Five Things Friday

5 things I did:

1. I saved $120 at Kohl's buying two scarves for A and some boots for me. Then I saved $22 at Kroger buying groceries. I was irrationally excited about all of this.

2. We went to the mall and tried on winter coats on clearance. I didn't find anything that I love, so I am still on the hunt. I have a winter coat, but it's on its 5th winter and I am due for an upgrade as it is getting a bit raggedy.

3. I went to church on Sunday. Needed a little bit of something for the soul, you know?

4. I worked. I do this every week, so I obviously don't always mention it because that would be redundant. This little one was drawing me a picture of "tacos, soup and fruit."

5. I had a routine physical. Super exciting. I'm healthy, slightly fat, but healthy.


5 things I ate:

1. Post-Valentine's candy on SALE!

2. On our way from the UP last weekend we stopped and got frozen pasty's to take home with us. We ate them this week and they were super good! Not as good as fresh ones (obviously) but they will do a pinch. Next I want to learn to make them at home!

3. We have had some mighty cold days, and I love nothing more than a bowl of cream of wheat on a cold morning. I am seriously 95 at heart.

4. This Kroger lemon sorbet was DIVINE. I seriously ate about 1/4 of it one night and then finished it the next. I bought another flavor and can't wait to try it, but I am trying to refrain from binge eating sorbet.

5. SHAMROCK SHAKES ARE BACK!!!!!!!!!

5 things I read:

1. Great Lakes Cruise?!
This is an amazing idea and I want to do it so badly. Buuuut it's pretty pricey. I will love it from afar.

2. Michigan Bucket List
A and I have our own Michigan bucket list, but this is pretty awesome.

3. The Silent Wife by A.S.A Harrison
They compared this book to Gone Girl and to that I say a big HELL NO. This book was worthy of 2 stars maybe. I didn't like OR care about a single person in this story, and it didn't draw me in.

4. Free Library Crackdown
I think free libraries are kickass, and it makes me mad that people are such haters. Also, we don't have any in my city and that makes me mad too. Perhaps I should start the first one? I have TONS of books...

5. The Summer Girls by Mary Alice Monroe
I thought this would be just a nice light read, but it actually had some serious topics within it; including some conservation plot twists and alcoholism issues. A surprisingly good book that offered waaaay more than I went into it expecting. Pleasantly surprised for sure.

As per usual, I am going to be linking with Fitting It All In and her Five Things Friday. I am also going to be at the High Five for Friday link up over at Coffee with Caitlin, Cup of Tea, Bright on a budget and Della Devoted

Travel | UP200 and Midnight Run | Marquette, Michigan

 

I live in Michigan, which is a great state in my very own humble opinion.  I live in the lower peninsula but wish I lived in the upper peninsula (the UP as we call it. pronounced you pee. teehee.) We enjoy visiting the UP at every chance we get, and some friends of ours mentioned they were going up to Marquette for the UP200 dog sled race. We quickly consulted our schedules and decided to do it.

 

We left on a Friday morning and quickly learned that there was a blizzard warning for the county we were heading into. We all confirmed that we weren't scared of a blizzard and continued on our way. We eventually made it into Marquette around 6:30 pm, quickly changed into our cold weather gear and headed downtown for the start of the race.

 

There were TONS of people, and way more small children than I anticipated. It was really cold, but people had their children out and about, appropriately bundled and hilariously pulling them on sleds behind them. It was absolutely amazing to see the community supporting this event, and even more awesome to be around people who enjoyed the cold weather and snow.

 

The first sled was slated to leave at 7:00 pm, and we got to the chute at about 6:45 pm. We wandered around looking for our friends and then we got set up on the fence with a perfect view of the dogs.

 

 

Our view of the dogs coming down the chute

 



A little bit of information on the race; the UP200 is a qualifying race for the Iditarod. It covers 240 miles of terrain from Marquette to Grand Marais; including hills, creek crossings, crazy amounts of snow and isolation.

