Update: Sparring, Babies, and Shopping

by 1:41 PM
So first thing you should all know is that I am giving up my afternoon nap to write a blog for you. It's a rainy and cold day that is perfect for napping too! But, I figured I should be a grown up and do something semi-productive. Adulting is hard guys. 

I guess since I left my camera at Christopher's and have no pictures to do a more interesting post we'll go with a "what have you been up to Heather" post. I know you are all really interested in my trips to Target so I'll oblige.

We had another pretty full and exciting weekend

We did actually start out with a pretty great trip to Target, call me crazy but, walking around Target is one of my favorite things to do! Technically we were shopping for my niece's birthday but, I couldn't resist getting myself a few gifts too. No, it's not my birthday, I just might be spoiled haha! Anyways, I picked up what has become my new favorite mug ever. Seriously I have used it every day since I bought it, which you know if you follow me on Instagram because I post a lot of pictures of it.
I also bought some Baby Lips tinted chapsticks, the name and packaging is the worst ever but, they are so freaking awesome. I know I say everything is my favorite, but these are my favorite.


Then Saturday I headed off with Sarah to Travel Well for Local Fest, which is an event put on by The Shirt Factory. I was put on "Thatcher Watching" duty for the day. Obviously I was more than okay with that!  It was super great to get to hang out with Sarah and Thatcher for a whole day, it's been awhile since that has happened. Quick fun story about the ball that Thatcher is playing with in these pics, this was actually a ball we bought for Liam so he would have toys at our apartment and sent it off with Drew and Sarah when we moved out. I am impressed it has lasted this long, I think it was $1 from Target almost 5 years ago! Happy to see it being passed down haha!

The first picture is his "Why the heck are you not rolling me back over Aunty Heather" face




I did get to wander around local fest, where I made my routine Shirt Factory stops to AdirondackAromatherapy andSensibiliTeas. I of course  had to buy some new tea for my fancy new mug! I do not remember the name of the Renaissance re-enacting team that was there, I thought I grabbed a picture of the sign so I could remember, but I apparently forgot that too!  Anyways they were doing fire breathing and had a sparring ring set up! So that was pretty entertaining to sit and watch for bit! 




Also on Saturday (we had a pretty full Saturday) we celebrated our neice McKenzie's 5th birthday! It was a really great time that you get to see no pictures of because I left my camera at Christopher's house that evening! But, we did have smores and I almost had my eye poked out by a 5 year old with a marshmallow stick! I know it's hard to believe this really happened with no picture evidence so I'll move on. 

Sunday the most fabulous thing happened, that has not happened it so long. We did nothing. We slept in, took naps, watched movies, and played video games. It was the most glorious day that has happened in awhile. It has been so long since we have had a day with 0 plans.
We did have to get up that evening to send off Seth and Rochelle who head back to Papua New Guinea tomorrow!! But, that was a welcome addition to our relaxing day! A request to you all that you pray for them, especially over the next few days flying basically 30 hours non stop...with 3 boys under 5! I know they would really appreciate it!

I almost forgot! We made new shirt designs! This was actually more like 2 weeks ago but, since this blog is already way to long I am just going to add it in! Shout out to my Supernatural and Doctor Who fans! I did the Supernatural shirt and Andy made the 8 bit TARDIS. I am really excited about these! They might be my 2 favorite shirts we have in the shop :)



These are for sale in our spread shirt store, you can click the shirts or you can click the link in the sidebar! 


That's really it. our weekdays have been filled with boring things like work and doctors appointments! So i won't bore you with any of that! We're prepping to have another full weekend so I am sure I'll have more interesting stories to tell! I do have some more makeup monday's and recipe posts lined up!
I ALSO HAVEN'T FORGOTTEN ABOUT BOOK CLUB! Well I've sort of forgotten. but, I am working on the books and posts stick with me :)

Okay, sorry to have written you all a novel but, we've apparently been up to a lot!
Love you all!


Life, Things, and Weekend Adventures!

by 2:12 PM

Hello!

It has been a crazy last few weeks between our business hitting the "busy season", family events, and Cheese Tour, it doesn't seem possible that September is almost over and Fall is in full swing!
We did finally get a free weekend, which was exciting! Although, now that I sit down to write about it I can't remember a single thing we did (as per usual haha)!
Saturday Andy headed with Drew to do some shopping for Drew and Sarah's Yurt (how freaking exciting that they'll be able to get it up soon! :) ) I stayed home and got some serious cleaning done. I know that sounds super boring but, I am one of those freaks who really enjoys cleaning or I should say I really enjoy being done cleaning and the whole apartment being all shiny. So, when I get a whole day to just clean the house, it is one of my favorite feelings. (Yeah, I know I'm weird). 

