A luau wouldn't exactly be my choice of birthday party but my cousin found a recipe for a giant fishbowl drink on Pinterest and we needed an occasion to make it so my birthday it was!

My sister and I.

Break out the crazy straws!

This is my cousin's daughter, Callie and she is the most adorable thing. Her momma loves a good theme party so Callie was dressed to match.

We tried to take pictures of us all (11!) getting a sip at the same time. It was a big drink but unfortunately it wasn't that big of a drink.

It was also my aunt's birthday too, so we worked together to blow out them candles!

I was so excited to get this necklace after longing for it for about 6 months, just had to try it on right then and there.

I also got a new bed set. It's real pretty!
How I would love to post a picture of what it looks like on our bed, but when I got it out of its packaging there was a stain on the pillow sham so I am in the process of exchanging it. It was a big bummer!

We finished out the evening with a game of wiffle ball in the yard and finishing off that gigantic drink. It was a great way to start off my 27th year on Earth!

Happy holidays!

I am finally on winter vacation and I am loving every second of it. I slept in today, cleaned the house really well, and just generally enjoyed myself.

It was made even more pleasant when an early Christmas gift from my mom and dad was delivered mid-day.


I was so happy when this little pink box was dropped off. What is it you ask? It is a Birchbox. A "monthly delivery of high-end beauty samples from the newest and best brands, plus plenty of expert tips and tricks." I originally heard about Birchbox from The Small Things Blog and knew that this would be right up my alley. I love trying new beauty products and this is the perfect answer. And lucky me, I got a 12 month subscription. :)


Inside my first BirchBox were 6 samples, I've used about half the items so far because I was so excited!

1. Jouer Moisturizing Lip Gloss in Birchbox Pink - Woah! REALLY bright pink lip gloss in the tube. But I was pleasantly surprised when I put it on, it made my lips a perfect shade of pink. I wore it with just my foundation and bare lids with mascara. Made my low-maintenance look really come together. Will definitely go into daily rotation.

2. Laura Gellar I-Care Waterproof Eyeliner in Navy - Loved the navy color, really made my eyes look brighter. Waterproof but came right off with eye makeup remover.

3. Oscar Blandi Pronto Invisible Volumizing Dry Shampoo - Haven't used yet since I had clean hair, but will definitely give it a shot and see if it compares to the Tresemme version I currently use.

4. Harvey Prince Yogini Perfume - Smelled good, not sure about it yet. It takes a lot for me to try a new perfume since I can get headaches from too strong of smells.

5. ShowStoppers Designer Fashion Tape - The sample contained two strips of double stick nude tape. Don't know exactly when I will get to use these since most of my clothes fit well but they will be nice to have on hand.

6. EBOOST Orange Natural Energy Booster - This is a powder pack that you mix with water that says it is "packed with a mega dose of nutrients. Maybe I will save this for new year's day when I might be feeling a little sluggish after ringing in the new year. :)

Now that I have received my Birchbox, I went to their website and created my beauty profile so that my samples are more tailored to my skin type, preferences, etc. And if I like any sample enough to want the whole thing, I can buy them right from the Birchbox website, have them shipped free to my door, and earn loyalty points towards future purchases. These would be great gifts for any gal on your Christmas list. Who wouldn't love getting some sweet beauty swag in the mail every month?

All in all, a pretty sweet gift, thanks mom and dad! Have you gotten any early Christmas presents? The boyfriend won't even let me touch any of mine under the tree. Only 1 more day!