Sick Six Year Old.

Tonight I'll be up all night watching my little guy sleep on the couch - coolest place in the house during our current extreme heat wave. Unfortunately he's caught a little something, but I think the extreme heat is only making it worse. So I've given him a little pain reliever for his sore throat, applied a bunch of vicks to his chest and feet, then gave him loads of ice water to stay cool on the inside.

Poor little guy. The heat always wears me down too. Luckily tomorrow is supposed to be the last day of this heat way - fingers crossed - so perhaps he will start to feel better starting Wednesday.


Here's to hoping my Padawan gets better soon.

Food Feature Friday #52: Sonic Fail.

I've always loved Sonics. It's one of my favorite fast food places. Their food and slushies are delicious. But today they failed me.

First off, the "manager" refused to accept my coupon, which came from THEIR app, and then she refused to give me a full refund after calling my request "a weird thing to ask". I was so upset I REALLY had no want to eat or drink anything, but apparently I was stuck with it. Which ended up being 'alright' except that my identical slushies, definitely weren't identical.


You can see the clear difference in color from my two slushies which were supposed to both be watermelon with green apple and Jolly Ranchers. One was too much watermelon, one was too much apple. I ended up mixing them together to get the flavor I'd hoped for.


I don't play this as a complete fail from Sonics, but I do think they need to reconsider their managers at the specific location I was at. Honestly, I don't even think she was truly a manager, but I don't know for sure.

Spa Day For Momma!

Previously this week I had talked about having a much needed "mommy day" which I finally had. Nothing fancy, but definitely relaxing.


While my Padawan was off at school, I finally decided to do something for myself. So in an effort to take care of "me", I drew myself a nice warm bath with some Frank Sinatra blaring through the home. As I sipped on my iced tea, I decided to apply a new face mask I had recently purchase from Target.


So I used my makeup remover cloth and favorite facial scrub, prior to applying the thick yet creamy mask.


At Target they have a selection of "Que Bella Professional" masks with all sorts of benefits. Some for acne, some for detoxing, and some - like the one I chose - repairing. I've used and talked about another one of their masks, which you can see HERE.


The repairing mask I specifically chose is for troublesome skin and is a charcoal mud mask. My main reasoning behind choosing this mask is because charcoal has been infamously known to pull out toxins and clear out pores from sensitive skin, while creating a glowing-like complexion of cleanliness. Personally I want to make my own charcoal mask, but for only $2 I bought myself one of these and called it a day.

The mask doesn't necessarily have a strong scent, other than that of the classic mud mask. The sensation however can be a tad overbearing in ways that some may not enjoy. It's close to a tingling sensation with an extremely cold feeling, but after a few moments it's no longer feels like anything.

When time was up, I used a warm washcloth and carefully washed my face. Afterwards I felt like my skin was tighter, brighter, and definitely cleaner.


I'll still be doing a DIY charcoal mask - stay tuned for that review - but for the moment it was soothing.


I've used these masks for a while and I've never had a bad reaction - knock on wood - nor have I had a breakout from these. Which is hard to find, because my skin is extremely delicate and picky.


In need of pampering and maybe a fresh face? I highly recommend checking out the beauty aisle in Target.

A Dupe For A Dupe???

I've often made it clear that I struggle with acne and beyond sensitive skin. It's also very apparent that I'd rather not "splurge" necessarily, so budget friendly products give me a special type of joy.

In the past I talked about my budget friendly face-cleansing products - see HERE. Today I'm focusing on my face scrub, which is already cheap. When I stopped by Walmart earlier this morning I came across their version of  St. Ives Apricot Scrub that was only going for $1.79. In hopes that I found a second alternative that [hopefully] wouldn't agitate my acne, I decided to go ahead and take the challenge.

First off I'd like to say that I won't be able to give a definitive review, because I need to wait a few days to see how my skin fully reacts, but I may not need that long to decide whether or not I'll repurchase this Walmart product.


