Hello!! As you all know, I live for my freebie coupons in the mail from Bath & Body Works. There is nothing better than free and it is so nice to pick out a little treat without paying one red cent. This week, I cashed in a free travel size product coupon and wanted to go for a body cream as I am pretty well stocked on shower gels. Rather than do a sniff test on a bunch of different options, I let fate decide and just grabbed whatever looked pretty lol. Of course, I want a lotion that I think smells good but it’s never too big of a factor for me since I only wear it to bed. I ended up with a new scent called Always & Forever because I loved the packaging! Peep that lace and pearls:
Clearly, Always & Forever is a wedding inspired fragrance and offers notes of “pearlized pink pepper (whatever that is), white roses, and sheer sandalwood”. I am not a huge fan of floral or musky scents but this one actually isn’t too bad because it’s nice and light. I can’t speak for the pearlized pink pepper lol but the notes of roses and sandalwood are soft enough that is just smells fresh and kind of powdery. I can’t say that I would get this scent again but I do like it more than I originally anticipated and that’s good enough for me. It is, however, a perfect spring scent if you prefer a not too in your face floral fragrance!
My random selection for my freebie ended up being right down the middle and that was no harm no foul. After shopping at B&BW for so long, it’s sometimes fun to just pick out whatever and see what sticks!
What is your favorite Bath & Body Works scent? Do you like to use the same scents or switch them out? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah
Hello!! One of my girlfriends and I had plans to visit our favorite bar, the Cashmere Cricket, this past Friday. I put in a reservation and we were on pins and needles for the big day to arrive. We couldn’t wait to nosh on Grilled Cheese Dippers, sip on pickle martinis, and catch up in the most charming martini bar in town. Unfortunately, these grand plans were not seen through because our reservation was cancelled due to renovations. It was Earth shattering, to say the least, and we were both so disappointed because we had this date set for at least a month.
At this point, our appetites were so ready to go for Grilled Cheese Dippers and I simply refused to give it up that easily. Grilled Cheese Dippers are the bomb and are exactly what they sound like – ooey gooey strips of grilled cheese with a tomato bisque to dip in. How hard could that be? So, I let my friend know that we were still going to have them a la Lil Red and ended up having a two person dinner party at chez moi. It was the best and the food couldn’t have turned out better! Check it out:
I am quite possibly soup’s number one fan. However, it is actually something I have never made at my apartment. Johnny and I agree on almost everything except soup lol. My love for it is undying and he, on the other hand, can’t stand it. Because of our polar opposite tastes, I’ll buy pre-made soup at the store rather than home cook it because I have no one to share with. And, blessedly, my mom makes soup fairly frequently so I can still get my fix of the homemade good stuff. When it came to making tomato soup, I was already ahead of the recipe game because I knew exactly which one I was going to use: A creamy tomato soup by King Arthur Flour that is one of my mom’s go to staples.
I don’t say this lightly, but the King Arthur Flour tomato soup will change your life. It is creamy and thick like a bisque, hearty, and has the most divine, rich flavor with just the perfect touch of sweetness. Not to mention it is easy as pie to make! The prep time for this soup was minimal and it took about fifteen minutes in total to get everything set to simmer away. My only issue that came with making the soup wasn’t the recipe itself but utilizing an immersion blender. When I gave it a go, the soup literally got everywhere and I had to take a break to clean off my walls lol. If you would like to blend your soup, a food processor would definitely be the way to go. Should you not have access to one like me and prefer a less oniony concoction, do not use as much as the recipe calls for. Sans blend, there was way too much onion for my liking but you live and you learn!
After my soup was fully prepped, I let it simmer for a good hour and a half. Then I made grilled cheeses on sourdough and pumpernickel bread with sharp cheddar cheese as my friend was on her way. By the time she arrived, everything was ready for us to dig in and we ate like queens! Granted, we might not have had pickle martinis to enjoy but the Grilled Cheese Dipper sentiment was the same and that was good enough for us. ❤
This meal was comfort food at its finest and I am so happy that our favorite dish at the bar we were going to go to was so easy to replicate. Even when plans don’t go accordingly, there is always a Plan B!
