in by September. Classy I know, yet I knew he would do it, the man is afraid to be alone with his on thoughts. So it was only fitting that he found someone to fill the quiet space that I left behind. Scott needed to drain the sea of regret, to plug the wholes of what if, and mainly he needed someone to warm his bed at night. Scott and his girlfriend have been together for almost four years and are now ready to say “I do.”

Scott sent me an out of the blue text asking questions about our divorce and said that he needed the information to fill out his marriage certificate. Those words stung a little. Hell since I was the better half, I always thought I would remarry first. I came close but unfortunately a drunk driver intervened and took that equation off the table. As I stared at that text for a few minutes, it took everything in me to not tell his girlfriend to run. A leopard doesn’t change his spots. Then I realized its not my place and I went on about my evening.

Its not my place to say anything because I left him in the past and have never looked back. Scott was one big giant life lesson, I gave up law school for him, and in the end I wound up with a pile of broken dreams. He told me once “when one dream ends, you make a new one.” He was right, when my marriage ended I set out to take on the world, but first I needed to find myself. I needed to look into the mirror and figure out who the fuck AmandaJean was. I knew two things: that 1. I was a survivor and 2. a mother to a baby in heaven. Those are two things Scott could not take away from me. I set out to live a life that Lucia would be proud of and one meaningful enough to prove that I was worthy to survive a pulmonary embolism.

Scott never made me feel like I was a priority in his life, I was always last on his list and never first. He never stood beside me and only criticized my every move. In Scott’s mind I was never pretty enough or thin enough, or good enough for him. The thoughts in his head caused him to stray, I figured it out when the seat was moved in my Prius, he told me he needed it and that if I didn’t let him continue, then I didn’t love him. So I turned a blind eye and rang up the Discover card, I buried my emotions for the sake of my marriage. On nights where I couldn’t take the whores, I spoke up, only to have my words thrown on the floor. The man never understood that normal husbands do not look for “friends” on craigslist, they come home to their wives, and love them for who they are.

That normal husbands answer the phone at 8AM when it shows up as “Woodwinds Hospital,” they don’t roll over and go back to sleep. The poor receptionist kept on calling him and he just let it go to voicemail. I faced death alone and when it was convenient to him he finally picked up the phone. He actually had the audacity to ask “do you really need me to come to the ER? I have to go to work.” A woman who is literally dying should not have to beg her husband to rush to her side. He came, and he was shocked at what he saw. He truly didn’t care about me, he kept on muttering about how big the bill was going to be. Yup, you got it he cared more about money than my survival. That was only the tip of the iceberg.

As you can tell I survived. Scott probably does not tell people “I have 3 kids, one died and two are alive.” In my eyes he has not earned the right to claim our son. The morning I found out Lucia was gone, I called him and begged him to come home from Vegas. Most men would have gotten on the next flight and rushed home to their mourning wife. He chose to stay in Vegas and partied the day away. I was alone when I got the news and thankfully my BFF Sherri refused to let me be alone on surgery day. Scott missed it all and came home to find me sleeping, he had no idea the hell I went through. He acted like nothing really happened and again he worried about the bill. Scott does not deserve to be Lucia’s father, because a father never turns their back on their child, no matter if they are dead or alive.

Scott and I were a beautiful disaster. Our lives were meant to collide, because without him, without the heart ache and pain I would not be the woman I am today. I will admit, it took a lot of therapy to get the man out of my head, his words cut like a knife and the wounds they bled for a while. Until one day I faced the sun and realized that I had something to offer this world. I found my space, got my head right and took on the day. The last thing Scott gave to me was a bracelet with little hearts on it, I wear it each day. Not for memory sake, but as a reminder to never give up my dreams for a man. I did that once and in the end I got a bowl full of broken.

I just hope that Scott learned something from our five year relationship and that his craigslist shoes are in the trash. Otherwise his marriage is not going to work. I want to believe that every now and then he thinks about Lucia and feels regret for putting Vegas before me. Yet, on the same coin, I know that in his mind I did everything wrong and that he is innocent. Because I am the one who walked out, in truth I wasn’t going to give him the pleasure of calling it quits. That is why I said it first and walked out the door and never regretted every step that followed.

The last words Scott said to me were “You will never make it on your own!” Fuck you, I fucking did it! And I did it without you! That’s the best revenge a girl could ever dish out, is to prove that she doesn’t need a man to make it in this world. I love my post divorced life, I have a career that fulfills me, a dog that makes me laugh, friends that keep me humble, and love?, I’ve got that too! But, mostly I didn’t have to face a health crisis alone this time and no one uttered “I wonder how big the bill is going to be.” Because I am the one in control and I learned that your health is more important than money. Without your health money is worthless.

