cheer for the weekend!

You guys, we did it! We made it through our first week back at work since the break, not that I really had a break but you know what I  mean. Friday is here, hallelujah.

First up for this fine fine day...so far in my year goals I've excelled at eating healthier. and I went to the gym once! I know one isn't a lot, but it is one more time than I've gone in the previous 6 months so in my case it is a win. There were plans to go more times but unfortunately work/life got in the way. Next week my goal is to go again, at least once aiming for twice. We can do this!

Second- this weekend is my sister's baby sprinkle! Nephew #2 is close to arriving so instead of a full-blown shower we are having a sprinkle. Excited to share some more details of the party planning and pictures next week!(which I can't really take much credit for except for helping pay for it- all the planning is on my crafty sister)

Third-right now it is SNOWING! a legit snow, not a little dusting of fluff but snow. I love snow, I love how it looks, I love how it feels, I love how quiet it can be.

Fourth... I have a week off in February and I'm so torn about what to do with it. Do I sit around all week enjoying the not working, do I visit family in Florida, do I try and take a vacation somewhere else?? Too many choices!!

I mean I could totally go for one of these again...

and fifth... can I just give a holla out to eBates again? Seriously this site is rocking my world. I do a bulk of my shopping online and just about every store I shop out is on there, so my normal every month purchases are now getting me money back. As of now I'm expecting a 60+ return for February. Living the dream!

Happy Friday!

 

Stitchy Fixy: Box #8!

Stitch Fix- Box # 8.

You might realize it's been quite awhile since I've posted one of these... and that's mostly because my last two boxes I was pretty disappointed in. Things didn't fit, they sent items that looked identical to previous box items.. yada yada. Needless to say I was starting to get a bit fed up but decided, hey lets give them one more try. And thank goodness I did because this box really help perk me up and fall in love with this company, again. I still only kept 2 pieces but each piece fit well, was my style, and I was comfortable enough to show you all. Winner in my book!

I'm not sure where you've been but if for some mysterious reason you haven't heard of Stitch Fix yet you totally need to get on the bandwagon. It is this fantastic personal stylist service that sends FIVE handpicked items to your door pretty much as often as you want them. From what I've seen, once a month is average. Now you might say that sounds cool but why do I really need to sign up? Because after filling out a very extensive survey with your color, size, fabric and clothing preferences, a really awesome stylist picks out (a will say it again ) FIVE pieces to send you- accessories and clothing. Some fun facts:

• They charge a $20 stylist fee that can be used towards whatever you purchase
• You only pay for what you want! Send the rejects back for free.
• If you do decide to purchase all five items you receive an additional 25% off!! woah, nelly
• They really really love your input, your notes and reactions to the picks.

On to the good stuff...

Mak B Xavier V-Neck Knit Cardigan, size M, $48.00
I loved the color of this cardigan, and although it fit very well, was super comfy, and looks pretty nice, I returned it. The price was a bit too high for me to justify buying another cardigan. But... Stitch Fix captured my style well and sent me something that I did have to really think about before sending back. In my book that is a job well done.

Market and Spruce Corinna Striped Dolman Top, size M, $48.00
This shirt I really liked, I wish I had had a pair of leggings with me to wear it with because that is what it is going to be perfect for. I love how its long enough to cover my bum, is crazy soft, a really nice color and warm. Needless to say I kept it.

41Hawthorn Jace Abstract Chevron Print Dress, size M, $68.00
I don't think words can express how much I am in love with this dress. And it came at the most perfect time because I'm going to wear it to my sister's baby shower on Sunday. It is as if Stitch Fix read my mind. I didn't even tell them I needed a dress for this event and yet there it appeared at my door. I love the print, the color, the style and fit. I can wear it all year long- I can dress it up for a cocktail party, or throw on a pair of sandals for brunch this summer, I could wear it to the office (if I went to an office). See that smile up there, that is the smile of someone in love with what they are wearing.

Kut From the Cloth Jonathan Corduroy Skinny Pant, size 8, $48.00 and Papermoon Delphina Striped Knit Top, size M, $38.00
I asked for a pair of colored jeans/pants in this box and was sent this pair of corduroys. I liked them, but I didn't love them. Each winter I take a chance on cords and have yet to find a pair that I have really really liked. I also wasn't crazy about the color, I don't wear a lot of blacks/grays so I knew they wasn't going to be a ton of pieces in my closet that would match. They were comfy though and fit well, besides the length, I'm hoping to see something a little different in my next box. The shirt was okay- I thought it was very similar to the above Market and Spruce top which was really the only thing that annoyed me about this box. Putting it on it felt fine, fit well and was comfortable to wear but I didn't love the colors and I knew I was already keeping the green top and didn't want two of the same thing. I returned both of them.

Overall I was much much happier with this box compared to the previous two. All five items were my style and what I had asked for, comfortable and casual sweaters and a pair of colored pants. Everything fit well, looked nice. If you are interested in trying out your own month of Stitch Fix, go ahead and hit my referral link. So far it has been a great experience and who doesn't love getting a surprise box of clothes each month?!

Costa Rica

Over the holidays I went to Costa Rica with the family I work for- we went for about two weeks to a region called Guanacaste. Unfortunately I dropped and shattered my phone the day we left so I was unable to take but few pictures (my phone had a mind of it's own) but I can give you some details on where we stayed, my experience with the hotel and surrounding area.

We flew into the Liberia Airport in Costa Rica and drove about an hour and fifteen to the JW Marriott Resort on the Hacienda Pinilla, which is kind of a gated community. We stayed at a similar one last year when we stayed at the Four Seasons resort.