Do you have any favorite restaurant taste alike recipes? What is your favorite kind of soup? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah
Howdy!! Just like that, April is drawing to a close and it went by in the blink of an eye. Honestly, I’m sad to see it go because April was a pretty good month for me. In its entirety, I got to bask in the glow of being, blessedly, way less busy and enjoying all of the fun that comes with it. It has been a gift to make plans, keep them, and genuinely look forward to what’s next. Speaking of looking forward to what’s next, I can’t wait to test out lots more skin and bath and body care goodies. This past month was nothing exciting in that regard which typically means that May will be the month to finish long term products and try something new. Take a look at these empties and let’s discuss:
B&BW Shower Gel: Johnny is a huge fan of tropical scents. Me? Not so much. However, I absolutely love the scent of pineapple and the Costa Rica Pink Pineapple Sunrise from B&BW was the bomb.com! This fragrance was incredibly straight forward and if you love the smell of fresh pineapple too, then this scent is for you. This shower gel gave me a heaping dose of sunshine even on the greyest April days and I enjoyed using it daily for the whole month.
Pearlessence Facial Oil: I decided to experiment with facial oils this winter and the lesson I learned is that I don’t like it at all lol. The initial test product by CleanBeauty was an instant no from me but I still had the Argan + Vitamin E oil by Pearlessence and wanted to just get it over with. I will say that this was a fair bit lighter as far as facial oils go and while I appreciated that, it was still much too heavy for my liking. If you have very dry skin, the Pearlessence oil could be a good option for you. If not, this is a product you can definitely skip on. It took me about five weeks of twice daily use to finish the bottle and I was so happy to be done with it!
Like I said, this wasn’t a very exciting product roundup so let’s wrap it up and I will see all of you darlings in May! ❤
Which products did you use up this month? What are your thoughts on any of the above products if you have used them before? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah
Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new edition of Lil Red’s Book Club! In a spoiler free setting, as always, we are going to be discussing a book that simply delighted me from start to finish: The Maid’s Secret by Nita Prose. This is the third installment in The Maid series and if you are like me, you fell head over heels for the unlikely heroine, Molly, and a cast of supporting characters that can’t be beat. Like its predecessors, The Maid’s Secret welcomes us back to the Regency Grand Hotel for Molly the Maid’s biggest mystery yet. Before we begin, I will be placing a trigger warning on The Maid’s Secret for physical abuse and sexual assault. Now, let’s get to it:
It’s a big day for Molly and her beloved fiance, Juan Manuel. The Regency Grand is hosting a live taping of the hit show, Hidden Treasures. The Hidden Treasures! Hosted by the adoring couple, Baxley Brown and Thomas Beagle, the two art aficionados uncover lost art and heirlooms in the most unexpected places and shed light on hidden masterpieces. The hotel is abuzz with excitement from VIP guests and the staff alike because they will be able to get their trinkets and special items appraised too. Before leaving their humble apartment, Molly assembles a box from her dearest gran’s curio cabinet with prized possessions. And, at Juan’s insistence, she brings the “golden huevo” an unspeakably beautiful treasure that fell into Molly’s hands at a manor her gran once worked at as a maid.
With the treasure box in tow, Molly and Juan walk to work and into the hustle and bustle of the big event. After last minute preparations are done to perfection, the staff waits in line to meet Baxley and Brown to see if the old saying “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure” rings true. Before she knows it, it’s Molly’s turn to grace the stage and show the hosts what she brought. Her gran’s teacup and silver spoon that contained priceless sentimental value holds no monetary gain. However, the “golden huevo” catches the eyes of Baxley and Brown. This is no ordinary piece of decor at all: It is the original prototype made from the House of Faberge. Molly is an instant multimillionaire, promptly faints, and becomes an instant sensation too.
When Molly comes to, she is enveloped in a strange new world. Suddenly, her and Juan are rich beyond their wildest dreams and everyone wants a piece of her. From invisible to overnight celebrity, the doting couple tries to take their change of fortune in stride but it proves to be most difficult. At the end of the day, Molly loves her life with Juan Manuel and wants everything to return to normal ASAP. With the hopes of never having to penny pinch again and for her newfound celebrity to die down, Molly agrees to auction off her treasured treasure. The auction will take place at the Regency Grand and when it is over, Molly and Juan will be able to afford their dream wedding, a new apartment, and anything and everything they could ever want.