I almost forgot to mention the most exciting part about Saturday! The Doctor Who Marathon and new season premier! I was so impressed by the premier episode. In my opinion, it has to be one of the best episodes Moffat has written in a long time. I won't get into my thoughts too much because spoilers, I know some of you haven't watched it. (I am looking directly at you Jillian....with my judging face)



Between Andy and Drew's trip and us starting a project on Sunday, we made 3 trips to Lowe's in one weekend! I felt like such a real adult! Well that was until I found some signs that has been rearranged and laughed like a child...I know real mature Heather! 


Anyways, since we have the office set up where a normal table would be in our apartment we've just had our table awkwardly placed between the office area and the kitchen. It wasn't functional at all, we barely even used it. So Andy decided we should put up a bar table! So that was our project on Sunday! We (and by we I mean Andy, although I did hold the level a few times) built this L shaped bar. We still need to add one piece of trim on the side then, next thing is to get some red metal stools that match the brackets! We are really loving getting settled into our new place!

                             

We really had a full day on Sunday, we took full advantage of the fall weather, made some chili and took a walk up the Tow Path Trail. We had a very enjoyable photograph adventure! I love that Andy has really gotten into photography, it is something that we can really enjoy together. Also, to brag about him a little, he has really grown into a fantastic photographer. The last year he has watched just about every photography tutorial on YouTube, as a photographer and his wife it has been really cool to watch him grow and really develop a passion for it. (Hah, develop, that was a totally unintentional corny joke but, I am leaving it)





 (Photo Cred: Andy Cox)


As my dad would say...what a goofball.

Well that's all for now! I hope you guys are fabulous!

Love you all,


Makeup Tuesday :: How To Clean Your Makeup Brushes

by 7:55 AM
Cleaning makeup brushes

So, most likely you wash your face at least once a day as a part of your good skin care routine. But, are you washing your makeup brushes as a part of that routine as well? Let's think about it, makeup brushes get kind of gross. Not only are we caking them in makeup everyday, we're swirling them around on our face and they're picking up all of those oils and dirt! Then depending on where you store them they could be picking up more dirt and dust just sitting there. If you're not cleaning them, every time you put makeup you're just putting all that dirt back onto your face!  Dirty makeup brushes can lead to acne, allergy breakouts, and they can carry germs like no other. Ever wonder why your face is breaking out despite the fact you wash it everyday, dirty brushes could be the culprit!
So what is the best way to keep those things clean?

Luckily, cleaning your brushes is super simple and can be done in about 5 minutes!

Clarifying shampoo to clean makeup brushes


You will need a cup, some warm water, and most importantly a clarifying shampoo.

 *Clarifying shampoo is the best thing to clean your brushes with, it's inexpensive and will remove      all the dirt and oils as this is what it is designed for. What ever you do, ignore all suggestions to use a baby oil or other oil. It is difficult to clean all the way out and can make your face issues worse! 

1. Take your clarifying shampoo and add it to some warm water in your cup. You don't need a lot, just enough to make the water sudsy.
Clarifying shampoo to clean brushes

2. Take your brush and swirl it around in the soapy water,
How to clean makeup brushes

 3. Take the bristles and massage them in your fingers until the shampoo starts to make suds. For your bigger stippling and blush brushes you may need to add a small dab of the shampoo right to the brush to get the middle thoroughly clean.

4. Run the brush (bristles down) under warm water until the water runs clean and all the soap is out. It is important that you face the brush down as to not put too much wear on the glue that holds the bristles in place.
Real techniques makeup brushes

5. (Switch to your cellphone camera because your camera battery died) Place your brushes bristles down on a mat or towel. It is important to prop them up on using a cup so no water settles where the glue is.

I usually do this at night and let them dry until morning. Not only will regularly cleaning your brushes keep your face cleaner, your makeup will apply better! So it's a win-win! Once, clean it is best to store your brushes in some sort of bag to keep them from accruing dust in between cleanings. 

Well that's all everyone! Love you all! 