The Marriott was very nice, we had three rooms- one of which I shared with the kids. The beds were comfy and the curtains fully blacked out the windows at night, something I fully appreciated.

I thought on the best things about this hotel was the pool. The pool was a snake shape so that every chair was poolside. There were no rows of chairs layering back, no walk to put your feet into the water, every chair had access to the pool. The beach at the Marriott was also super nice. During low-tide the beach was very wide and with a large number of rocks at the bottom that created really cool tide pools. The kids and I spent hours everyday exploring these pools, searching for shells, fish, crabs and other goodies. Throughout our stay we saw a sting-ray, an octopus, a puffer-fish, an endless amount of hermit crabs, crabs, and multiple kinds of fish. The swim area of the beach was large enough that multiple families could enjoy it at once but wasn't too intense with the current. Overall a
great beach.

picture courtesy of the JW Marriott site

The thing is about this trip is that we stayed on the property almost the entire time. The hotel boasts six restaurants. An Asian-fushion dinner spot, a delicious steak house, an all day lounge with sushi and pizza, a buffet bar, and a pool-grill that turns into an Italian restaurant at night. All good, but a bit repetitive after 14 days. We did go into the nearby town one evening, the hotel offered a shuttle and it took about 30 minutes to reach the town. It was filled with restaurants and cheesy gift shops. And while it was nice to get out, it was very hard to make the trek with two children who were used to going to sleep at 8:30. If I had been there with my own family or friends I expect we would have gone more often.

The Marriott has a nice spa on their property- something I took full-advantage of, although I did find it be be a bit over priced. I had an amazing massage but could have received the same service at a different hotel or here at home for half of the cost. It was worth it at the time but I wouldn't go back there to do the same thing.

One thing I found very interesting is the wildlife we saw, or didn't see... last year we stayed at the Four Seasons resort, about an hour and half north of where we were this year. There (at the Four Seasons) we saw monkeys, iguanas, white-nose Coatis, all sorts of birds, bugs and crabs almost everyday. At the Marriott we saw almost nothing. Besides the things we saw in the water I think I viewed a handful of lizards and some birds. Well we did see a lot of cows and horses on the drive to and from the airport but I'm not sure if that counts.

Overall it was a nice hotel, and with the families government discount they received a fantastic deal ($147/night). There are direct flights to Liberia which can also be helpful and I would recommend it as a place to stay but not for as long as we did. Maybe a 5-6 day trip, and not a two week one.

And that's that!

Part One: Bookity Books!

First off, this is my 200th post. 200. 200 times in the past year I've pressed publish. 200 times people have read what I have written. At least one person. I'm actually drawing closer to my blogiversary and all I can think is wow. Here is to 200 more!

On to the good stuff- I haven't written a book review post in a quite a while, partially because I was re-reading the Outlander series for several weeks. Which was super fun because it's a great series and I hadn't read the 8th book yet and also really annoying because the author totally left a cliff-hanger on book 8 and book 9 is probably a year away from release. I shake my fist at you Diana Gabaldon!

Besides that I've been slowly working my way through another Blogging for Books book, which has actually be great because it's all about goals and accomplishments and doing out of the box things (like hiking across the US or visiting every country) and is kind of needed for my trip next year. I will attempt to finish it soon and share the insights with you...

So on to a few of my favorites in the past months- part one:

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart: This was a great YA novel that built a lot on intrigue and suspense. Cadence spends her summers on her family's private island with The Liars- but this particular summer is different. Cadence is recovering from an accident and there is something going on that she just can't put her finger on. Now I have to say- the writing isn't necessarily the best, and a few things were predictably, but the story is excellent. Even with the negatives you will want to know what happens. And it's a pretty quick read. Go for it!

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell: My first Rainbow Rowell book, and it didn't disappoint. I'm not usually one for romance/lovey-dovey books but somehow Rainbow makes them seem so normal, cutesy- but not over the top and something you can genuinely enjoy. Eleanor and Park are high-school students from completely different worlds- and they bond over music. Very cute, a sweet read and now a favorite writer.

The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken: A younger cousin of mine recommended this book to me over the summer, and it is the first in a great YA series- along the lines of The Hunger Games, Divergent, and so on. In a society where children start to die of a mysterious disease, the children who survive develop powers and abilities. Think mind-reading, supernatural, telekinesis powers. Instead of trying to figure out what is actually happening to them the government and the world shut all these children and teens up into camps, similar to concentration camps. Bad conditions, barely living. Ruby is one of these kids, locked up at age 10- she has now escaped as a teen and is struggling to make sense of everything going on around her, while fighting back to the powers that be. Sticking true with current trends, it is a trilogy with a few novellas in between. Worth the read and much better than Divergent!!

I am the Messenger  by Markus Zusak: Markus Zusak stole my heart away with The Book Thief, and while this is another excellent book of his, it is not to the same caliber. Great writing, but lacking a bit with the heart strings. Ed Kennedy is a 19-year old cab driver, going nowhere in his life, desperately in love with his best friend and has the worlds smelliest dog. After aiding to stop a robbery Ed receives a mysterious card with what seems like random names. And with it becomes the messenger- learning to care for and help others around his town.

Doctor Sleep by Stephen King: If you haven't yet read The Shining, then you need to go out and do so now. I know, I know- The Shining is scary! And it is- but not at all to the same level as the movie is, the book (as usual) is much better. After you read it, come back and read Doctor Sleep, the sequel to The Shining. A story just as excellent if not better. For those  you have read or watched- Doctor Sleep is about Danny, 25 odd years later, dealing with his crazy childhood and the powers he has. Danny meets Abra, a little girl who shines even harder than he does and desperately needs his help.