My North Pole elf powers have taken a serious hit in the past few years. In 2016, I had to repurchase two gifts due to damage. This year, I received two damaged gifts and was only able to successfully replace one. The other was a handmade, custom item and arrived twice in terrible condition due to measurement issues; I chose to walk away with a refund rather than risk receiving a third defective product. Seriously, what has happened to me?? Gifting used to be my cup of tea, and now I can’t seem to climb out of the funk I’m in. I carefully observe the recipients so I can pick the perfect gifts; I make an airtight budget so I can save and spoil my loved ones; and I buy from trustworthy sources (eBay has disappointed me one too many times). I’m still satisfied with my 2017 gifts, but I can’t help feeling disappointed. On top of my misery, I can’t see Star Wars: The Last Jedi until Monday night. UGH!!! On the bright side, I have a day off (from my retail job) to relax a little bit. Even though I have a to-do list of work that has to get done, I will definitely be squeezing in some baking, Christmas movies, & reading. Happy Saturday!
I did it! With 45 minutes to spare on New Year’s Eve, I completed both of my reading challenges for 2016. Here is what I read for the Modern Mrs. Darcy Reading Challenge:
I told myself I wouldn’t do it, but here I am. I’ve decided to once again do the Modern Mrs. Darcy reading challenge. Keep reading to find out my tentative list for the twelve categories.
📚 A Book You Chose For the Cover – The Messenger of Athens by Anne Zouroudi
I found this gem in my local library’s teeny tiny used bookstore. The bright yellow bird against a blue background hooked me, and the murder mystery synopsis reeled me in. I’m trying my best not to build expectations, but I really hope this book is as good as I want it to be.
📚 A Book With a Reputation for Being Un-Put-Down-Able – Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
I’ve heard nothing but rave reviews about this book. Some people have said it’s one of their favorite books/duologies ever written. Of course I’m going to start with the first book, but I am optimistic that I will be purchasing book two very soon.
📚 A Book Set Somewhere You’ve Never Been But Would Like to Visit – The Curse of the Pharaohs by Elizabeth Peters
Fun fact: I am dying to visit Egypt!! Egyptology is one of my favorite subjects to learn about.
📚 A Book You’ve Already Read – The Rook by Steven James
The Patrick Bowers Files series is AMAZING. To be fair, I’ve only read the first two books, but how could it possibly go downhill from there?? I would actually like to read a few of the books in this series in 2017, but I’m setting the bar low so I don’t get too stressed. I want these reading challenges to remain fun!
📚 A Juicy Memoir – In Such Good Company: Eleven Years of Laughter, Mayhem, and Fun in the Sandbox by Carol Burnett
DUH! Who wouldn’t want to read behind-the-scenes stories about The Carol Burnett Show?!
📚 A Book About Books or Reading – Bookplate Special by Lorna Barrett
This book is part of one of my favorite cozy mystery series. It has been on my shelf for a few years, and it’s about time I got around to reading it. Fun Fact: The main character’s cat is named Miss Marple. How cute is that?!
📚 A Book in a Genre You Usually Avoid – The Bookshop on the Corner by Jenny Colgan
I rarely read and enjoy contemporary books outside of the mystery genre, but I’m willing to give this book a chance since it revolves around books.
📚 A Book You Don’t Want to Admit You’re Dying to Read – Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling
I’m not embarrassed about this book. It’s just weird to admit that I’ve never read such a beloved series. My aunt was kind enough to give me the first book for my birthday so I will definitely be reading it this year.
📚 A Book in the Backlist of a New Favorite Author – Pearl in the Sand by Tessa Afshar
I received all of the books Tessa Afshar has published thus far as Christmas and Hanukkah gifts. I don’t want to set myself up for failure, but I wouldn’t be surprised if I finish all of them before January 1, 2018.
📚 A Book Recommended by Someone With Great Taste – As Sure as the Dawn by Francine Rivers
My friend Gabby recommended the Mark of the Lion series years ago, and I finally got around to reading books one and two in 2015. The experience was so unbelievably mind blowing that I had to take a break. There is no longer a good excuse so I need to pick up book three NOW.