If you do not have your health you cannot fall in love with someone or adopt a child. Unlike you I had to fall in love with myself before I could love someone else. I have been in an off and on relationship with myself for four years and it has been nothing but bliss. Your words no longer seep into my mind on quiet nights and I no longer shudder at the image in the mirror. I truly love the woman looking back at me and she is one incredibly beautiful lady. I may not be a model, but survival sure does looks good on me. You told me once that I would never find someone else, again you were wrong sir. When it comes to me, you will always be wrong.

IPSY Gone Wrong, Be A BombShell Should Be Ashamed

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MascaraEvery month I eagerly await for the sneak peak posts, stalk my tracking number, and practically tackle my mail man when the shiny pink envelope arrives. I love Ipsy, it is such a fun concept and a great way to sample new products at an affordable price. For $10 a month one gets a whole lot of awesome in her monthly Ipsy Glam Bag. The typical bag contains 5 products, most of which are considered full-sized or deluxe sized samples. Ipsy has a lot of well known brands in there bags and a wide variety of products.

It seems that with each bag someone out there finds something to complain about. They don’t like the consistency of a product, fake eyelashes, the shade of a product, or as of late the scent. I’m not one to buy into the terrible product smell hype. I figure people complain so they can get something for free or to create an internet witch hunt. However this month, its not hype its actual truth.

The June Glam Bag contains a full-sized Be A Bombshell Lash Out Mascara and I was super excited when I saw the product in my Glam room. I could not wait for my bag to arrive and well my excitement was quickly dashed to disappointment. The mascara smells horrid, as in burn your nose hairs off horrid. The scent thou extremely unpleasant was very familiar to me. Along MN highway 52 sits a fuel refinery called “Pine Bend.” I literally felt like I was in my Prius with the windows down driving by the refinery. I don’t need to go for a drive, I just pull of the damn cap to smell the refinery.

What gets me is this, I understand that somehow Ipsy is able to provide this service to us for $10 a month. I am sure they work out deals with companies to obtain full-sized products at a good value without taking a profit loss. I think its great, especially since Ipsy is a woman owned company out of San Francisco. However I am not down with putting the health of your customers at risk. Something tells me that the Be A Bombshell Lash Out Mascara did not pass their quality control departments test and they were left with a foul smelling product that they could not sell. Everyone loves a profit so I am sure they sold it to Ipsy for less than it was worth just so they could wash their hands of the bad batch.

Facebook was swirling with reports of horribly scented Be A Bombshell product and soon enough they posted a response on their company Facebook page. BeABombShell Post This response is complete Bull Shit, as in how do you expect your consumer to put foul smelling mascara on their eyelashes. Some women have reported a burning sensation on their eyelids when they applied the Be A Bombshell Mascara that they received in the Ipsy bag. Yet as a company they are claiming that the horrible smell is completely normal and that they chose to leave the fragrance out. Or maybe the fragrance was simply forgotten to be added into this batch and they knew there would be backlash if they sold it to consumers. So instead of selling it to a consumer, they found a company to buy it and that company could take the blame for the bad product. When a problem occurs we always go back to the source to get resolution, in this case Ipsy is our source. Ipsy is getting the brunt of the backlash while Be A Bombshell is washing their hands of there horribly smelling product. It doesn’t matter how many times you wash your hands, you are still going to stink Bombshell.

Ipsy is not free from blame and they to need to put people before profits. If I were Michelle Phan (she is the CEO and Founder of Ipsy) I would be ashamed of myself and my company. I bet she would not even touch this foul smelling shit and would probably throw it away. Yet, it was deemed safe for us to use and we were told its perfectly fine. Ya know PG&E told the citizens of Hinkley CA, that Chromium 6 was perfectly fine and that it wouldn’t hurt them. Well long story short it was determined that Chromium 6 was detrimental to humans, and an entire town took on PG&E and won. Just because a company claims a product/chemical is safe doesn’t mean its safe for human consumption or use.

Be A Bombshell and Ipsy, just do us all a favor and own it. Own your foul smelling mascara and just come out and say “we off loaded a bad batch to Ipsy.” Fix it and send us your normal version of the Lash Out Mascara. Because as of right now, I don’t want to buy any of your products and I am quiet fearful of them at the moment. Don’t be a PG&E, or a Merck, or a Monsanto or a Ford Pinto, just own your shit and fix it. Otherwise your customers are going to lose faith in your brand and you will not be able to gain new customers to make up for the loss in profits, because you have a bad reputation.