My initial review is that I can't stand the smell. It reminds me of old, cheap oatmeal that has zero flavor. The texture is practically identical and my face does feel practically the same after, but I 100% prefer Target's Up & Up brand.


Smell shouldn't be the reason you necessarily base your entire opinion on for products like this, but in this case I just can't stand the smell.


I was hoping to have a secondary product I could easily fall back on just in case Target was sold out or out of reach, but I think I'd much rather stock up than ever go back to this brand. In case you're wondering, I'll be returning this immediately and purchasing my ol' friend at Target with the money I'll be getting back.


Perhaps I'm too picky. Perhaps I'm not open minded. Or perhaps I simply don't like washing my face with something that makes me think of spoiled oats.


I would like to add that I'll be doing a few skin care and makeup reviews pretty soon, as I've missed doing my beauty routines. Personally I think some self love is in order for this momma, so I intend on doing just that! Perhaps this weekend I'll create a spa day here at home, resembling the one I had done before...with a few minor tweaks.

Break Time.

Ugh. I feel so unbelievably exhausted.

Today I finished three loads of laundry, vacuumed the entire house, rearranged my bedroom furniture, cleaned the bathroom and kitchen, did a few errands, then took Micah to his first real kids party.


I did do a little more work on my hutch, but nothing significant.


My legs hurt from standing, my back hurts from cleaning, and my head hurts from the lack of food I ate today. So while I love you Jedi's and I wanted to give you guys a little better play by play, I don't have it in me.


I'm going to relax and call it a day with a batch of egg rolls dipped in Sweet and Sour sauce. Goodnight to you all and keep on rockin'!

Sanding My Fingers To The Bone.

Last week I solved my first mystery surrounding a piece of stolen furniture. My furniture. Now that it's back safe and sound, I've gotten down to fixing up my new hutch.


Still undecided on whether or not to sell or keep.


First step was to get rid of the old shutters. The hardware isn't too bad - although I had to replace all the screws in the actual hutch for safety reasons - so I set them aside to be reused. Next I cleaned it up and started to sand down all the wood.


I'd like to say now that while it doesn't look like much of a progress from when I first started, but trust me I've gotten quite a bit done.

I had started chipping away at the paint and sanding down the table top, but quickly realized that the very old paint had seeped into the depths of the wood, requiring really strong sand paper. I did attempt using stripper, but it only left me with more work and a smell I couldn't get out of my nostrils.

After a quick trip to Home Depot, I picked up a 4 pack of 60 Coarse sanding sheets and a 4 pack of 120 sanding sheets. The first to really get the paint off and the second to smooth out any rough patches (making staining or painting inevitably easier).


Once I came home I sanded down the tabletop again, the sides, the middle shelf, and the back. I also got underneath and all around the crease. I'm hoping to finish the top portion tomorrow, stain the pieces, then try to get the new back pieces stained. This will allow me to paint the remaining areas I want to color on the top half and finish it all together.


Lastly I'll rebuild frames to the bottom doors, refinish the hardware, stain the drawer face and the doors, stain the new back, and then paint everything else. This will be the finally.


I've been looking up numerous types of cabinet finishes and finally have a good idea on what I want to accomplish. Don't worry, as soon as I do finish I'll share the masterpiece!

Food Feature Friday #51: The Mystery Has Been Solved?!

Recently I conquered a quest I believed unconquerable, because I truly thought it was just a mere myth. But alas, it t'was real and I had found the treasure!

Ok enough of that.


Earlier this week I was at Target, when I noticed a box of Oreo's with white packaging. The reason this is significant to me, is because a few months back I had heard a "rumor" that Nabisco was going to release a "mystery Oreo". Nothing more had been said about the mysterious Oreo, so I shrugged off ever trying them. In fact, I began to think it was a hoax and I had fallen for it, but there they were at the checkout stand.