August....Or September Book Club: The Septembers of Shiraz

by 6:18 AM
My life has been a little crazy lately, hence the continued hiatus from blogging. But, it seems I am at least starting to get my energy back after being sick (although my issues continue to be off and on) I at least seem to be back in a routine. Which will hopefully continue to include blogging.

Anyways, enough with the typical "sorry I haven't blogged in while" statements. What I came here to tell you is, it happened, I finished a book on my book club list! The project that was supposed to end a week ago has finally started!




As you know from a previous post, I started with The Septembers of Shiraz. It turns out for once in my life my extreme procrastination skills paid of.  They just so happen to be releasing the film adaptation of this book on September 15th at the Toronto Film Festival. So win for me being actually relevant!
I for one loved this book, historical fiction is my, hands down, favorite genre to read. My grandma and I just had the conversation over this last weekend that I got my love of historical fiction from her. I wouldn't doubt it, I have fond memories sitting at her house after school during 7th and 8th grade devouring any historical fiction book she had on her shelf.  So, it is expected I would be fond of this book, but beyond my predisposition to love anything historical fiction, this book was great.

So let's talk details.
As you know from my debut book club post. The Septembers of Shiraz was written by Dalia Sofer and centers around a wealthy Jewish family living in Iran during the Iranian Revolution. The plot follows the four members of the Amin family during the revolution.  The book immediately starts out with the patriarch of the family Isaac getting taken to prison, the story unfolds as we see how this effects not only Isaac but, the rest of the family. With a captivating subject, it is hard to not get lost in this book. It definitely led to me researching more on the Iranian revolution and learning more about what happened. I highly suggest checking out this link that is pictures of Iran before the revolution.
http://cbw.ge/world/iran-before-the-revolution/

We get to see how the new Iranian laws really effect this family, not only with the Isaac being taken to prison but, the social implications that effect the mother and daughter.

I don't want to go too much into the book, to avoid any spoilers for the book or for the upcoming movie. I do highly suggest you read it for yourself.
Personally, my favorite part was just how the story was told. from the anger and desperation father sitting in prison just because of his heritage, to the innocence of a 9 year old girl trying to make sense of an absent father and oppressive government to the mother/wife who is trying to hold everything together and the son, far off in America at school trying to make it as family funds dry up. You will go on an amazing journey with this family throughout this book!
The only thing I didn't love about this book was the ending, I felt as though it was a little underwhelming. Not to say it was bad, it just felt safe. I think she really could have pushed the story just a bit further with the ending.

I know some of you read this so I want to know what you thought and what your favorite parts were?


Thanks for reading! Love you all! :)


I've Been A Terrible Blogger!

by 8:42 AM
Hello!

Remember how last week (or well 2 weeks ago) I had the grand plan of reading and reviewing 1 book in August?! Obviously those plans are going swell. There are a few factors that have contributed to the failure of this plan. The first book I picked was terrible, I am about halfway through but it's just not that good. Sorry, if you're reading this thinking you really loved.
On top of the book being just  bad, we had company over the weekend, although to be honest that didn't really take too much effort.


He and Andy basically just sat and watched YouTube videos. As per usual, I sniped some pictures to send Jillian so we could make jokes about their man love.



The biggest contributing factor is I have been pretty sick since about last Tuesday....you would think that has meant lots of time for book reading but, with me just about having enough energy to work the last week reading hasn't really happened. Have a picture summarizing how I have managing to work the last week.

Blankets and Disney movies are always the answer! At least I'm sitting at my desk right?! Today not so much...

 Here is the new plan  I am moving onto the second book, I already started it, it's fabulous, go find it and read it. As a reminder this one is The Septembers of Shiraz.  You can view the whole list for August Book Club here. I will review the first one in September after I have finished the rest. I am determined to finish the book (even though it's awful) because maybe there is some hope it gets better? And I hate not finishing things.

So I guess this was really just a bit of an update. Hopefully I will not be sick soon, partly so I can work and read books but, mostly because VBS is next week and that is typically one of my favorite times of the year! :)

Love you all!

First Impressions :: Borderlands Pre-Sequel

by 12:45 PM
Boderlands pre-sequel review


Alright so if you've kept up with this blog at all over the last year you'll already know that I love Borderlands 2 (thanks Jillian). So I was dang excited to pick up The Pre-Sequel a few weeks ago as a part of Steam Summer Sale. Life has been so crazy with moving and work that I haven't even started playing but, I finally got to playing it the other day!
I was really wanting to record my first play through but, do to some technical difficulties that's not happening. So you're going to just have to read my ramblings instead of listen!