 

Map from the UP200 website

 

 



Let's keep in mind that they are required  to have 16 hours of rest, and at the Grand Marais checkpoint there are vets to check the dogs over. They can drop dogs at any checkpoint, and there are rules for who can handle the dogs at the checkpoints. The race finished on Sunday morning, whenever they made it back to Marquette (we didn't get to stay and watch).

 

So, it's an intense experience. Add in the extremely cold conditions and blizzard and I am sure it was an adventure for them. The teams left at 7:00 and then the next race (the Midnight Run) was beginning at 8:30. We walked around into the warming tents they had set up, got some coffee/hot chocolate and said hello to the doggies who were VERY anxious to get going.

 

A turn in the chute

The Midnight Run is a much shorter race, at about 90 miles. They have a mandatory 5.5 hour rest period, and were slated to begin arriving around 8:30 am on Saturday morning. We got down to where they were supposed to be arriving around 9:15 and conditions were like this...

 

 

Blizzard

So we didn't see anyone, anywhere. We wandered around in -27 degree weather for a bit and then retired to the indoors. It was creepy/amazing to be walking around downtown in that type of weather. It felt almost post-apocalyptic. I guess the first dogs made it in around 10:30 am, so the weather had clearly made an impact on their timing.

It was an amazing experience and I am glad we have friends who like to do nutty things just as much as we do!

Beauty | February 2015 Birchbox Review

The theme of February's Birchbox was Friendship. This box is geared towards celebrating the people who keep us up and calm us down. I'm not entirely sure how it does that, but the box itself was really fun. Kind of an orangey-red color with purple on it.

 

I was able to choose a product this month, and I went with the eye make up remover because, honestly, I am just about out. Plus it's a decent size sample. So let's see what Birchbox sent me this month!

1. Marcelle Gentle Eye Make-Up Remover for Sensitive Eyes

Full size $15

 

I never had sensitive eyes until I hit 30. Now, they are always aching and sore and feeling dry or strained. Such a mess. This product is half oil and half water so it easily takes away even the most stubborn makeup. It says that it is good for contact lens wearers (which I am one, so that is awesome). It also has green tea extract to calm the delicate skin around the eyes and cucumber extract to ease puffy eyes and minimize the appearance of dark circles. This all sounds grand to me, can't wait to give it a whirl.

 

2. Benefit posiebalm

Full size $18

 

 

I have seen this product around, I am a huge Benefit fan. This is a dual purpose balm that can be used on your face and/or your lips. It has a creamy formula that is hydrating and the color is quite sheer so it is very buildable to a poppy-pink color. They say this color looks good on everyone, so we shall see.

 

 

3. Miss Jessie's Original Super Sweetback Treatment

Full size $14

 

I love receiving hair treatments in my Birchbox. It's one of those things that I really like the opportunity to try it out first before I commit and make the purchase. This is a heavy-duty deep conditioning treatment for CURLY HAIR. I DO NOT have curly hair. Not even a little bit. This treatment is supposed to nourish your curls to make the soft and bouncy and easy to manage. Well, I will still use it and see if at least hydrates my hair. My hair is a frizzy dry mess right now since it's been so cold here. You just work this into your damp, clean hair and let it sit for at least 30 minutes and then rinse it out. This is first time I have ever received something in my box that is not relevant to me. I'm a little bummed, but I'm sure this treatment will work for straight haired folk as well.

 

4. Sumita Color Contrast Eyeliner

Full size $11

 

I am pretty sure I got this in the shade, Bhura, which is just a brown shade. This eyeliner apparently is very blendable, it comes in bright colors and it has a non-irritating formula. It's a soft wax formula that is long-lasting. I am not huge into eyeliner, I prefer to line my eyes with some of my more playful colored eyeshadows if I am going to go that route. But I will hold onto this for awhile and see if I use it. I am interested in the formula and seeing how it goes on and if it really is long-lasting.