📚 A Book You Were Excited to Borrow or Buy But Haven’t Read Yet – The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
I am on pins and needles waiting to read this book. I’m going to watch the movie with my brother first since that’s what I did with Gone Girl. I realize that sounds like reader sacrilege, but I’m not your average bibliophile. Watching the movie first or liking it better doesn’t bother me. ;)
📚 A Book About a Subject or Topic You Already Love – Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire
I haven’t actually seen the musical yet, but I am obsessed with the story and soundtrack. I liked The Wizard of Oz growing up but fell out of love with it for a period of time. Listening to the Wicked soundtrack every day has made me fall back in love with Oz, and I am ready to read the story that started it all. I am on page 32 and loving it so far. 💚
• I completed the Modern Mrs. Darcy 2016 Reading Challenge & fulfilled my Goodreads pledge to read 45 books. 📚
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Farewell to Alan Thicke (Growing Pains), Alan Rickman (Love Actually, Sense and Sensibility), Alan Young (Mister Ed, voice of Scrooge McDuck), Ann Guilbert (The Dick Van Dyke Show, The Nanny), Anton Yelchin (Star Trek), Carrie Fisher (Star Wars), Charmian Carr (The Sound of Music), Christina Grimmie (Youtuber), Craig Sager (Sports Reporter), Debbie Reynolds (Charlotte’s Web, Halloweentown, Singing in the Rain), Doris Roberts (Everybody Loves Raymond, Mrs. Miracle), Erik Bauersfeld (Star Wars), Florence Henderson (The Brady Bunch), Gene Wilder (Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory), Janet Waldo (voice of Judy Jetson), Joe Alaskey (Looney Tunes, Rugrats), Kenny Baker (Star Wars), Kimbo Slice (Boxer & MMA fighter, “Merry Christmas, Drake & Josh”), andPatty Duke (Love Finds a Home).
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Looking back on this past year, I accomplished a lot more than I thought I did. It sounds cheesy, but I’m ready to work even harder in 2017. Many people might roll their eyes or turn up their nose at my passion for blogging & Youtube, but that’s okay. I don’t need them to understand because it’s my passion, not theirs. I am so grateful for those of you who have chosen to support me and follow my life. I promise I’m not going anywhere! 💋
🎉 Happy New Year! 🎉
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Merry Christmas & Happy 2nd Day of Hanukkah!! I hope all of you are having a wonderful holiday. My day started at church this morning. Afterwards, my family ate at Sizzler and saw Rogue One. I’ve been waiting on pins and needles to see this movie. I felt like the only person in the world who hadn’t seen it, and the rave reviews were driving me insane. We didn’t choose the best of theaters so the screen was dirty, but that didn’t dampen the experience. I absolutely loved the film! There were numerous amazing Rebel vs Empire fights, familiar faces like Bail Organa and Darth Vader, & awesome new characters like Cassian Andor and Jyn Erso. Can we just talk about freaking Donnie Yen?! His fighting scenes as Chirrut Imwe were off the charts. WOW! If you know me, you know that my favorite part of Star Wars will forever be the droids, and K-2SO is no exception. LOVE. HIM. The sass was abundant, and I could not stop laughing. (SPOILER) It was sad that everybody on the Rogue One team died, but it felt like the only appropriate ending considering the circumstances of the mission. They died because of the Death Star, the very weapon they were fighting to stop. A noble sacrifice for the good of the galaxy!
I can’t apologize enough for my absence. To make up for lost time, I’m going to be blogging through Hanukkah. I will call it “Blogukkah.” Genius! I have a good excuse for not blogging this week. I worked myself into the ground and got the flu. I had the worst day of work possible Tuesday, and it went from bad to worse once I got home. I spent both my days off resting and reenergizing for my last two shifts before Christmas. I hope you follow my art blog and Youtube channel because I’ve been active on both those platforms all month long. I’m not sure why I haven’t been posting as often for Blogmas this year. I think it has a lot to do with my retail job. I’ve felt like such a grinch and haven’t done anything outside of working. No spirit and no fun means no good material for your reading pleasure. I do have something to share with you tonight so let’s jump right in. I watched Frozen for the first time. I’ll let that sink in for a moment.
Have you composed yourself? Alrighty then! I’ve heard a lot of different perspectives. People loved the movie. People liked the movie. People hated the movie, some only because of the ridiculous amount of attention and hype. I didn’t want my first viewing experience to be ruined by someone else’s opinion so I waited and waited and waited until the right time. I’m glad I did because I was pleasantly surprised. I knew the music would be good, but other than that I had no expectations. I ended up liking it much more than I thought I would. The animation is beautiful, and the characters are charming. Idina Menzel’s voice is beautiful as always, but Kristen Bell’s voice stunned me. WOW! I love the end (SPOILER) when Kristoff is available to save Anna with an act of true love, but she ends up being saved by sisterly love. That is a refreshing twist. It’s adorable how Kristoff’s gruff exterior is slowly melted by Anna’s quirks. I could watch an entire movie with him, Sven, & Olaf. Those three crack me up! I highly recommend this film if you love Disney, but wait until your mind is clear from the bombardment of other opinions.