We return to the tearoom of the Regency Grand where everyone is on pins and needles for the auction’s end result. To Molly’s utter surprise, the lost Faberge is sold for a cool ten million smackers. The lights dim, the crowd goes wild, and when the room is illuminated once again there is one thing missing. The egg! The Faberge was stolen right beneath everyone’s noses and is yet again lost to the world. The only clue? A threat to Molly written on a piece of paper: Find the egg and you die.
Just like that, the buzz on Molly the Maid comes to a screeching halt. No Faberge and no money, but on the bright side – her and Juan get to live their normal life together. That is, until the egg has been returned. The investigation is in full swing once again and it is up to Molly and her companions to solve the case: Her dear granddad, true crime obsessed Angela, Detective Stark, and support from the person she needs the most – the words in a journal from her beloved, departed gran. Will this unlikely team crack the case of the Faberge? Read The Maid’s Secret to find out!
Holy WOW was the third installment of The Maid series amazing. In fact, The Maid’s Secret is my favorite one yet! This book went back and forth between the journal of gran and Molly’s latest adventure and I could not stop reading if you paid me. The multiple narrator format is something I am most fond of and it was incredible to be reunited with gran. She has always been with Molly, but to read her words and hear her story that she kept hidden for so long allowed the series to shine in a brand new light. All of the fairy tales and fables that gran would instill in Molly turned out to have a deeper meaning than you could ever imagine and it was absolutely beautiful to read.
Of course, it was also incredible to be reunited with Molly! Her character is a gift to the literary world and between all of her quirks and darling phrases, I would be hard pressed to find anyone who didn’t instantly fall in love with her. She is the girl you want to root for and see win and everyone in her close circle feels the same way. To have a supporting cast that wants nothing but the best for Molly, just like me, is a rarity in the books I typically read and my heart was bursting with every turn of the page. The true beauty of Molly is that even, in her words, the “bad eggs” have a chance to redeem themselves and that is such an important lesson in and of itself. Molly is a heroine that will encourage, teach, and stay with you and The Maid’s Secret has further solidified her as one of my all time favorite characters.
I am going to award The Maid’s Secret with the coveted ten out of ten stars. If you, too, are a fan of the series: RUN don’t walk to read this book!
Who is your favorite literary character? What is your favorite book in The Maid trilogy? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah
Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new edition of Groovy Movies! In a spoiler free setting, as always, we will be discussing a new thriller out in theaters called Drop. I was going into the theater with the mindset that this movie would be just okay. I went out of the theater thinking it was excellent! Drop was a fresh, exciting take on a thriller that kept me on my toes with delicious twists and turns the whole way through. Before we begin, I will be placing a trigger warning on Drop for domestic violence, violence, and disturbing content. Now, let’s get to it:
^^^ As always, I have no rights to this video!
Violet is a single mom who is trying to put her dark past behind her and get back out there again. She has a date tonight with a handsome man she met on an app, Henry! Her sister will be watching her son named Toby, she has on a hot outfit, and Henry is taking her to a very exclusive and very expensive restaurant. What could possibly go wrong? The answer is literally everything. While Violet waits at the restaurant bar for Henry to arrive, she begins receiving strange “drops” to her phone. They are from an anonymous source and the messages are popular memes with a threatening twist. Yes, it’s weird but Henry just showed up, they sit at their table, and Violet is ready to enjoy her date.
As Violet and Henry go through their introductions, the drops just keep coming. She tells Henry about it and they chalk it up to pranksters until a drop sends that Violet can’t ignore: There is a man in her home right now that could hurt her sister and Toby and there is only one way for this not to happen: Kill her date. Violet is now completely alone in the situation and will do anything to avoid this fate. She must be crafty because the person threatening her sees all, hears all, and will not stop until she spikes Henry’s drink with a vial of poison. Time is running out and Violet must act quickly. Will she carry out the deed to protect her family? Watch Drop to find out!
The plot to Drop was, admittedly, very straight forward: Threatening messages, an impossible situation, and problem solving. I didn’t mind this in the slightest, however, because it was something I hadn’t seen before. I thought it was absolutely ingenious to play on the “airdrop” function, which somehow seems so much more ominous than a text from a random or blocked number. And, due to having to be within a certain range to use said function, it had to be someone in the restaurant rather than an unknown in an abandoned building. But who in the restaurant? The friendly bartender? The snarky hostess? The man who claims to be “waiting for his sister”? The possibilities were contained to a space but felt endless and that kept me on the edge of my seat.