5. BeeKind Shampoo

Full size $15

I received a sample of BeeKind's lotion once a long time ago, and I remembered how much I loved the smell of it. So I was excited to see that I got their shampoo. This gentle shampoo is made of moisturizing honey extract, organic red clover and is scented with lemon-verbena which is my FAVORITE. Plus the packaging is recyclable and a portion of all proceeds go to help support honeybee research. I am so excited to try this, and the sample packaging is neat too.

I think this is the first box ever that I wasn't 100% happy with. That being said, I will still use everything in it with the exception of the eyeliner. If you're interested in signing up for Birchbox click on this link to sign on up!

Recipes | Super Easy Taquitos

The first time I ever made these, I was skeptical. These weren't going to be real

taquitos because they are baked and not deep fried. Trust me, they are good - even without being deep fried.

Ingredients



• 2 cups cooked chicken (cubed or shredded whichever you prefer)
• 1 brick cream cheese (don't use the fat free!)
• 1/2 cup salsa (whatever you prefer)
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic seasoning (or fresh, whatever)
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 10 small to medium flour tortillas
• sea salt
• cooking spray or spray butter

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking tray with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray or spray butter.
• Cook chicken if you haven't already
  
  

cooking up the chicken



•  Soften up cream cheese in microwave for abour 30 seconds. Add in salsa, lime juice, cumin and garlic. Mix well. 
  
  

• Add in chicken and cheese.
• Place about 2-3 tablespoons of chicken mixture on the lower third of tortilla, keeping it about a 1/2 inch from the edges.

• Roll tortilla up as tight as you can.
• Place seam side down on baking sheet. Lay all of the taquitos on baking seat, making sure they are not touching. 
• Spray lightly with butter or cooking spray and sprinkle some sea salt on top.

• Place baking sheet in oven for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and ends start to get golden brown.
• Makes about 10-12 taquitos depending on how many tortillas are in a package.

There you have it, super easy and very filling taquitos! Happy eating!

Book Review | Prayers for the Stolen by Jennifer Clement

 

 

 So I chose Prayers for the Stolen by Jennifer Clement to read because of the description and because of where it takes place. I lived on the border of Texas and Mexico in McAllen, Texas in the United States just across the Rio Grande from Reynosa, Tamauilpas in Mexico. We lived there for two years, and it was during a time where crime was rampant and the drug cartel's were ruling the border. So this novel intrigued me just from this standpoint alone.

 

 The plot

 

This novel takes place in the mountains of Guerrero, Mexico where women must fend for themselves as the men have all left to seek opportunities (of any kind) in other places. These women live in the shadow of a massive drug war; bodies often turn up on the outskirts of the village. School is a sporadic event, only being held when a volunteer comes from the city. Mothers make their daughters "ugly" by blackening their teeth, keeping their hair short and dressing them in boys clothing to protect them from the drug cartels. When the black SUV's come through, the girls hide in burrows that their mothers dug for them in the backyard. Some girls don't make it, they get stolen where they are then sold or used for personal use by the drug cartel leaders.

Ladydi, the main character in this book, lives with her mother in this mountain village. Her mother is constantly waiting for her father to return from the United States. While she waits, she drinks...often heavily. Ladydi is eventually given an opportunity to nanny in nearby Acapulco. She accepts and find her first taste of love. Unfortunately, a local murder implicates a friend and Ladydi's life is turned upside down.

My Thoughts

This book is very matter of fact. You know how sometimes you read a book and they use language in such a way that you're kind of unsure of what is actually happening? It just kind of alludes to things that are happening, but never really state anything? This book is not like those books. It is quite dark, but for some reason it never really feels that way. It's so sad, living on this desolate mountain full of women who have been left. Educational opportunity is rare; even if a volunteer comes from the city, they are so scared that they phone it in and get out of there as soon as they can. The woman all live in constant fear and poverty; but with big screen televisions and dirt floors. With burrows in their backyards and their daughters dressed as sons.