The entire gimmick is that if you can guess the flavor of the mystery Oreo and enter in your guess into their contest (using one of the ways supplied on the back of the package), you'll be eligible to win up to $50,000.


I love a challenge so we took a box home and have my own opinions!


SPOILER ALERT.


I've heard a few different theories about what people thought the flavor resembled. From lemon to blueberry muffins, everyone seems to have some fruity idea as to what might be between the two chocolate cookies. I for one agree on the fruity concept, but in a different way. A more cereal way.


Once I tasted the newest cookie to hit the shelves, it immediately gave me "Fruity Pebbles" vibes. Only thing is, I can't tell if it's Fruity Pebbles or the milk after you've eaten a bowl of Fruity Pebbles.


Granted this might give you guys a heads up on the flavor, but perhaps it's a valid warning. Some - probably most - will be even more tempted to these while others may want to avoid altogether. Personally I'm not a huge fan and really hope that this won't be a forever flavor.


What do you guys think? Have you tried them and what do you think? Do you want to try them or will you? Let me know in the comments down below!

I Put My Nancy Drew Skills To Work!

Today I was incredibly close to loosing my cool altogether.

It started like a regular day. I woke up with my Padawan and we got him ready for school. As we drive pulling out, I noticed a really pretty hutch that I've seen worth anywhere from $200 to $900 online, sitting near the trash. I hadn't decided on whether not I liked it for profit or as my own.


With no time, I pulled it to what I thought was a safe temporary spot with a note on it.


I came back to find my precious new hutch was missing. I looked and looked with high hopes, but nothing. Then I got the idea to check the storage locker, but no to avail. Last resort was checking the laundry room which it totally random and pointle- there it was.


Someone had taken my precious cabinet to the laundry room to hide. Well, I moved it to the storage and put a big note on it with my apartment number on it. I went on with my day and even got a manicure with my mom. Then I got to my apartment and found that the storage unit had been compromised. My hutch was gone.


I went into full blown detective mode, looking for any clue as to where it may be. I asked every neighbor and questioned facts that I was given. In the end I had to wait ti'll about 5pm to ask the last neighbor. Well guess who "accidentally" took my hutch, folded the sign, and supposedly was going to leave me a note that they had my hutch.

Utterly confused on how someone could "accidentally" take someone else's furniture, I politely asked for it back and they cautiously obliged. They were more or less polite, but that was mostly due to obvious guilt.


Now that my newest upcycling project is back, I started getting a jump on it by removing the hardware, stripping down some paint, cleaning it up, and sanding it down. It's nowhere near finished, but it's that much closer!


I'm super excited and can't wait to see how it turns out!


Also, for those following my previous post where I explained my purchases from Goodwill that I intended on flipping (see HERE), I already sold one item - the deep fryer - for more than double. Which paid for both products AND some. The second item is still for sale, but I have a few people interested!

2 Guilty Pleasures That I'm Not Ashamed Of!

Found HERE

Being a mother I've made many sacrifices. Some took longer than others to stop - like going out to eat whenever I felt like it just because I'm a foodie and tend to overindulge - but nonetheless I have given them up. That's not to say I regret it at all, because I'm in love with being a momma. I'm simply saying that it's a lot of work to be a mom.

Luckily however I decided to keep a few guilty pleasures to keep my sanity. After all, if I can't take care of myself then I can't take care of my little guy properly, which is all that matters.


I truly feel it's important to keep a few things for yourself - i.e. no kids included - to help you remain an adult. For me I'm constantly talking to a child and since my anxiety is so bad I loathe the idea of adult conversation (unless I'm really close to you), I find it necessary to do certain things for me to remain sane and "adult-like".


To show you all how I celebrate me in mini ways, I thought I'd share with you guys my 2 guilty pleasures in sequential order from greatest to least.


1. Eating containers of cold Nutella before bed.
Ok this is particularly bad for many reasons - for starters, you shouldn't eat right before bed - but I am absolutely guilty of it. I simply take cold Nutella from the fridge and carve it out like chocolate. It's beyond soothing for some odd reason I don't intend on talking about.