Not only was Drop highly suspenseful but there were parts in it that were truly hilarious. Amidst all the tension were perfect moments of comic relief that came from Jeffery Self as Henry and Violet’s waiter, Matt. Their first date happened to be his first shift at the high end restaurant and, as an aspiring actor, he made a MEAL out of every single line. He was the kind of waiter who showed up at all the wrong times, made the silliest comments, laughed hysterically at all of them, and would have patrons mentally willing for him to go away. Every time he made an entrance, it was like the rest of the movie stopped, you watched his little show, and then the suspense came back and gripped like a vice. It was such a juxtaposition to the thriller vibes and not only was it an interesting way to go, but it worked beautifully.
Overall, I am going to rate Drop with an eight out of ten stars. It was far fetched, sure, but it sure was fun and kept me guessing and that is good enough for me!
What did you think of Drop if you saw it? What is the last movie you saw in theaters? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah
Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new edition of Lil Red’s Book Club! In a spoiler free setting, as always, we are going to be discussing a book that I simply couldn’t wait to sink my teeth into: Sunrise On The Reaping by Suzanne Collins. I am an avid fan of any and all things Hunger Games and it was nothing short of thrilling to reenter the world of Panem once again. And, of course, to time travel as this is a prequel and Sunrise On The Reaping takes us back to Haymitch’s Games for the Quarter Quell. Before we begin, I will be placing a trigger warning for graphic violence and disturbing content. Now, let’s get to it:
Haymitch Abernathy of District 12 lives with his kid brother Sid and beloved Ma. He is an assistant bootlegger that keeps his District flowing with the good stuff, loves his girlfriend named Lenore Dove fiercely, and has a big day in store. It is his sixteenth birthday but what should be an exciting occasion is always bleak as his birthday falls on the day of The Reaping. This is no ordinary Reaping, either. It is the fiftieth anniversary of the Hunger Games, AKA the Quarter Quell, and the stakes are high: The amount of children being Reaped has been doubled. Two boys and two girls from each District for a grand total of forty-eight tributes will fight to the death until one lone victor remains.
As I’m sure you guessed, Haymitch is chosen as a District 12 tribute along with Wyatt, Maysilee, and Louella and they are whisked off after the Reaping to prepare for their untimely demise. There are meetings with stylists, training with the rest of the tributes, interview prep, and a plot that could change the course of Panem forever. Through contact with some unlikely allies, Haymitch learns that a hatred of the Games isn’t limited to the Districts. There are people in the Capital who loath it too and the perfect world plan is for this to be the biggest, most shocking Hunger Games yet. Not because it’s a Quarter Quell, but because they want to break the system and burn the Games to the ground. And, who better to carry it through than Haymitch? Will he succeed in creating a brighter future for Panem? Or will this plot destroy his own future, instead? Read Sunrise On The Reaping to find out!
Holy WOW, people. Sunrise On The Reaping was absolutely phenomenal and it is, easily, one of my favorite books of the series. I am not surprised – not just because it was excellent but Haymitch has always been one of my favorite characters and it was really cool to learn his backstory. And, let me just say, it is harrowing, tear jerking, and will give you an answer as to why you will never find Haymitch in present day without a drink in his hand. Once you are done with this book, you can hardly blame him.
While Sunrise On The Reaping was emotionally intense, Suzanne Collins was able to pepper in joyous moments expertly. IE: The first introduction of treasured characters from the original trilogy, a pair of tributes sharing a picnic during the Games, or Haymitch tapping into the “rascal” persona his team curated for him. These instances and more were like salve on the wounds of all of the atrocities the tributes faced. However, I knew that the other shoe would drop and when it did it felt even crueler. This book was an emotional rollarcoaster from start to finish and was a perfect addition to the Hunger Games series.
I am going to award Sunrise On The Reaping with the coveted ten out of ten stars. I loved every single minute of reading it. So much so, that I plan on rereading the entire Hunger Games series complete with a movie marathon too. I can’t wait!