Long story short if you love Borderlands 2, you're going to at least really like Borderlands Pre-Sequel, so far I feel like they are pretty much the same game which makes me love and hate it. Now it is a new story, we get new characters with new abilities and such but, for me it feels like a DLC not a brand new game.
Part of me is disappointed because I don't feel like it's very innovative. Gearbox was basically like "Oh you all really like that thing" here's more of it relabeled as a new game, like I said before, it feels like a DLC.
On the other hand this is what I love about it, they didn't go overboard trying to be innovative, they gave us more of exactly what we wanted, repacked with a new story and great new with more of the fantastic writing and humor we loved from Borderlands 2.
Also in the games defense, I have been told you need to get further into the game to really appreciate the differences. So, maybe I will have an update to this post next week once I have played it some more!

So let's get into the story a bit, this time, you're playing alongside, of instead if against, Handsome Jack and Hyperion. Honestly, being only a bit into the game, you almost like him in this story, I am sure that will eventually change. I chose to play with Nisha (a.k.a the Sheriff of Lynchwood in Borderlands 2).

I like her as a Character, her action skill is called Showdown, when activated she automatically locks onto enemies and gains increased gun damage, fire rate, reload speed, accuracy, and bullet speed. You can view her (and anyone else's) full skill tree here,  http://borderlandsthegame.com/skilltrees/nisha.html
Her melee is a whip, making her able to use it from farther away but, it doesn't do as much damage as others. Also it was a bit annoying to get used to.



In this game you're not playing on Pandora (as in Borderlands 2) you are playing on Pandora's moon, Elpis. Here is where the game breaks off from Borderlands 2. This moon doesn't have Oxygen or much gravity so the movement is different (I love the new double jump feature) and you now have to use "Oz Kits" in order to breathe. These do not last forever, you must be diligent in refilling them when out exploring, there are a variety of ways to do this! Enemies now drop "O2 cannisters" and there are cracks along the surface of the moon that let out o2. The "Oz Kit" is also what enables the awesome new double jump feature, which allows you to cross wide caverns or gain access to high buildings unlike anything in Borderlands 2. These "Oz Kits" are upgradable just like your shields and weapons, you can purchase longer lasting ones at Vending Machines.
The low gravity really does change up the combat quite a bit. Enemies also have a double jump function allowing them to lunge at you from far away, making it a whole new level of intense and exciting. You now get to battle enemies while flying through the air!

All in all this is another great installment in the Borderlands saga, it's everything we loved from Borderlands 2 with a few new added perks! I am throughly enjoying my play through and don't think I'll have much to add to these first thoughts once I am done with the game!

If any of you own this or Borderlands 2 I do play online frequently, add me (DaisyJane) on Steam!

Thanks for reading as always :)

August Book Club!!

by 10:16 AM

(photo cred: Andy Cox)

Hello!

I really have been in a funk of not reading lately, maybe it's because I'm so crazy busy, but I really just think I haven't been making it a priority. This led to me deciding that for the month of August I am going to read one book a week! A little crazy, yes, but it's not like any of these are going to be really long, we're talking 200-400 pages!

My second thought was I want you all to join me! Even if you just pick one book to read and finish by the time the post comes out! I really would love to have some conversations about these books and make this more of a virtual book club! So here's the deal. I will be writing a review/random thoughts post each Saturday on the books below until 9/5. Your job is to either read each one along with me or pick 1 to read by the date I will post each review so we can talk about it! :)

I tried to pick a variety of books so you can choose what sounds like the most interesting to you! I did end up with 2 crime mysteries because, I'm a sucker for them and they're typically pretty fast reads.
Yeah, this might be a little high school assignment like but, I really think with all the Netflix binge watching that happens, we could all probably squeeze some more book time into our life!


