Welcome to another favorites post! I’m excited to share with you the few things I’ve tried this month that I’ve really enjoyed. I say few because I didn’t get to try much. However, there are a few things I know I love enough to share with you! 12-PACK CELAVI ESSENCE FACIAL SHEET MASKS | $10.95
MORPHE 35M BOSS MOOD ARTISTRY PALETTE | $25 |
I’d be lying if I said I went in to Ulta with the desire for this particular palette. In fact, I was actually hoping I’d find a James Charles palette. Alas, there were none in stock. However, I was so excited to start playing with the palette, and I’m lowkey in love with it. There are plenty of both matte and shimmer shades. Both are super pigmented. I’ve never had a nicer brand eyeshadow palette. Most of the palettes I have are either the Ulta brand, or a drug store brand. I loved that I didn’t have to pack on the color as hard. I’m looking forward to getting the James Charles palette, though. I've already played with the brown and red shades, and I'm pumped to dive in to the purples and greens! Wish me luck! |
LAC MATTE LIPSTICK SHADE: STARLET | $1
Whenever you find that "magical" lip color that you can't live without, it can be hard to give it a break. But, I've recently started wearing this lipstick, which I'm pretty sure Jonathan bought for me as an advent calendar gift when we did our little challenge this past Christmas. I just really like the red shade and the lipstick is truly matte, which I appreciate. It just goes to show that you can find great options anywhere, even at the dollar store! |
“US” MOVIE | TICKET PRICE
I think that some people are giving this movie hate because they don’t understand it. The message is a little more buried than the one that was presented in his movie, “Get Out.” However, I really enjoyed the movie and thought that it had some valuable themes and lessons. If you’re interested, check out Monday’s post where I dissect some of the themes and symbolism I found in the movie. There will be spoilers though, so go get your tickets and check it out quick! |
WHAT I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO IN APRIL
- Purchasing ColourPop’s Dr. Facilier Collection. It is a small kit that comes with a lipstick, lip gloss, and a highlighter. They have one for each of the big villains (save a few, of course).
- Purchasing Tarte’s Sugar Rush skincare kit, especially the star factor cleansing brush. I felt the brush when I was in Ulta, but they were out of stock, so I didn’t get to get one this time around.
- Good Friday/Easter because I will have a long weekend to hopefully spend with family or give back to the community.
What did you love from this month? Share your products, services, and entertainment ideas below so we can all check them out!
I also want to show you how we celebrated this past weekend!
1. YOU'RE GOING TO FIGHT, AND THAT'S OK
If there is one thing that I've learned from two years of marriage (and nearly 5 years being in a relationship with the same person), it's that fighting is normal and relatively healthy for the most part. Now, if you're fighting every day or things get abusive, that should be a hint that something is wrong. However, you can't expect to live in close quarters with someone nearly 24/7 and expect everything to be all sunshine and rainbows. One day it might be a fight over leaving boots in the middle of the floor (...ehem...) or it might be over who should take the trash out. |
2. YOUR MAMA DIDN'T RAISE YOUR PARTNER
It is super important to remember that you weren't raised the same way as your partner. This isn't a jab, but it is more of a realization that things that you might find important may not have been instilled in them, and vice versa. It is vital that you talk with one another and work out your differences to that they don't cause you any issue. However, a different perspective can be great and a refreshing change from your own. |
3. GET A HOBBY TO STOP DRIVING EACH OTHER CRAZY
For me, that hobby is blogging and sometimes my freelance work. It gives us each a few hours almost every day to focus on something we want to do without distraction. Jonathan enjoys playing music and video games. I also enjoy games, but we don't always play the same ones. It is nice to not feel pressured to spend every waking moment with your significant other! |
4. SUPPORT IS CRUCIAL FOR A HAPPY MARRIAGE
My husband and I each have different things that we need support from one other to accomplish. For me, I struggled (and sometimes continue to struggle) with a personal health issue that can be difficult to work with while maintaining a healthy marriage. My husband (as well as my mom) has been my biggest cheerleader and supporter. He's done so much for me on my bad days, and even helps on my good ones. For that, I'm so grateful! |
5. YOUR SUPPORT SYSTEM CAN HURT YOUR PARTNER
Your support system that you had before marriage was always looking out for you! Therefore, they may not notice or care that some things that they say can be hurtful and can feel unsupportive to your spouse. It's important that you let your spouse know how this makes you feel. They may address it with their support system, or they may not. Either way, at least your spouse knows your feelings. |
6. BE BEST FRIENDS FIRST
When I met Jonathan, I was dating someone else. That didn't end well, but I had formed a friendship with him and, incidentally, he was my only friend who was available to comfort me when I broke it off with my boyfriend. Because we were friends, I don't feel pressure to look like a model, conceal my crazy, or cry in front of him. He's my rock and I know I can come to him with just about anything, and he'll be the first one there cheering me on and helping me. |
HOW WE CELEBRATED
On Saturday, we had brunch at Metro Diner in Fayetteville, N.C. before heading up to Raleigh for an improv comedy show with ComedyWorks. We also visited our friend Lauren and her husband Aaron for a bit before heading home.