I heard about the library of fragrance during Vlogmas last year from youtuber Zoella. The idea of buying scent versions of fragrances both conventional and out-of-the-box intrigued me. I bought seven Christmas scents to test.
Close your eyes and imagine lying down on the couch admiring the lights and ornaments on your family’s Christmas tree. The woodsy smell of evergreen hitting your nose is exactly what the Fragrance Library has reproduced. If you need Christmas in your life year round, this scent is the perfect match for you.
I love eggnog so I was hoping to like this fragrance. I expected it to smell like eggnog, but it smells more like vanilla with subtle spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, etc). The scent is pleasant, but it isn’t what I was expecting or wanting.
This fragrance is everything I expected and more. If you aren’t a huge fan of gingerbread, I would still recommend you try this scent. The soft ginger smell is distinct without being too strong.
I don’t drink cider, but I know what it smells like. This fragrance is spot on. If you sprayed it into the air and closed your eyes, you would swear you were holding a piping hot mug of apples and spices. I don’t usually like apple scents, but this one isn’t half bad. I don’t hate it!
This scent messes with my mind. When I first took a sniff, it smelled fresh and clean, nothing too distinct. When I closed my eyes and took several more deep breaths, I could smell snow. Snow doesn’t even have a strong scent so I don’t know how this was pulled off. This isn’t my favorite scent, but it definitely grabbed my attention and made me think.
This scent is so hard to describe because I don’t have any reference to compare it to. It definitely smells of fresh ground spices. There is a warmth to the scent that reminds me of what I feel when I look at an orange jewel. Look at the picture below. That is what Frankincense smells like. I know it’s weird, but that’s my impression of this fragrance.
I thought this fragrance would be hard to describe considering the difficulty I had with frankincense. Au contraire! Myrrh does smell of spices, but it’s much more of a distinct masculine scent.
This company is worth looking into. The scents are well made and true to their names for the most part. I also appreciate the variety of sizes available. I was able to get what I needed in sample sizes and save money. I can’t wait to buy more fragrances!
Sorry guys! I am failing miserably at Blogmas this year. Because I work in retail, my schedule has been ridiculous these past few weeks. For example, I worked until 11pm last night and opened this morning at 7am. Needless to say I am exhausted and enjoying some much needed couch time. Anyone else watching the New York Giants vs Dallas Cowboys game?? GO BIG BLUE!!! 💙 What else is new in my life?? Let’s see… One of my friends asked me to be a bridesmaid in her wedding. I am honored to be asked and ecstatic to be involved. Obviously I can’t look like an oompa loompa so I’ve been working extra hard to get into tip top shape. I’ve started drinking green tea every day because it has so many health benefits. I’m not a huge fan of the smell and taste so I add lemon which also has numerous health benefits. Problem solved! My body is starting to feel much better, but it goes deeper than that. Working with holiday shoppers has taken a toll on the joy I usually feel this time of year. Sipping a hot cup of tea and being still for a few minutes each day has been a great way for me to recharge.
I know I’m starting Blogmas six days late, but I have had quite the week. I worked a long weekend then had possibly my worst day as a Youtuber yesterday. I filmed three videos, lost two of them, hated the third, and burned my finger on a candle. I am determined to maintain maximum holiday cheer so I’m going to get the party started with a hilarious story from my exciting job as a retail associate.
Customer: I am a longtime customer. I only buy my jeans here. I’ve never had this problem before. I wore and washed my new jeans, and now the zipper won’t zip. I want to return them.
Me: Let me check the zipper first and see if I can do anything.
*A few seconds later*
Me: It looks like there’s something jammed inside the zipper.
Customer: I don’t see anything!
Me: It looks like gum.
Customer: I don’t chew gum!
*Strange object is pulled out after minimal effort*
Me: It looks like a piece of a green balloon.
Customer: I don’t own balloons!
Me: Oh! That’s strange. Well, the zipper works fine now.
I feel like a bear who hibernated through the spookiest month of the year and awakened just in time for the holiday season. I am currently watching Christmas movies on Hallmark whilst enjoying open windows & a cool Autumn breeze. Allow me to elaborate on where I’ve been. I had a cold for two weeks in September; when it went away, I thought my illness quota for the year was fulfilled. WRONG!! A little over one week later, the flu took me by the throat and refused to let go for a few weeks. A lingering cough wrecked my throat and made it really hard to talk. Of course that has no effect on a blogger, but it sure does put a damper on Youtube productivity. I still have a little bit of a cough, which is annoying beyond verbal description, but I am healthier and more energized than I was last month. I have a few more updates for you so keep on reading.