I really enjoyed this book - the writing was concise, the plot was simple to follow and the book actually had meaning. It is not just a fluff piece. Even though it's fiction, this is real. There are cartels that run Mexico and steal girls and do unspeakable things to them. People live in that fear, it is incredibly real and it reads that way. Even though it's a truly sad story with lots of despair and hopelessness I think it's a must-read.

 



I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for this review.

Five Things Friday

 

5 things I did:

1. We went on a mini road trip to the Upper Peninsula. Once we 

started on our way there, we realized Marquette had a blizzard warning. We continued anyway and we did make it safely after some white out road conditions on the way.

2.  Saturday night we took in a Northern Michigan University hockey game.

3.  After a day of adventuring around the midst of a blizzard, we drank some $3 margaritas and played Cards Against Humanity. It was great fun.

4. We went to two local breweries while up there. I love going to the local places and seeing what they are all about. I will be writing up the experiences in a few weeks and posting them. Stay tuned!

5. We got back Sunday evening and it was just real life activities after that; grocery shopping, laundry, work, etc.

5 things I ate:

1. I drank this delicious hot chocolate from Babycakes. It was decadent and amazing.

2. A pasty is always necessary when in the UP.

 

3. A sub from Togo's. Mine had pretty much only meat and a little bit of cheese.

Kind of unnecessary, really.

4. Bavarian Cream filled Paczki on Fat Tuesday. So heavenly.

5. Green smoothies happened all week to make up for the lack of vegetables all weekend long.

5 things I read:

1.How to survive winter in Antartica

Given the conditions on our trip, this was the topic of conversation for a lot of the weekend.

2. Best Restaurant In Every State

This was a really cool read, I am bummed to say I haven't been to a single one of these restaurants. I feel the need to remedy that ASAP. 

3. Prayers for the stolen by Jennifer Clement

Full review coming on Monday! So I will leave you in suspense until then!

4. Pedatrician refuses lesbian mothers
Just one of those articles and situations that makes you go hmm.

5. Listened to This American Life most recent two part episode. So fascinating. Take a listen.



As per usual, I am going to be linking with Fitting It All In and her Five Things Friday. I am also going to be at the High Five for Friday link up over at Coffee with Caitlin, Cup of Tea, Bright on a budget and Della Devoted

Beauty | What's In My Makeup Bag | Part Two

The outside of my makeup bag

Part two of What's In My Makeup Bag is here. This portion will include the mascara, cream eyeshadow and pencils that are in my bag. If you want to read about my other eyeshadows that are in currently on rotation, check it out here.

(L-R) Laura Mercier Full Blown Volume Supreme Mascara, Borghese Superiore State-of-the-Art Mascara, Maybelline the Colossal Volum' Express and Wet 'n Wild Mega Protein Mascara

Laura Mercier Full Blown Volume Supreme Mascara

In case it's not obvious, this is a sample size. I have this mascara in black, and it works well. No clumping, or fall off which is always good. It is a bit pricey though, at $25/tube. I don't really see why spending that much on a mascara is necessary, personally. I love the square packaging but the wand is a bit too short for my liking.

Borghese Superiore State-of-the-Art Mascara 

I am not sure what is so superior and state of the art about this mascara, it seems to be like most mascara. Once again, this is another sample and is in the color Superiore Black. This mascara retails at $19.50. I like the wand on this product, it's nice and long. The color is good, it lasts a long time on the lashes; but once again I wouldn't pay that price for an "alright' mascara. I want to be amazed, and I'm not. I enjoy using it, but it's nothing that remarkable.

Maybelline the Colossal Volum' Express 

I own this mascara in glam black and I think it cost me about $7. I love this mascara. This is my second tube of it, and I expect I will keep going back. The wand is great, it coats every lash and volumizes it. I have pretty long, thick lashes but they look so good with this mascara. It lasts all day, even with rubbing my eyes (which I do, I know, bad habit). I highly recommend this mascara.