What are you currently reading? What is your favorite Hunger Games book? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah
Howdy everyone!! I had an absolutely fabulous weekend and I hope all of you did too. On Friday, I got my hair done and chitchatted all evening long on FaceTime with my blogging bestie. Then, on Saturday, I went to see Peter Pan with my sister and two eldest nieces at Playhouse Square and a minor league baseball game in the evening with Johnny, our bestie Cliff, and my brother. It was a whirlwind of a few days and so much fun! You can peep my new hair as well as all of the minor league baseball hilarity soon but now it’s time for a review of Peter Pan. Let’s get to it:
If you are unfamiliar with the story of Peter Pan, it goes a little something like this: Peter Pan lives in a fantastical place called Neverland where there are adventures at every turn and no one ever grows up. Peter is the captain to a group called the Lost Boys and they love to hear stories. So, Peter shows up at the window of a home where the mother tells stories every night to Wendy, John, and Michael – the Darling residence.
While trying to hear how Cinderella ends, Mrs. Darling ends up catching Peter’s shadow and he and Tinkerbell must get it back. During his heist, he meets the Darling kids and to Neverland they go. Wendy will be the mother to the Lost Boys and they will play, explore, and never grow up. Of course, in a land of adventure comes danger and the dastardly Captain Hook and his band of pirates are ready to get Peter and the Lost Boys once and for all. Newfound friends, fairy magic, and the ingenuity of children will be the key to peace being restored in Neverland for all of the kids who refuse to grow up!
It is always so exciting to go to the beautiful Connor Palace at Playhouse Square for a show. Regardless of if the performance is a home run, there is sure to be plenty about it that I still enjoyed. This was very much the case for Peter Pan because it fell under my “good but not great” category. Let’s dish about what worked. First and foremost, Kruz Maldonado was nothing short of a delight as the titular character. His vocals were spot on and he played the part so well. I was charmed by his air of mischief and the cocky attitude of a kid who is the leader of his pack. And, when he wasn’t puffing his chest, he still showcased the sensitivity of a child when things aren’t going their way. Kruz was cheeky and pure fun to watch and this really helped keep the show moving forward, even when it was getting stale.
I can’t say that I was overly impressed with the rest of the cast but where they lacked was made up for in production value. The dance numbers were a blast – particularly the tap dancing during “I Won’t Grow Up”. I am a huge fan of anything tap dance and this number delivered with something I had never seen before: Tap dancing on tortoise shells! Perhaps the best scene of all, though, was right at the beginning. Peter Pan came out swinging in magical design. Between Peter dancing with his shadow and the sequence of learning how to fly and traveling to Neverland, I was simply dazzled. So much so, in fact, that it made the rest of the show fall short because how can you top something that incredible?
In terms of other key players in the show, they all felt a bit lackluster in comparison to Peter. Aubrie-Mei Rubel as Wendy was… a lot. Her voice was very shrill and loud in delivery and literally no other character matched that energy, making it feel disjointed every time she spoke. I also had a major problem with Cody Garcia as Captain Hook. When I picture a fearsome pirate, he looked the part but didn’t sound it. I wanted classic booming, sneering pirate who still managed to charm and I got a watered down version. Despite this being a show made primarily for an audience of children, Captain Hook is still the villain and I would have liked to see that tapped into.
As I mentioned, the opening scenes of Peter Pan were so strong and so engaging that everything after felt weak in comparison. It was actually funny to watch my nieces react to the show because I could definitely tell every time they were getting bored. They got fidgety, were in the mood for snacks, and having a chat and I can’t say that I disagree with them lol. A majority of the scenes felt drawn out because of the different “crews” in Neverland. Each bunch had five to seven or so members and each song highlighted them individually in some way shape or form. While this is nice for introductory purposes, it made the numbers feel never ending and almost like a roll call. And, although there were several songs I really did like, the formula didn’t change and there came a point when they all blended together to a point where I was ready to go home.
Is Peter Pan the best show to take your kids to if it comes to your neck of the woods? For as much as I loved my time with my girl squad, I would say this is one you could skip on because the chances are very high it won’t keep them engaged the whole way through!