{Charlie} 40 Birthdays On Earth & 3 Birthdays In Heaven

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Memories seep in like a cool breeze. At first the breeze touches your hair, caresses your skin, and the chill it catches you off guard. Memories are like that, they catch you off guard. Much like love, when you are falling you don’t realize you’ve fallen until that one moment when his smile catches yours. I’ll never understand why Charlie chose me to call his own, in my opinion I am more of a mess than a prize. Something you walk by and leave for the next guy. Charlie would often tell me “AJ you are bigger than you can imagine, you are the spark that lights up the room.” I would simply smile and walk away. His brown eyes, god those eyes would meet mine and he would say “I mean it kid, I mean it.”

I have been caught up in a cancer scare and trying to get my feet on solid ground, so caught up that I almost forgot that today he would have been 43. Charlie loved celebrating birthdays as much as I do and I almost forgot his. Then again with time his being gone has gotten easier and I have learned to live without him at my side. On the day of my surgery I could feel Charlie around me and as I went under I was certain that I heard his voice. His voice is etched in my memory and the way he whispered into my ear late at night, those moments are something I cherish. Surprisingly I’ve come to find peace in the goodbye and those memories bring me comfort.

I can still hear the squeak of the chapel doors and the way the covering on the pew felt against my wool tights. The way the room felt, how the light flickered through the stain glass, and how the sunlight bounced off the cobalt blue casket. I held his hand for the longest time and talked to him for what seemed like hours. Part of me believed if I held his hand long enough I could will him back to life, in my heart I knew it wasn’t possible, yet I held on. As I held his hand I looked at all of the mementos that were placed inside, there was barely any room for him, and in that moment I knew he was being sent off with more love than one soul could handle.

Love is what I felt when I followed the casket down the isle, the church was standing room only and I was amazed at how many lives he touched. I took my place and waited for the Pastor to give me my queue. As I walked up to the Pulpit I dug deep and face the crowed, I did the last thing I could do for him, I sent Charlie off with one hell of a Eulogy. That was the last thing I could do. Hymns were song, prayers read, stories were told, and a video was shown, this was how we celebrated his life.

The tiny stone church stood proudly in the distance, a path to the grave site was shoveled, tents set up and men holding metal trays filled with shots of whiskey greeted us. Each guest grabbed one, I stayed behind with the pallbearers and waited for the guests to take their spots. The funeral director gave us the queue, they carried his casket on their shoulders and I walked in front leading him to his final resting place. Charlie’s father raised his glass, made a toast, took the shot, and slammed the empty glass on the lid. His brothers did the same, followed by his Mother, grandparents, and then it was my turn. Overcome by emotion, I had nothing witty to say, so I just bawled, drank the shot and slammed the empty glass on the lid. I will never forget the sound it made, the heavy clunk and then a clink as it hit another glass.

His life was bigger than his death, he had so many dreams and had done so much in such a short period of time. I was lucky enough to be a dot on his timeline. I was lucky enough to know what true love feels like and I was lucky enough to be loved by someone who loved me until he took his final breath. The only thing I can do in return is to learn how to grow and move on from it. I know with all of my heart that Charlie would want me to move on and to live the best life possible.

I have no doubt that I would have thrown him the best 43rd birthday party known to man. Filled with friends, family, food, and of course whiskey. Then again I know Charlie would have preferred an evening playing board games with friends over a lavish shindig. Like the previous two years there will not be a party, instead, I will blow out a single candle on a lemon cupcake and whisper “Happy Birthday Charlie” with the muppet like dog by my side.

{MN Heart Walk 2014} Why Will YOU Walk?

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This Saturday thousands will descend on Target Filed, not for a Twins Game, but to walk for a purpose. To walk in memory of a loved one, in honor of a survivor, for themselves, and to show their support for others. They will walk on behalf of the American Heart Association to raise awareness and funds to stop the number one killer of all Americans. Minnesota is home to the largest Heart Walk in the country and words cannot describe how moving it is to see thousands of people walking for a better day. The MN Heart Walk means I get to put on my survivor shoes and walk for those who have touched my life.

I walk for Emma, she was the first infant in the state of Minnesota to receive a heart transplant. Sadly she died 3 years later due to complications of the common cold. Thou her life was short, she made a huge impact on pediatric cardiology. What they learned in those three short years is helping save thousands of babies each and every day. Emma may be gone from this world, but she will never be forgotten. Since her passing Minnesota has become a leader in pediatric cardiology and we have a tiny little girl to thank for that. I walk because Emma never got to grow up, she never got to graduate from high school, go to college, travel the world, and because her sister Chloe got cheated out of having a best friend.

