Pinterest Inspired- Gender Reveal Party

I know gender reveal parties are the newest fad.  I almost wish I was pregnant just to throw one!  One of my friends is pregnant and I talked her in to letting me throw her one, but turns out they are going to find out the gender the week I am out of town and they will never wait until the next weekend to tell anyone.  Oh well!  Maybe one day!

Here are some of my inspiration images:

Source: genderrevealparty.net via ncsuz on Pinterest

Source: andeverythingsweet.blogspot.com via ncsuz on Pinterest

Source: via ncsuz on Pinterest

Source: bottleyourbrand.com via ncsuz on Pinterest

Source: radiantphotogallery.blogspot.com via ncsuz on Pinterest

My friends Heather and Mikey threw a gender reveal party a few months ago and her husband ended up playing a hilariously cruel joke on everyone. You can read about it on her blog HERE.

Have you ever been to a gender reveal party? Would you have one?

San Diego and Beach Month

Back in July I got to go to San Diego for a conference for work.  This was my first time ever to California and I LOVED it!  The weather was so perfect in San Diego and California was so beautiful!  I want to move there!

The resort we stayed at was amazing.  La Costa Resort and Spa was huge and so gorgeous! I was exhausted from not ever adjusting to west coast time and having super long days.  But it was so much fun!

My flight was delayed on the way there and then my connecting flight in Chicago had technical issues so I ended up getting there 5 hours later than I should have.  The guy at the front desk at check in took pity on me and upgraded me to a villa with an amazing balcony, fireplace, soaking tub, and waterfall shower.  It was sooo great!

The last day there I had a late flight so we booked spa appointments.  Their spa was voted #1 wellness spa in the nation by Spa Magazine.  The spa facility itself was amazing!  It had a private pool, a reflexology path, this waterfall thing that felt like getting a massage, a cafe, relaxation rooms, and so much more!  We laid out by the pool, tried the reflexology path and the waterfall and then had our treatments.  I got a bamboo massage (amazing!) and my co-worker got a body scrub (she said it was amazing too!).

The past 3 weekends I have spent at the beach.  It has been amazing.  We have a timeshare in Atlantic Beach, NC that I look forward to going to each year because it is so relaxing!  All we do is lay out on the beach all day and have a yummy dinner at night.  This year we also made a trip to the aquarium because they had penguins!  I LOVE penguins!  I wanted to steal one!

Last weekend I went to Myrtle Beach for an annual girls trip.  Last year was the first year I went.  It is an annual trip that 2 girls from my Bible study have been doing for years.  It has turned in to a mixture of different girls they have met from various stages in their life from college to work to neighbors to Bible study!  I had so much fun last year and even more fun this year!  Already looking forward to next!

And even though beach month is over, I get to go back to San Diego (and stop in Vegas on the way back) in just 3 weeks!  Yay! Life is so good!

Things you need to listen to and read!

A few weeks ago one of my Bible study girls posted a link to this sermon on her Facebook.  I listed to it that day while I worked and I went back and listened to it again today.  And I'm sure this is one I will listen to again and again.

Me Beautiful?

Will we listen to those voices, or will we listen to our Father, who loves us, created us in His image,
and gifted us with purpose.



I also posted some more reviews on my Bookshelf Blog.  These first two are a must read!

5 out of 5 stars!

5 out of 5 stars!

3 out of 5 stars

Summer Beauty Box

A few months ago I saw a lot of bloggers posting pics on instagram of some goodies they got from @Influenster.  I signed up too but didn't hear anything for a long time.  Then out of the blue I got an email that I had been selected to get a Summer Beauty Box. I was so excited to get my box and it had a lot of good stuff in it!

I tried out everything and liked it all.  Here is what was included and my thoughts:

1. HAWAIIAN TROPIC SILK HYDRATION LOTION SUNSCREEN- I finally got to try this out at the beach last weekend.  And I was so glad I had it!  The day before I had used my typical Coppertone Spray SPF 15 sunscreen and I got burned!  In weird ways where I guess I had not sprayed well.  It was gross and I looked like I had a disease.  So the next day I slathered the Hawaiian Tropic SPF 30 on before we even went out.  It was think, moisturizing, not greasy, and smelled really good!  And best of all I didn't get burned but did get a little color!  This might be my new go to sunscreen!