Have you been to the theater recently? What did you see? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah
Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new edition of Lil Red’s Book Club! My sister, mom, and I tend to read a lot of the same books and I love our little makeshift family book club. The most recent book my sister read was The Crash by Freida McFadden and she quite enjoyed it so I thought I would give it a try too. It was pretty good and I finished it in just two days. In a spoiler free setting, as always, we will be discussing my sister’s book club pick. The Crash also is a big fat trigger warning as it deals with infertility, sexual assault, violence, and highly disturbing content. Now, let’s get to it:
Tegan may be young, flat broke, and heavily pregnant but her luck is about to turn around big time. She might not remember the one night stand that resulted in her daughter’s conception but that’s okay too. The man who got her pregnant, Simon, is married, rich, and willing to pay a jaw dropping sum to keep Tegan quiet. Simon’s lawyer, Jackson, assists in all of the details of the contract and Tegan simply has to sign at the dotted line for more money than she can imagine when Simon and Jackson visit her tiny studio apartment. She’s ecstatic, until she smells Simon’s cologne and it helps her remember the night she had forgotten. It wasn’t consensual sex at all that got her pregnant.
After this memory resurfaces, Tegan refuses to take the hush money and decides to stay with her older brother for a few days. She picks up one last shift at the grocery store she works at before her trip, packs her meager belongings, and hits the road. There might be a heavy snowstorm coming but Tegan is confident she can beat it and arrive to her destination safely. After all, it’s barely snowing once she’s on the highway. As Tegan continues her journey, the light snowfall turns into a full fledged blizzard and her beat up car is struggling. At this point, she has no idea where she is, the snow and ice are devastating, and she ends up running into a tree.
The baby is okay from the crash but Tegan isn’t. Her ankle is completely shattered and she can’t get out of her car. She is convinced this is the end until a stranger in a pickup truck helps her. This man should be her savior but his huge build and looming presence scare her. She is in no position to wait for someone else, though, and agrees to his help. His name is Hank and he carries her into his truck and takes her back to his home in the woods that he shares with his wife Polly. The snow is piling high and there is no way she can get to the hospital until the next day.
Once Hank and Tegan arrive at his home, him and Polly decide the best place for their guest to stay is in the basement. Polly, a former nurse, took care of her sick mother and converted the space into a hospital room. Tegan doesn’t like this idea one bit but the living room couch she is laying on is uncomfortable and she reluctantly agrees to the hospital bed. The roads will be plowed tomorrow and she can go to the hospital so what’s one night? Or two? Or three? Tegan has something that Polly wants desperately and her stay will be extended until she gets it. What happens next? Read The Crash to find out!
As I ravenously read The Crash, I couldn’t help but to laugh because this book honestly felt like reading a reboot of Misery by Stephen King. Misery also just so happens to be one of my favorite Stephen King books. The similarities between both books was striking – the plots might have been slightly different but the circumstances were basically the exact same. I wouldn’t say it was a bad thing but it almost felt… lazy on Freida McFadden’s part. Countless scenarios in The Crash felt so “been there done that” or should I say “been there read that” because I most certainly have. I think Freida McFadden got the cliche of “steal from the best and make it your own” wrong because it was more like “steal from the best, change things ever so slightly, and make it your own” lol.
Despite The Crash being a LifeTime movie remake of Misery and the fact that I spot on predicted everything but one twist, there was still a lot I liked about it and this was primarily because of Tegan. I absolutely loved her as the leading lady and she was so easy to root for. Yes, The Crash was very predictable. However, that didn’t take the worry I felt for Tegan away but almost intensified it. I knew what was coming next and the only question was how she was going to get out of it. And, of course, Freida McFadden is an extremely gifted writer regardless of the deja vu plot. She kept The Crash at a one hundred mile per hour pace and it completely solidified the urgency of the situation and kept me turning the pages.
Overall, I am going to rate The Crash with a four out of ten stars. Was it worth the read if you have read Misery before? That’s up for you to decide, but I’m still glad that I gave it a shot!
What is your favorite Freida McFadden book? What are you currently reading? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah
Howdy! The foaming hand soaps from Bath & Body Works are a staple at chez moi and Johnny. We absolutely love them and so do all of our guests – especially our nieces! We were running low on our supply and it couldn’t have happened at a better time because I just got some coupons in the mail. During one of my work breaks, I hit up B&BW for a re-up and ended up with five new soaps and a freebie item for twenty bucks. You can’t beat that! I picked out several new to us scents and this was truly Johnny’s time to shine. He is a tropical boy and the store was jam packed with beachy, fruity, summery scents for days. Check it out:
Pink Kiwi Berry: One of my favorites of the bunch! The Pink Kiwi Berry soap seriously smells like candy – almost like a watermelon Jolly Rancher and it is delightful. I can literally smell the sugar crystals, which makes sense as this scent offers notes of “sweet kiwi, candied citrus, and sunny orchids”. I can’t speak to the sunny orchids lol but if you are looking for a sweet/tart scent that is primarily sweet, you are going to LOVE Pink Kiwi Berry!