Ice Cave 16My Father Greg is my best friend, psychologist, sounding board, and my compass. No matter where I go in this world I always manage to find my way back home. I walk because God gave my father a second chance. Twelve years ago I was a freshman in college when I got the call that he was fighting for his life. His body was weak, his heart was sick, yet there was a small ray of hope. Knowing that he was at the Mayo brought us hope, they did not give up and they put this broken man back together again. They fixed his heart and 10 years later he got to say hello to his first granddaughter. Research saved his life and it will continue to save the lives of others. Without research we have no hope.

Hope is what keeps me a float on bad days. October 22, 2009 was one of the worst days of my life. It was the day I became the very survivor I was advocating for. It’s still hard for me to believe that my hormonal contraceptive device almost took my life. I drove myself to the ER with sever chest pain, shortness of breath, and a whole other mess of complications. They quickly ruled out a heart attack, yet they knew something was terribly wrong. The ER Doctor explained it was most likely an infection in my lungs and that I would be out of there in no time. For some reason unbeknownst to me he stopped in the doorway turned around and asked me “by chance are you on a birth control?” I quickly replied yes and he asked the nurse to order a d-dime test. I was being wheeled to x-ray when he stopped the nurse and told her to bring me back. I will never forget the look on his face and the fear in his eyes as he explained that the d-dime test came back positive. I got a CT-Scan and within 30 minutes a code blue was issued.

_MG_2225 I was in serious trouble, a blood clot in my left lung was blocking the main valve to my heart. I was in sinus tachycardia, my oxygen level was falling and my blood pressure was rising. In laymen’s terms “I was fading fast.” Clot busters were administered and my stroke was stopped in its tracks. The highest dose of Heparin was administered and I would be staying a while. The ER Dr. walked with us as they rolled me to the elevator bay. He took one look at me and said “remember for as long as you live, that you should be going down there, that’s the morgue and not upstairs. Very very few people survive this. Remember that!” I walk because I got to blow the candles out on my 27th Halloween themed birthday cake.

Research has allowed me to live a vibrant life and it has given me five borrowed years on this earth. In those five years I said goodbye to my son, stepped out of a loveless marriage, moved to uptown, adopted a muppet like dog, fell in love, became an aunt, found a job that I love, but mostly I shared my story and found myself. None of the fore mentioned would have been possible if it were not for the life saving research that is funded by the American Heart Association. I walk because their research saved me.

{BirchBox} I’ve Got Points To BURN

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Many people often ask me “If BirchBox is more of a miss than a hit, then why do you stay?” Truth for every sample you review on birchbox.com you received 10 points. In addition you receive 1 point for each dollar spent on full-size products in the BirchBox Shop and you can earn points for each friend who signs up using your unique referral link. For every 100 points you earn, you get $10 off a full-size product order in the BirchBox Shop.

How cool is that? For a few minutes of your time you get to earn points for product reviews, buying full-sized products and for getting your friends in on the fun. The points add up quickly. Each Box contains between 5 to 7 products every month. That’s 50 to 70 points towards your 100 point goal. It should be known that BirchBox’s customer service fix all is to throw 100 points your way when a sample is broken/missing or if your box has gone MIA. They are so nice and bonus you just earned yourself an extra $10.00 to spend in the shop.

A few weeks ago I logged in to my account and found out that I had 245 points, which equaled $20.00. I brought up the BirchBox Ap (yes they have an Ap) and let my fingers do the shopping.

“What did you buy with your BirchBox Points?” Oh I am so glad you asked! Lets find out!

BirchBox Points

Caldrea Dish Soap – scent: Basil Blue Sage Holler! Caldrea is a Minneapolis company that was founded out of the belief that utility and eco-chic can go hand in hand. They’re committed to using high-grade ingredients and artful designs.
———————-> What can I say I love buying local brands that are eco-friendly and smell darn right amazing! True story: “the only reason I bought this dish soap is because of the scent, Basil Blue Sage. I want to name my next child boy or girl Basil.” Yea, yea I know I am going to name my child after an herb. (The meaning for the name Basil is a story for another day) Anyways back to the dish soap. Caldrea cleans like a dream and does not leave a yucky film on your glassware. Go buy a bottle and find out for yourself. I promise it’s that good!