Wet 'n Wild Mega Protein Mascara

This mascara is supposed to nourish your lashes so that they grow, and I have not noticed a difference in that regard. I like to use this mascara on a minimal makeup day, because it really separates the lashes. It costs about $7 and I don't think I would repurchase. I'm about done with it anyway.

(L-R) Laura Geller Cool Lids Cream Eyeshadow, Eyeko Fat Eyestick and Maybelline Color Tattoo Metal

Laura Geller Cool Lids Cream Eyeshadow

This is a sample that I got from Birchbox, it's in the shade Silver Sands. The pigmentation is great, and it applies very smoothly. This cream shadow costs $19 and comes in a variety of colors. 

Eyeko Fat Eyestick

This is another sample from Birchbox, but is more a deluxe sample. It's in the color Satin, which is a shimmering taupe color and is beautiful. This was my first eyeshadow crayon, and I really like the way it applies. This product costs $15 on Birchbox, in a trio.

Maybelline Color Tattoo Metal

This is my absolute favorite cream shadow. I use this nearly every day as a base all over my eyelid and it acts as a primer almost. The shade is Barely Branded, and it's a beautiful, shimmery neutral shade. The formula of this shadow is on point, and is a definite repurchase at around $8 a pot.

(L-R) Cynthia Rowley Pencil Eyeliner, e.l.f. Essentials Shimmer Eyeliner, Stila Smudge Stick Waterproof Eyeliner, Chella Highlighter Pencil and Ofra Absolute Brow Pencil

Cynthia Rowley Pencil Eyeliner
This eyeliner is in the shade charcoal, but it comes in about 8 different colors. It applies SO SMOOTH, it almost feels liquid instead of a pencil. The color is super thick and it lasts all day. This eyeliner costs $16.

e.l.f. Essentials Shimmer Eyeliner
This eyeliner is in Black Bandit, and once again it's e.l.f. so it's super cheap but it doesn't apply like a cheap pencil eyeliner. It has a little bit of shimmer to it, but nothing overpowering. It's certainly not the best eyeliner on the market, but for a buck you really can't go wrong.

Stila Smudge Stick Waterproof Eyeliner
I have this eyeliner in espresso which is a matte medium brown shade, and this is by far worth the $20 it costs. First, it really doesn't smudge and it applies super smooth without any tugging. You don't need a sharpener as it has a turn dispenser. They sell this eyeliner in about 20 plus different shades, so there is definitely something for everyone.


Chella Highlighter Pencil
Now this pencil can be used on the eyes OR on your face. It conceals, contours, shapes, lines and defines. I use it mainly on my waterline to brighten up my eyes a bit, but it is definitely a multipurpose item and costs $18. I have the shade Ivory Lace and the only issue I have with it is it's a jumbo size so you need a jumbo sharpener to keep it usable.

Ofra Absolute Brow Pencil
I rarely do much with my eyebrows, but when I do this is the pencil I use to fill them in and shape them. It apparently only comes in this shade, which happens to work out for me as it's a match but I don't think it would match everyone so that is kind of strange. I don't have anything to compare it to, but it's easy to use and I don't seem to mess it up too bad. It costs $13.

Recipe | Slow Cooker Potato Soup

Another slow cooker recipe you say? Yes. They are my favorite, and they should be yours too. This one is absolutely delicious and this makes a TON of soup. I have been eating it for like 3 days now. 

Ingredients:

• 1 30 oz bag of frozen shedded hash browns 
• 56 oz of chicken broth (3 14 oz cans)
• 1 can of cream of chicken soup
• 1 package cream cheese (don't use fat free!)
• shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
• bacon bits (optional)

Instructions:

• In the crockpot combine hash browns, chicken broth and cream of chicken soup. Give a little mix around.