2. TAMPAX & ALWAYS RADIANT COLLECTION- Tampons aren't the most exciting thing in the world.  I have been a pretty loyal Tampax user for years.  I like the Pearl and Compact ones.  These were really cool though because the pouch they come in is discreet, cute, and re-seal-able which I liked.  I wish they would make this in the compact variety and it would be perfect!  They also gave us a little pink pouch that I guess you are supposed to carry them in?  It was a little big to carry around everyday though so I just have it in a basket in my bathroom in case I ever need a small pouch for something.

3. SALLY HANSEN MAGNETIC NAIL COLOR- So the first time I tried this color I didn't understand the magnetic effects part and I just painted my nails with it like normal and thought it was a good, shimmery purple polish.  Well then I saw pictures of what it was supposed to look like.  I had to google it to find instructions on how to do it.  Basically you hold the magnetic top over the polish while it is wet and it creates this wave effect.  It was really cool!  I just wish they included some instructions or something!

4. QUAKER SOFT BAKED BARS BANANA NUT BREAD- I eat a granola bar almost every day of the world for breakfast.  And I love banana bread, so I was excited to try this!  It was really yummy!  I haven't checked it out in the grocery store to see how much they are, but if they are cheap enough, they will be added to my regular rotation!

5. SALLY HANSEN NAILS AND CUTICLES HAND CREME- This was probably one of my most favorite things in the box.  I use it every time I paint my nails now.  It has a good subtle scent, moisturizes my hands and nails, and softens my cuticles.  I really like it!

6. CLEAR SCALP & HAIR SHAMPOO & CONDITIONER- I admit sometimes I have a dry, itchy scalp.  I use Head & Shoulders once a week and spray a tea tree oil spritz on my head when I get out of the shower every day.  I used these when I went to San Diego last month and again at the beach last weekend.  I didn't even need my tea tree oil and my scalp felt fine and my hair looked and felt pretty good despite the humid beachy air!

So there you have it!  Go sign up for influenster!  They have all kinds of different "boxes" and it was fun to try out all these new things.  I hope I get selected for another one soon!

Lenovo Pinterest Challenge!

My Pinterest Challenge for work is finally live!  It launched a few weeks ago and runs through August 17th.  You guys should go enter!  You can win a new computer and three accessories to go with it and trust me your chances are probably better than just about any other contest you could enter to win a computer in!

Let me tell you...those people who say do what you love, I don't know how working on something you love doesn't ruin the enjoyment of it a little for you.  Working on this Pinterest Challenge definitely made me hate Pinterest a little.  I was so sick of hearing about it, worrying about it, trying to make sure everything was ready and in place, pulling the metrics on it...it was very stressful.  I used to check Pinterest and pin everyday and now I am lucky to get on there once a week!

Some of it was fun though.  I threw a Pinterest Party for my co-workers to get them excited about the contest.  Everyone brought something to eat that they had found on Pinterest (well, most everyone.  There were some moochers.)  It was fun to try everything.  My favorite by far were these cookies:

Source: hotpolkadot.com via ncsuz on Pinterest

I hope at the end of all this, the contest is a success. It's a great prize! I have been trying to win a computer at various internal contests at Lenovo for two years, but unfortunately I am one of the most unlucky people I know.

I finally gave in and bought a new computer a few weeks ago and I love it. It's different, and cute, and light enough to take anywhere. It is just perfect for me! It is last year's ultrabook and I got it on our outlet site a few weeks before our new ultabooks launched. The new ones are super stylish too!

 Here are a few pics of mine:

So go enter the Pinterest Challenge and win one for me!  If I could enter here are the items I would pick:

This thing is so cool! 27" touchscreen and folds completely flat!  Although I would take one of the ultrabooks too!

Everyone needs Microsoft Office!

I think these little speakers are so cute

This multimedia mouse/remote thing is really cool!

What would you pick?  Go check out the other options you can win HERE!

And no, you don't have to be a student or going back to school to enter or win!

And if you don't win, but want to buy a new computer, email me and I will give you my employee discount!