Continuing to have something that you wouldn't let your kids eat, is a natural part of being a parent. My Padawan has had

2. Window shopping for nostalgic 90's items online.
I love the 90's. I love how outfits for simplistically awesome, how our TV shows were actually cartoons and freaking hilarious, how technology didn't outsmart humans...as much, and how childhood was just that. A childhood.


Pause. I'm not saying that kids don't have a childhood now, I'm just saying that we are so much more concerned about our kids because society has become a bit more chaotic. When I was a kid you could walk around your apartment complex to your friends house without worry of something bad happening. Obviously horror has always existed, but it seems much worse now.


One of my favorite finds so far is a Reptar backpack from the hit show "Rugrats". I've been dying for it and honestly, I'm working hard to save up for it. It's awesome! And brings back so many memories of how freaking cool my childhood was.


By keeping what I truly admire close to me, even if I'm not necessarily buying anything, I feel like I'm sticking true to who I am. Not someone who's afraid to move from the past, but someone who likes what she likes, and I like old things. From late vintage to the 90's, I genuinely adore it all. Plus, the holiday's are coming soon and I need to make a suitable list for what I hope Santa will give me this year. Even if it's just one item. Or perhaps I'll just buy it for myself.


Having guilty pleasures doesn't mean you have to regret enjoying them. We need to have private things that we can act like ourselves with. So if you're eating a gallon of Nutella or binge watching silent movies, you deserve to enjoy some things for yourself.

Goodwill Flip on a Dime!

I just had to share this awesomeness with you guys! Today I went to Goodwill just to window shop - which is incredibly hard for me at my all-time favorite store ever - but I ended up making two purchases that I'm currently in the process of flipping.

During my scavenger hunt I found a Fagor 1800 Watt Portable Induction Cooktop which retails for over $120 (with a suggested price of over $200). How much was it marked for? $15! Best part? It is brand new!!!


Honestly I almost decided to keep this one for myself, in preparation for my future Tiny House (which I still plan on!!!). I will need an induction stove top [most likely] but perhaps at that time I won't be into this one. Who knows, but I've come to the conclusion that I'm going to try hard and flip it (which I could easily eat $40 to $50 dollars for) and if I don't, it belongs in my Tiny House.


Next up I found a Cabela's Double Deep Fryer (perfect for fish and chips) which retails for over $90, only going for $20! Again, it is Brand New!!!


Perhaps someone was gifted a bunch of household appliances and didn't want them? One man's trash is another man's treasure, that's for sure! Again I almost kept this one for myself, because I'd love to deep fry my own good's, but I know that I could potentially create my own "deep fryer" with my oversized soup pot. Not nearly as cool, but still excited because I already have a few people offering $40 and up!


Just goes to show that your trip to Goodwill could easily turn into a trip to the bank.

Halloween And Christmas All In One.

It's Monday once again and I decided to take a "chill" day after cleaning up the house this past weekend.

After dropping off my little guy, I decided to wait for Target's doors to open and check out the infamous money pit before the masses came barging in - which apparently is around 12. Honestly I only intended on browsing around the holiday aisle and the dollar section. Which is exactly what I did, except I found something so much more! Well, to me.


A few months back I got word that Oreo would be releasing a mystery flavored Oreo packaged in a white wrapping. Ever since then I had been on the lookout for the release to no avail, until today.

First off can I just say that while I'm an avid supporter of decorating early for Christmas time, I felt it was a bit premature to put out Christmas cookies prior to even celebrating Halloween. And that's coming from someone who literally decorates November 1st at midnight for the blessed day.

As for the Halloween décor, while I do like that the decorations seem a bit more toned down on the scare factor from last year - some were just down right sadistic - I still felt some were a bit "too much". Although I know that Halloween is the holiday for spooky and dark. I don't discourage Halloween, in fact I decorated October 1st, I'm just not a fan of the "darkness" that ensues. I mean, Addams Family is my movie and I religiously re-watch them over and over again, but the decorations these days are overwhelmingly bad.