(MALIN + GOETZ) mojito lip balm: swipe on this mojito-inspired lip balm whenever we’d like, and treat ourselves to the delectable scent of our favorite summertime cocktail.
——————> I received this as a sample a long time ago and I fell in love with the consistency. A little bit goes along way and it keeps your lips soft. Soft lips = kissable lips and that makes for a happy girl.

Sumbody Exfoliating Bonbons – in citrus splash/jasmine: these bonbons pack a lot into a little bite. Crammed with all-natural goodies specialized to slough away dead skin and replenish cells with moisture, you’ll want to make these your new cleansing companions—even in a time crunch.
——————> I have yet to receive this product as a sample, however I am always on the look out for a new salt scrub. They claim that one bonbon will last you 3 showers…………………well mine dissolved in one shower. Which is fine because that one little bonbon left my skin super smooth and soft.

My order total before points were applied was $34.50. I applied 200 points to that $34.50 and that brought my total down to $14.50! How awesome is that? I saved $20.00 and not to mention I got free shipping. Which was a double bonus. So you see it pays to be a BirchBox subscriber, the points definitely make it a winner in my book. If you want to get in on he saving fun, run on over to BirchBox.com and sign yourself up!

BirchBox is a beauty and lifestyle subscription box program that costs $10.00 per month. For every box ordered or every $10 spent in their shop you can earn 10 points. 100 points will get you a free birch box or $10 towards a purchase in the shop at birchbox.com. I know you’ve got friends so why not refer those friends to Birch box and earn a few points for doing so. If you would like to learn more and get a Birch Box of your very own go to http://www.birchbox.com for more information.

***I was not compensated for this post. Opinions are my own***

{Ipsy} Fresh Picks – May 2014

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According to Ipsy “It’s a month of crisp air, vibrant flowers, and fresh Glam Bag products! Getting your beauty to bloom all month-long will be as easy as lying in the warm grass and basking in the sunshine.” I completely agree and I am so ready for warm weather. Bring on the sunshine and long summer nights! What Can I say Ipsy did it again with their over the top sneak peaks. Each Peak revealed a host of new products that are perfect for the summer months and I could not wait to get my hands on my bag.

” So tell me what was in your Ipsy Glam Bag?” Oh I am so glad you asked! I am dying to tell you!

FRESH PICKS – MAY 2014

May 2014

Hang Ten – Classic Sport SPF50: Protect and nourish your skin with our clear, lightweight, naturally scented sunscreen. Provides maximum water resistance and full body coverage against harmful UVA/UVB rays.
—————> Heck Yes! I will take all of the sun screen I can get. When was in my early 20’s I had skin cancer spots removed from the bottom of my feet and from my arms. I have gone from a tanner to a sunscreen worshiper. Sunscreen is important and this one is the perfect size to throw into my purse.

Pacifica Mineral Eyeshadow Duo – Celestial & Opal: are coconut infused mineral eye shadows that are a perfect addition to any makeup collection. Packaged in a beautiful travel ready recyclable container, these exclusive duos are customized just for ipsy!
—————> We established a long time ago that I am an Eyeshadow whore. Yes I have many shadows and I promise I use all of them and love adding new ones. The Pacifica duo is perfect for summer and I am loving the natural shades.

derma e – Microdermabrasion Scrub: this gentle yet effective Microdermabrasion Scrub, only from derma e®. This formula buffs away dull surface cells, diminishes the appearance of wrinkles and acne scars, and absorbs excess skin oils with an exclusive crystal blend including Dead Sea Salt and Volcanic Sand (rich in Silica).
—————> I admit that I have yet to try this little jar of potential goodness out. Once my the swelling goes down and my incision heals, I am going to give it a whirl. I am totally practicing health before beauty at the moment. Because lets face it who cares if we have incredible skin if we are too sick to enjoy it.

Hey Honey Take It Off! Exfoliating Honey Peel Off Mask: Instantly renews skin, leaving it refreshed and clean after only a few minutes. This gel mask helps promote a smooth and clear complexion for a post facial feeling.
—————> Why yes! I will take it all off once my incision heals. (Get your mind outta the gutter folks!!)

Pur~lisse – pur~moist hydra balance moisturizer: Achieve beautiful balance with the Pur-lisse pur~moist hydra balance moisturizer. Gently smooth over face day or night after cleansing and toning.
—————> I handed this one off to my Mama. I paid her in samples for taking care of me after surgery.

My Fresh Picks glam bag was spot on and what can I say Ipsy just might be my favorite subscription.