• I turned twenty-three on November 5th. Physically, I don’t look my age thanks to Baby Face Syndrome, but I am right on track mentally; I spend most of my time stressing about adult decisions and responsibilities. Growing up is awesome! 😭 In all seriousness, I had a fantastic birthday. I watched Christmas movies in the morning, ate Greek food with my family in the afternoon, visited Barnes & Noble in the evening (I may or may not have walked out with 2 books), & watched Impractical Jokers with my brother before bed. Not a bad day! 😊
• Allow me to introduce you to my new obsession: zoo live cams! For people who can’t afford frequent trips to the zoo, live videos of eight different animals are available on the San Diego Zoo website. Go ahead! Give in to your curiosity and take a peek! Hint: They are more active during the day, tigers excluded.
• I’m almost done with the 2016 Reading Challenge. I only have two more categories to complete. I will be posting a detailed update soon; in the meantime you can follow my Pinterest board and see all the books I’ve been reading.
I also joined the reading challenge on Goodreads by pledging to read at least 45 books before the end of the year. Find me using this link to see what books I have read:
• I reached 100 subscribers on Youtube!! From the bottom of my heart, thank you to everyone who has supported me thus far. I can’t wait to see what else the future holds. If you aren’t already subscribed, follow the link & hit the red button to become a member of my Youtube family and receive notifications every time I upload videos.
My channel is lifestyle just like this blog so I’m positive you will enjoy the content. Subscriptions are free and only require a Google account, Gmail included. I would really appreciate your support! Blogging brings me so much fulfillment as a writer, and Youtube is the whipped cream on top of a creativity sundae. 😄
• Fear not fellow Christmas enthusiasts! Artmas & Blogmas are already on my radar and officially in production. Due to my retail job, I might be a little more absent than usual this year, but I will be posting come hell or high water. Sit back, relax, & take a trip down memory lane to mentally prepare.
With sadness, I bid farewell to the 2016 Olympics. I have been filled with pride and joy watching my teams compete these past two weeks. Yes, I said teams. Of course USA is my number one, but I also support the countries that make up my heritage. After all, they are underdogs compared to team USA. No harm done! Let’s take a look at the medal count:
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• Team USA 🇺🇸 | 121 Medals | 46 G – 37 S – 38 B
• Team Great Britain 🇬🇧 | 67 Medals | 27 G – 23 S – 17 B
• Team Spain 🇪🇸 | 17 Medals | 7 G – 4 S – 6 B
• Team Israel 🇮🇱 | 2 Medals | 2 B
• Team Ireland 🇮🇪 | 2 Medals | 2 S
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What were your favorite moments in Rio?? I have so many I could mention, but I will try to narrow it down. I felt like a proud mother watching Michael Phelps have one last successful Olympic games after the rough few years he’s had (maybe he’ll be back!). The USA women’s gymnastics team kicked butt and made me feel more patriotic than I have ever felt in my entire life. Shout-out to Michael Phelps (5G, 1S), Katie Ledecky (4G, 1S), and Simone Biles (4G, 1B)!! According to Google, they are the top medalists for 2016. Team USA made me proud all around, but it felt good to dominate artistic gymnastics and swimming. After a rough start, I am so proud of Spain for getting the bronze in men’s basketball. Also, a silver in women’s basketball. Top 3 in the world. Not too shabby!! I watched Marc Lopez & Rafael Nadal win gold in men’s doubles. I’m pretty sure I grew gray hair during that match. The stress was real, but Lopez earned his first medal, and Rafa now has a gold medal in singles and doubles. I watched Team GB get the gold in women’s field hockey. It was a stressful but thrilling game. Well done ladies! I did not have the pleasure of watching Ireland at all, but I am nonetheless proud. Last but certainly not least, I want to express my admiration for Team Israel. My heart breaks knowing that the Israeli athletes continue to be treated like trash. However, they held their heads high, maintained composure, and walked away with two medals.
Farewell Olympics! See you in Tokyo!! 🇯🇵
🏀 🏇 🏉 🚣 ⛳ 🏊 🎾 🚴 ⚽ 🏀 🏇 🏉 🚣 ⛳ 🏊 🎾 🚴 ⚽ 🏀 🏇 🏉 🚣 ⛳ 🏊
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Lauren Michele ❤️ 