• Cook for 6-8 hours on low.
• About 1 hour before serving, add cream cheese and keep heated until melted.
• Serve with shredded cheese and bacon bits

Sour cream or green onions would be good additions to this as well. It's kind of like a baked potato so you can do a lot with the garnish to make it your own. It's also delicious just by itself. Happy eating!

Five Things Friday

5 things I did:

1. Our agency celebrated being around for 50 years. We all got magnets, which was very celebratory of them. 

2. I organized all of our wedding presents that are currently sitting in my parents basement. We are so blessed and thankful for the amazing people in our lives. Overwhelming for sure.

3. This super big hole currently lives in our driveway. I haved been parking on the street because I am scared my car is going to fall in it and we will never be seen again.

4. Went to bed at 830 pm one night this week. Sometimes it's hard to be awake.

5. Today we are leaving for Marquette for the UP 200 which is a dog sled race. We are meeting another couple up there and I am so excited for some freezing cold temps and Upper Peninsula adventures. Don't worry, I will be sharing in here up what we get up to in the next few weeks. But for live in action updates follow me @estherlaurien in Instagram & Twitter 

5 things I ate:

1. I made homemade pad thai with a homemade sauce. SO GOOD. I will post the recipe after I make it a second time, because I didn't take pictures this time. I was concentrating too hard to also take pictures.

2. Rainbow Sherbet for the win.

3. Rediscovered my love for tapicoa pudding. I know the texture is weird, but seriously it's so good.

4. Made a delicious crockpot white chicken chili - that should be on the blog at the end of the month!

5. Wednesday night we really needed some dessert, so my husband went and fetched a raspberry cheesecake that was to die for. I didn't even get a picture cause I was scarfing so hard. 

5 things I read:

1. It's February BookPage time! Added some new reads to my to-read list.

2. The Ten Year Nap by Meg Wolitzer
This book was difficult for me to get through. I think it's because I didn't care about the characters not a single one. They were all flat, one-dimensional buttfaces. The few characters that were compelling were only briefly visited in flashbacks so you didn't even get to delve into their world. Bummer book. 2 stars on Goodreads. 

3. Read this article about a teacher from the area of Michigan where my husband is from getting second on Jeopardy's Teacher Tournament. Pretty neat.

4. Schedule of events for the race this weekend!
  5. Started listening to the Invisibilia podcast. So good. (I know technically not something I read, but I am going to count it.)



As per usual, I am going to be linking with Fitting It All In and her Five Things Friday. I am also going to be at the High Five for Friday link up over at Coffee with Caitlin, Cup of Tea, Bright on a budget and Della Devoted

Beauty | Radha Beauty Intensive Youth Eye Gel

I didn't start using an under eye product until about the age of 27. I am now 30, so I'm still a relative newbie when it comes to the under eye game. So when I was granted an opportunity to try out Radha Beauty's Intensive Youth Eye Gel I was excited to try something new. Plus it has the word Youth in it, so naturally I was sold.

Upon first opening the package, I was surprised by the size. It's .5 fl oz, but it feels pretty hefty. The eye cream I was using previously was tiny so I was pleasantly surprised.

This eye gel is designed to help reduce dark circles, wrinkles, puffiness and sagging skin around the eyes. It does by using Plant Stem Cells to help protect against sun damage and other external conditions and Hyaluronic Acid to hydrate the skin and plump it with moisture.

This is truly an eye gel, the texture is very cooling and gel-like in consistency. I have only previously used eye creams; and I definitely prefer this type. 

Best of all this eye gel is 95% natural and 75% organic so you don't have to worry about all the nasties and unknown chemicals being spread around your eyes. You use this product by taking a small amount and dabbing it around your eyes, forehead and cheek area two times a day for best results.

If you are interested in purchasing this product, you can do so here.

This review is sponsored by Tomoson.com and I received this product free of charge from Radha Beauty in exchange for this review. All opinions are my own.