Do you want an Ipsy Glam Bag of your very own? Well the, for $10 a month (shipping is free) you will receive a Glam Bag filled with deluxe samples and full-sized beauty products. Members can watch and play along with the stylists with the same products that they are using. If you want a bag of your very own or more information please visit http://www.ipsy.com/r/1w1i Trust me you will be glad you did!

***I was no compensated for my post. Opinions are my own***

{BirchBox} Free Wheeling May 2014

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Spring has finally arrived in the mini apple. We have had many days over 70 degrees and I broke out my strapless top last Tuesday. Warm weather brings the suburbanites to the city and my stress level raises just ever so slightly. Yet, the hipsters keep on peddling, the artsy folks keep on drawing, and the rest of us are counting down the days until fall. In the fall and winter months suburbanites rarely visit uptown.

Then again the suburbanites only invade us for just a little bit and in the end I love summer in Uptown. One can spend an entire day people watching down at Lake Calhoun, take your pup to the park, you just might get a date, and hell its patio season folks. There is nothing like patio season in Minneapolis. Whiskey always taste better when it’s sipped on a patio with friends. Not to mention many patios allow dogs and the muppet like dog loves hanging out under the table.

Speaking of peddling hipsters, the BirchBox theme for May is “Free Wheeling.” There theme is lost on me and I am not quite sure of “Free Wheeling” = ITS FINALLY FUCKING SPRING!!! Yea, I can’t figure that equation out, anyway as always BirchBox is either hit or miss. I’m afraid to say it but I think BirchBox is having growing pains and they do not have a handle on their shipping partner. I got an email on May 11th telling me my box had shipped with a tracking link. The link didn’t work and so I waited. I waited to check it again on May 13th, in which it told me my box was born! It hadn’t even left there Tennessee warehouse. I called customer service and she ensured me it was out the door and I would receive it by the weekend. That was a fluffy lie, on Saturday my tracking told me my box was still in Tennessee. Monday the 19th the tracking updated and said my box was in Georgia. Last time I checked Minnesota was not in Georgia. Long story short my box finally arrived the day after my surgery on May 22.

FREE WHEELING – MAY 2014

May 2014

CoTZ: Oil-free mineral sunscreen.

Cynthia Rowley Beauty: a creamy eye liner for all day wear.

Nexxus Color Assure Pre-Wash Primer: helps keep color vibrant for up to twice as long – without sulfates

Nexxus Color Assure Shampoo: helps keep color vibrant for up to twice as long – without sulfates

Nexxus Color Assure Conditioner: helps keep color vibrant for up to twice as long – without sulfates

Noya Beauty Lip Gloss- in Summertime Peach: this natural gloss nourishes lips with cocoa butter and adds a pretty sheen.

LIFESTYLE EXTRA – Smarty Pants All In One Gummy Vitamin for Adults: gummies provide essential nutrients without artificial flavors

My “Free Wheeling” box was a total miss. The only product I will use is the tiny Noya Gloss. The gloss is the perfect shade for summer.

Birch Box is a beauty and lifestyle subscription box program that costs $10.00 per month. For every box ordered or every $10 spent in their shop you can earn 10 points. 100 points will get you a free birch box or $10 towards a purchase in the shop at birchbox.com. I know you’ve got friends so why not refer those friends to Birch box and earn a few points for doing so. If you would like to learn more and get a Birch Box of your very own go to http://www.birchbox.com for more information.

***I was not compensated for this post. Opinions are my own***

{Survival} Drain Drain Go Away

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DrainLife never seems to be easy. When things are good something always comes up to disrupt my fun. I will spare you some of the details, needless to say I woke up in a sticky mess this morning. I was told that my incision would drain and that drainage was good. However I wasn’t told that it was going to drain a ton all at once. I guess it decided that Memorial Day was the day to drain away.

I was just thankful that I had today off, otherwise I would have been late for work. Since it was still early I cleaned myself off, switched PJs, sprayed the sheets, and went back to sleep on the other side. I guess there is a plus side to sleeping single in a queen sized bed. If one side is dirty you just move to the other side. I wasn’t to concerned, well concerned isn’t the right word, more like horrified of how much could come out at once. My appointment was at 10:00 AM, I would get help then.

Dr. Anderson got there before I did and he had wrangled a nurse into helping him work with me. The all to familiar cart of just a few things was pulled into the room. He had asked me how I was doing and I quickly said “You didn’t tell me it was going to gush!” Dr. Anderson pause for a moment, smiled and said “it may gush, it just depends on the amount of fluid.” I just looked at him and replied “that doesn’t count, you can’t tell me after the fact.” He just laughed and went to work.