Back to the good stuff.

As I was walking out I noticed a bright white package gleaming at me as to have a beautiful glow around it, singing like a siren in the sea. It was the prize to my conquest I had been diligently trying to complete, the gold at the end of the rainbow, the dessert at the end of a 5 star meal. The mystery Oreo's!

I don't want to give too much away, because it's going to be this week's Food Feature Friday! Sort of. Well, you'll see.

All I'm going to say is this: These Oreo's are part of a new promotion from Nabisco where you purchase a box of their well-known cookies and try to guess the flavor they've created. If you have a guess, you're then given multiple ways to enter your guess to Nabisco for a chance to win up to $50,000. Not too bad if you only have to buy one box of Oreo's!

I feel this is an ingenious way for them to gather new ideas for future recipes. You see, you're not given multiple choice to guess the flavor, you have to literally write in the flavor. This allows Nabisco to gather fresh ideas from the nation (world?) and potentially create a whole line of new flavors. It's utterly clever if you ask me, even though it's a small rip off if any of our "guesses" are actually used, but it didn't halt me from buying my own package and making my own guess.

What's my guess? I shall not yet.

Have you guys seen this new foodie detective item? Have you tried it? I won't ask your guess, but I will ask if you're "yay" or "nay" about the entire cookie/guessing game.

Food Feature Friday #50: Piping Made Easy!

Hello Jedi's! Today's Food Feature Friday is all about piping frosting.


I know it probably doesn't sound like an exciting topic, but you have no idea how difficult it can be to get a pretty design on a small cupcake for the first time. Personally, I would have rather had learned Mandarin than to have frosted anymore cupcakes with piping bags.

Found HERE

I had just about given up when I gave myself one last chance by browsing on ol' reliable AKA Pinterest. There I looked up easiest piping tip to use, which is when I came across the Wilton M1.

It's a simplistic tip that can create a multitude of frosting styles, but the best part is it's so versatile that even true beginners can use it with ease. Including a time-crunched busy mother.


From rose, to swirl, to a flower of sorts, this tip is a way to fancy up your beautiful creations no matter the occasion!


After finding out that this was supposedly the miracle tip, I decided to browse Walmart during a random outing and ended up finding it for less than $2!


After having a chance to test it out, I will say this: I love it. I haven't mastered every style, but I've used it as a swirl and a one tier "flower". The great thing is both made my cupcakes look somewhat professionally made! I couldn't believe that I - someone who has always struggled with frosting cupcakes with piping bags - could actually create a masterpiece!

Ok so I'm bragging a bit, when you've struggled with piping frosting, your first big success should be celebrated. As a mother I hardly get recognition for making it through the day with all my hair intact and clothed in anything other than sweats.


From now on I will be using this bad boy to decorate all my pastries and I'll share pics of any improvements that may or may not come!


What's your favorite hack/tip when it comes to decorating desserts? How about styling them? Got a favorite technique? :et me know in the comments below or on Instagram!

I'm Asleep.

I've fallen asleep sitting up twice already. That's how beyond tired I am.

I had been preparing all day, baking my pieces, setting up more practice runs, and trying to make tomorrow go as easy as possible. Thankfully I'm 99% done and I couldn't be happier. I do have 4 pieces left to create tomorrow, but that's not hard at all.


Initially I had planned to discuss a really neat tip regarding piping cupcakes, but I just can't focus. So please excuse me while I drift off into slumber land.


Don't worry, I have a new plan on how to stop these apologies for my blog!


Stay tuned for more informative posts and happier times. Keep on rockin' and may the force be with you all!

My Night of Preperation.

It's that time once again where I'm preparing for another event this weekend. This time however, I'm giving myself [practically] 3 days to get ready. Normally I give myself a day and a half, but I'm sick of stressing so I'm going to make this one smooth.