1. Midwinter Blood by Mons Kallentoft- Review/Discussion Post 8/8


(Photo Cred: Andy Cox)
"WHEN THE ICE MELTS, WHAT REMAINS? 
Meet Malin Fors. Be careful, though, she’s addictive. Thirty-four years old, blond, single, divorced with a teenaged daughter, Fors is the most driven superintendent who has ever worked at the police force in her small, isolated town. And the most talented. In her job, she is constantly moving through the borderland between life and death. Her path in life is violent and hazardous.
It is the coldest February in recent memory. In the early hours of a particularly frigid night, the body of an obese man is found hanging from lone oak tree in the middle of a withered, windswept plain. Malin Fors is called to the scene.
Together with her colleagues of the Violent Crime Squad at Linköping Police Department, they must find out who the man in the tree is, and how he got there. Their manhunt in the frigid wake of a ruthless killer brings Malin Fors to the brink, and into some of the darkest corners of the human heart. The first in a series of four books, Midwinter Blood will keep readers coming back for more, again and again."

2. The September's of Shiraz by Dalia Sofer- Review Post 8/15

(Photo Cred: Andy Cox)
"In the aftermath of the Iranian revolution, rare-gem dealer Isaac Amin is arrested, wrongly accused of being a spy. Terrified by his disappearance, his family must reconcile a new world of cruelty and chaos with the collapse of everything they have known.
As Isaac navigates the tedium and terrors of prison, forging tenuous trusts, his wife feverishly searches for him, suspecting, all the while, that their once-trusted housekeeper has turned on them and is now acting as an informer. And as his daughter, in a childlike attempt to stop the wave of baseless arrests, engages in illicit activities, his son, sent to New York before the rise of the Ayatollahs, struggles to find happiness even as he realizes that his family may soon be forced to embark on a journey of incalculable danger.
A page-turning literary debut, The Septembers of Shiraz
 simmers with questions of identity, alienation, and love, not simply for a spouse or a child, but for all the intangible sights and smells of the place we call home."


3. Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys- Review Post 8/22

No this book has nothing to do with 50 shades of gray, hahaha, I only start with this because it took literally showing Andy the description for him to believe me! 

 (Photo Cred: Andy Cox)
"Lina is just like any other fifteen-year-old Lithuanian girl in 1941. She paints, she draws, she gets crushes on boys. Until one night when Soviet officers barge into her home, tearing her family from the comfortable life they've known. Separated from her father, forced onto a crowded and dirty train car, Lina, her mother, and her young brother slowly make their way north, crossing the Arctic Circle, to a work camp in the coldest reaches of Siberia. Here they are forced, under Stalin's orders, to dig for beets and fight for their lives under the cruelest of conditions.
Lina finds solace in her art, meticulously--and at great risk--documenting events by drawing, hoping these messages will make their way to her father's prison camp to let him know they are still alive. It is a long and harrowing journey, spanning years and covering 6,500 miles, but it is through incredible strength, love, and hope that Lina ultimately survives.Between Shades of Gray is a novel that will steal your breath and capture your heart"



4. The Hypnotist by Lars Kepler-Review Post 8/29



(Photo Cred: Andy Cox)
"The frigid clime of Tumba, Sweden, a gruesome triple homicide attracts the interest of Detective Inspector Joona Linna, who demands to investigate the murders. The killer is still at large, and there’s only one surviving witness—the boy whose family was killed before his eyes. Whoever committed the crimes wanted this boy to die: he’s suffered more than one hundred knife wounds and lapsed into a state of shock. Desperate for information, Linna sees only one option: hypnotism. He enlists Dr. Erik Maria Bark to mesmerize the boy, hoping to discover the killer through his eyes.
It’s the sort of work that Bark has sworn he would never do again—ethically dubious and psychically scarring. When he breaks his promise and hypnotizes the victim, a long and terrifying chain of events begins to unfurl.
An international sensation, The Hypnotist is set to appear in thirty-seven countries, and it has landed at the top of bestseller lists wherever it’s been published—in France, Holland, Germany, Spain, Italy, Denmark. Now it’s America’s turn. Combining the addictive power of the Stieg Larsson trilogy with the storytelling drive of The Silence of the Lambs, this adrenaline-drenched thriller is spellbinding from its very first page."

5. The Beach by Alex Garland- Review Post 9/5



(Photo Cred:Andy Cox)
"After discovering a seemingly Edenic paradise on an island in a Thai national park, Richard soon finds that since civilized behavior tends to dissolve without external restraints, the utopia is hard to maintain. (Nancy Pearl)"

Well, that's a lot of books so I am going to stop typing this to go read some of the first one! Let me know in a comment, on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram what books you are also going to be reading!

Love you all and have a great week :)







**all descriptions came from goodreads.com


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