Good news, the drain did exactly what it was supposed to do and the swelling in my neck has decreased enormously. It actually kind of resembles a normal neck now and I can see my chin again. Dr. Anderson was happy to see that a lot of stuff was coming out and that I was feeling better. The super antibiotics are doing there job and I am no longer in pain. He removed my old drain and well needless to say he had to scramble to find a lot of surgical towels. If one removes a plug they should be prepared for a potential flood.

Unfortunately I get to hang out with a drain for the next 5 to 7 days or until it dries up. Dr. Anderson put in a new drain and bandaged me up as best he could. I asked a million questions such as: “How does one get a surgical site infection? How long is this thing going to drain? What is my scar going to look like?” He answered all of them, Surgical Site Infections of the neck are extremely extremely rare and he was surprised that I have one. My drain will be in place for a while and it is hard to tell what my scar will look like. I learned that over time the skin around my incision site will soften and return to normal skin. Yay for normal looking skin.

Oh, I almost forgot my most important question was “Can I shower? I have to go to work tomorrow.” Dr. Anderson told me “yes you can shower, a little water won’t hurt it, just try to keep it dry. He also gave me a bonus piece of advice “You might want to wear a collared shirt or a scarf to work for the next few days. He explained that he would like me to come in before Thursday so they can check up on my drain and well me of course. It sounds like I will be going back every couple of days until this thing dries up for good. Which I hope is sooner rather than later.

If you or a loved one are about to under go a surgical procedure I urge you to educate yourself on the signs and symptoms of surgical site infection. Because every moment counts and the earlier it is caught the better the outcome. Even if you think you are making a mountain out of a mole hill, it is best to listen to your gut and get yourself checked out.

To learn more about Surgical Site Infections please visit the following:

Click to access ssi_tagged.pdf

Click to access SSI_toolkit021710SIBT_revised.pdf

{Survival} Halfway Out Of The Woods and Almost To The Meadow

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On Tuesday I hugged my coworkers and said goodbye for a week. I must say I have some of the most thoughtful coworkers on the planet, they sent me off with an orchid. I was a little nervous about bringing home the beautiful orchid on the bus. To my surprise, the orchid and I made it home safely. The #4P was good to us on Tuesday night. Since I was under orders of no food after midnight, I decided I was going to indulge in whatever I could.

Enter Leann Chins, their house chicken and white rice hit the spot. Not to mention their cream cheese puffs, thou high in calories are absolutely amazing. I love those things. The Marine also indulged in the wonders of Leann Chins and managed to calm my fears. I had a wondrous plan of running away to Canada, it is only a 7 hour drive from Minneapolis. The Marine convinced me that I truly did need to under go surgery and it was the best thing for me. We spent the evening talking about life, the future, and he shared a few stories of his time in Iraq.

It was getting late and I needed to head home, Wednesday was going to be a big day. This wasn’t my first time going under the knife, it’s actually my fourth. That didn’t bring me any comfort and my nerves set in. I snuggled in with the muppet and his over sized cone and drifted off to sleep. The morning, if you ask me came way to early. It always seems to come quick when you have something on your calendar you do not really want to do.

The morning was gloomy and I drank as much water as I could before my 11:15am cut off time. Walked the dog, did dishes, showered, and headed out to pick up my Mama. I think she was more nervous than I was. With my Mama at my side I walked into the hospital and checked in. Removing the largest lymph node in my neck was the only option I had and it would tell us if I had cancer. My biopsy a few weeks back, showed that I had atypical B Cells, which isn’t good. I held out hope, even thou I knew the odds that it was more than likely cancer. In my heart I prayed for a different outcome, I wanted so badly in this moment for it to be a fluke and to not have to under go surgery.

Surgery went down as scheduled. I was prepped and answered the same questions over and over again. The pre-op staff was sweet, my nurse Chris calmed my fears and told me I would be all right. The surgeon came back and marked me, before I knew it I was off to the operating room. The last thing I remember is talking about an expensive spa and then I woke up in recovery. Yay, I made it through in one piece, well minus a lymph node, hell I was alive and that’s all that mattered.

I was able to go home the same day and my Mama stayed in town to take care of me. As I settled in on the couch, pizza was ordered and updates were sent out to friends. I was on the mend, the swelling in my neck wasn’t to terrible and I was getting around pretty good. Thursday the Marine came over to take my Mama back and to relieve her of her babysitting duties. Yes, I need a babysitter, otherwise I would do too much before my body was ready.