Luckily this crafting event if close by, so I won't have to worry about traveling too much, which in turn settles a tremendous amount of anxiety for me.


Yesterday I showed you a sneak peak into my newest "marketing" idea, helping my pieces to really "pop". How it will all turn out, I'm still unsure, but I'm hopeful that things will be awesome! Positive thinking right?


I took a break today from preparing to take my son to his little Kung Fu yellow sash test. I'm happy to announce that my little guy passed with flying colors and is happily a yellow sash!


With him tucked away in bed and slumbering away, I finished up a good portion of my items and even devised an idea on how to potentially downsize my display to a more suitable size. That will have to be laid out tomorrow, but the good news is I'll be ready to regardless.


I wish you all a wonderful night and I'll talk to you all tomorrow Jedi's! Keep on rockin' and may the force be with you all.

Exhaustive Preperations.

Today was filled with a whirlwind of emotions that I still don't quite understand. In light of it all, I still managed to pull together some preparation for an event I have this weekend.


I wasn't sure on how to properly display/price my pieces, but after some much needed pinning on Pinterest, I came to the conclusion I'd create my own "tags" for all the jewelry bits I make.


I simply measured out what a simple tag would look like, wrote the words on it, hole punched the top - potentially to hang from - and created the perfect "card" for my pieces. I also outlined the border with a gold pen, to help give it some contrast.


Honestly I feel like this has upped my game quite a bit, because before with the translucent "organizers", you couldn't really see each of the pieces individual qualities. Now that everything has it's own "set up", they can exude their wondrous beauty.


I for one truly am excited to have finally finished each tag, but now I'm struggling with how to properly display them. I thought about simply laying them on the table, but with a lot of foot traffic I worry about them getting..."misplaced" if you know what I mean.


Stolen. Stolen is what I mean.


Pinterest will probably have a few ideas for me, so I'll be laying in bed trying to come up with a plan to properly display them. Perhaps a wooden display with nails to hold them up? A picture frame?


Who knows. The only thing I know right now is that I'm going to rest and relax, because lord knows I need it.

Costco Scores And So Much More!

Today my mother and I decided to have a "mother-daughter" day at Costco - one of the greatest stores EVER. While browsing all the aisles, we found so many awesome finds and I just had to share with you guys. At least one, because the food items will be saved for this week's Food Feature Friday. Believe me, you don't want to miss it!


How many times have you gone out for errands, grabbed a couple cold food items from the grocery store, and then sped through any other store (or skipped out on them all together), because you're worried your perishables will indeed perish?


Granted you could probably just use a bulky cooler, but why not go in style AND have a reusable bag! Which is awesome, because here in San Diego we get charged for bags.


Near the laundry aisle, I spotted an oversized [almost] beach bag sized for only $6.99 - which I recall being $25 over the Summer. This bag however, is completely insulated, making it the perfect grocery bag. Plus it's super stylish with the option of black and white or cream colors.


Yes, I'm aware that it's the littlest things that entertain and make me happy. I'm completely content with this realization.


With so much excitement, my mom got us matching bags for our future 'cold food' purchases. Even leaving today, we were able to use our new bags!


This bag fits about 7 bulky sized items from Costco and 2+ bags worth of "regular sized" groceries. As far as material, it's a very sturdy bag with a simple material and a "leather" style zipper, helping to seal the entire bag closed. There's also a front pocket for your coupons, phone, wallet, keys, whatever you may need. Not your entire purse, but just the necessities.


I can foresee myself using this practically every time I go to the grocery store - I've even stored it in my backseat as to never forget it - and on road trips or adventures. Packing multiple lunch boxes and bags can be a little annoying, but with this beauty we can not only pack everything perishable, but also non-perishables!


These bags are durable and have an easily cleanable surface on the inside, so really you could use this bag for anything. Personally I'll stick to my groceries, but the versatility can't be beat. Especially for the excellent price of $7!