Peach Bellini: You already KNOW I had to get me a Peach Bellini – one of my tried and true scents. In fact, this was one of the first hand soaps I purchased when I moved into my own apartment! It has been a go to of mine for over six years and I don’t plan on not getting it anytime soon. If you are a fan of all things peach and haven’t tried Peach Bellini from B&BW – what are you waiting for?! It is like biting into a juicy peach with every use.
Mango Papaya Paradise: Let’s hear it for the boy because this scent is one hundred percent Johnny. I have to admit, I am not a huge fan of mango fragrances because I always thought the mango line from The Body Shop smelled moldy lol. However, the Mango Papaya Paradise is pretty nice! This scent features notes of “succulent mango, golden papaya, and warm tropical breeze”. It is my least favorite in the bunch strictly for my preferences but it does smell fresh and zingy and I know my main squeeze will love it!
Sweet Kiwi & Starfruit: Now, this tropical scent, I like! The packaging also really pleases me! The Sweet Kiwi & Starfruit is more subtle – it actually smells reminiscent of a toned down version of the Pink Kiwi Berry. As that was my favorite scent from the haul, what’s not to like?! This soap offers notes of “golden kiwi, juicy starfruit, and solar woods” (Whatever solar woods smells like). If you are looking for a fragrance that packs a punch, this is one you could skip on. Should your tastes match a subtly sweet scent, you are in for a treat.
Vanilla Swirl: This is a new vanilla scent from B&BW and as a HUGE fan of all things vanilla, I had to hop on it! Vanilla Swirl is what it is. If you, too, live for vanilla fragrances then this is a must buy. If not, then definitely skip on it because this is a true vanilla scent through and through.
As I actually shopped in store for this haul, it was a wildly successful one with a little something for me and my Johnny!
Do you like tropical scents? What is your favorite fragrance? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah
Howdy!! One of mine and Johnny’s all time favorite board games is called Horrified. In this game, you save a village from classic horror movie monsters like Dracula, The Mummy, The Invisible Man, etc. While we love the first edition of the game, we would always lament over the fact that different boards weren’t available. So, you can imagine our delight when we found out that wasn’t the case at all. Actually, there are three additional boards of Horrified. There is World of Monsters, Greek Monsters, and our newest addition – American Monsters. We played our first round a few days ago, absolutely crushed, and a fun time was had by all. Check it out:
Like the other expansions of Horrified, the game play in American Monsters remains the same: Complete the tasks to defeat the monsters and bring safety to a peaceful town. The only difference is, of course, the monsters, heroes, villagers, and items. In the American Monsters expansion, the monsters are all cryptids that include Bigfoot, Mothman, the Jersey Devil, Chupacabra, Banshee of the Badlands, and the Ozark Howler. As per the game’s recommendation, we played against the Chupacabra and the Banshee of the Badlands. And, as per random selection, I played as the Cryptozoologist and Johnny played as the Mountain Man and can I please repeat that we totally dominated!
The pairing that the directions suggested was a way to dip your toes in the water in terms of difficulty. Despite the Chupacabra and the Banshee of the Badlands being the easiest way to start, I really think it was the characters we ended up with that helped the most. If you are new to the game, the Cryptozoologist and the Mountain Man worked incredibly well together against these monsters because of their special powers. Johnny’s character could move to any space and mine could move to any space with a monster in it. This gave us the ability to move here, there, and everywhere with ease which was so beneficial for the tasks we needed to do. Had we randomly drawn different heroes, the game probably wouldn’t have gone as smoothly and I highly recommend the monster and hero pairings we did if you are a brand new player. It will definitely help boost your confidence to learn the game in a lower key way and get an easy win under your belt.
Because Johnny and I are not new to Horrified, we plan on going BALLS TO THE WALL when we purchase the Greek Monsters expansion. We know the game like the back of our hands and the training wheels are coming off. We are going to break in the board with the most difficult pairing and see what happens. I can’t wait!
Have you played Horrified before? What is your favorite cryptid? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah
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