I must tell you the Marine is a pretty darn good babysitter, he made sure I napped and iced my neck. Icing my neck is an important part of my recovery. Its suppose to help the swelling in my neck. So much for ice, by Friday afternoon I knew something was off, yet I kept on icing my neck. My neck wasn’t getting smaller, it was getting larger and larger. I thought maybe I did too much and just needed to lay down. I took a lot of naps, the naps and ice were not helping. Not only was my neck the size of a small tree stump, I was starting to feel drained. I don’t remember how I fell a sleep, just that I woke up in pain on Saturday morning.

As I looked in the mirror I could not believe my own eyes. I actually walked out of the bathroom, came back looked in the mirror and walked out and repeated this about four times, before I realized that yes my neck was huge. Saturday was the day I could finally shower, I thought it might help me feel better, so I jumped in. The shower didn’t change anything, I looked closer in the mirror, my incision was a deep red and the artificial skin was bubbly. My heart sunk, I knew I was in trouble.

I searched through my pamphlet of surgery how tos and who to call. The after hours nurse put a message in to the on call Doctor and he suggested I head to the hospital. Great, just how I want to spend a lovely Saturday morning. Reluctantly I went, I kept thinking to myself that everything would be fine and I was just making a mountain out of a mole hill. I arrived and was quickly whisked back to a room. Everyone kept staring at my neck and couldn’t believe how huge it was. The ER doctor came back and said “wow, your neck is huge” and immediately started touching it. He stated that he was going to call the on call ENT Surgeon Dr. Anderson to come in and look at me. He mentioned that they may have to reopen my incision and clean it out.

I was not down with that idea and waited for Dr. Anderson to arrive. After a few hours he arrived and quickly stated “I’ve heard about your neck all morning and I just had to come in and see if for myself.” Dr. Anderson looked me over and explained that I might have an infection in the wound. He stated that they could cut open a small section of the incision to see what comes out, if nothing comes out I would be headed to the operating room to have it reopened and cleaned. I was not amused nor was I down with those options. I chose what he said was the simpler option.

He numbed my neck, which that hurt like hell and every time I flinched he apologized. We took a deep deep breath and he went to work opening part of my incision. To his surprise (I will spare you the details) a bunch of shit came out. Dr. Anderson while working away said “I am really impressed! Your body managed to grow an infection with in two days of surgery. It normally takes 5 to 7 days for an infection to take root.” I looked at him and said “yea, I am talented like that.” He kept on telling me that I was a tough cookie and that most people would have passed out by now. Or asked for localized anesthesia, I wasn’t going under and thou it sort of hurt, I knew that it had to be done.

Time stood still and he just kept on working away, running around and grabbing different things. He placed a drain in the wound to keep part of it open and explained that this will help relieve the pressure. Dr. Anderson tried to bandage me up nicely, but really there is no pretty way to bandage a neck. Necks are hard and awkward. He talked about super strong antibiotics (I would be going home with one) and memorial day weekend. Which I have no plans because I am suppose to be recovering from surgery. Dr. Anderson didn’t want to leave me and my new-found drain hanging so we agreed to meet back at the hospital on Monday for a check up. Dr. Anderson, (who was not my surgeon) takes his job very seriously and actually cares about the patients he comes in contact with. He is giving up part of his day off to drive over to the hospital to check up on me. How awesome is that? Its pretty awesome.

Dr. Anderson gave me one stitch and asked me to rest. By this time the ER was buzzing with patients and I was left waiting for my discharge paperwork. I had been there since 7:00 AM and desperately wanted to go home. I hadn’t seen a clock for hours, so I had no idea how long I had been there. I just knew it had to be forever and a day. When I was finally given the all clear it was almost 3 o’clock, 8 hours of my day was eaten up by the ER. Oh well, turns out my gut was right and I got the medical attention I needed.

I just pray that I have improved and that my incision looks better on Monday, because the reopening thing is still on the table. I don’t want to go back through surgery again nor do I want a hospital stay. I miss my coworkers and want to get back to work sooner rather than later. Amidst all of the current chaos I did get the results back on my lymph node, it came back BENIGN. So I guess fate had to trip me up somehow and decided that I would be the 1 out of 100 surgery patients to get an infection. Because things in my life could never go smoothly, complications love me.

I am halfway through the scary woods, this journey of possibly having cancer was just a bump on the trail. I am thankful that the results came back benign and well we could have skipped the infection. Because it’s not fun and I would like to walk in the flower filled meadow one day. Flower filled meadows always, always follow scary woodlands, otherwise why would we continue to walk. Most of us would give up at the first sighting of a flying monkey or crow, or angrily talking tree. The meadow makes the journey worth it and damn it I want my Meadow!