Since tonight is our official anniversary, we have a small chocolate cake to enjoy with one another!
For some people, their beliefs did more than ruin familial relationships. Some paid with their jobs, their freedom, or even their lives. Keep reading to check out a is list of five (or more) people who were punished to the max for their beliefs.
1. NELSON MANDELA
Unfortunately, this generation probably knows Nelson Mandela as the father of the Mandela Effect, but he was much more than an internet phenomena. Mandela was born in 1918 and began his career as a politician and social activist in his 20s. He was jailed in 1962 for 27 years because of political offenses. Along with eight other African National Congress members, he was convicted of sabotage and conspiracy to overthrow the government. The only problem was that he was trying to dismantle the apartheid system, which was a racial segregation of the races that forced black Africans to live in reserves and kept them from begin sharecroppers. Luckily, Mandela went on to serve as South Africa's first black president from 1994 to 1999. |
2. AUNG SAN SUU KYI
Aung San Suu Kyi was born in Myanmar, a land between Thailand and Bangladesh. After spending several years abroad, she became a dedicated activist against the dictator regime of U Ne Win. By 1989, she was placed under house arrest. She wasn't released until Nov. 2010. During her imprisonment, she received the 1991 Nobel Prize for Peace. She was a member of the parliament for the National League for Democracy and later became the de facto head of Myanmar as the country's state counsellor. |
3. DALTON TRUMBO
I didn't know much about Trumbo until I attended a production at the Cape Fear Regional Theatre in Fayetteville. He was a Hollywood screenwriter who lived his 20s-30s during the Great Depression. Because of the obvious and crippling financial inequality of the time, many people began to turn to communism (an idea that all property is owned and used by the collective public). Members of the film industry, including Gary Cooper, Walt Disney, and John Wayne formed the Motion Picture Alliance of American Ideals to combat "communist" tones in screenplays and movies. |
4. MOST PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THE AMERICAN CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT
It is undeniable that many people who involved themselves in the American Civil Right's movement faced prison time or even death for speaking in the name of equality. Notably, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated for speaking out against the inequality and mistreatment of African Americans. Other notable people who were mistreated include: |
- Rev. George Lee: One of the first African American to register to vote in Humphreys County. He used his platform at church to encourage his congregation to register to vote. White officials of the time offered him protection if he stopped his campaigning, but he declined the offer and was killed.
- Viola Gregg Liuzzo: A white woman who was transporting marchers from different parts of Alabama to join the now-famous Selma marches. She was shot and killed by a Klansman in a passing car.
5. JESUS AND HIS APOSTLES
- Paul: Beheaded.
- Andrew: Crucified.
- Stephen: Stoned to death.
- Thomas: Speared by four soldiers.
- Matthias: Burned alive.
-Matthew: Stabbed to death in Ethiopia.
- James: Clubbed to death.
3/8/2019
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY: MY MOST INSPIRATIONAL WOMEN FROM EACH DECADE IN THE LAST 100 YEARS
Read NowPlease go check out the original post from Hannah Mary! She posted about her most inspirational women television characters. Check it out here: https://hanmwill.com/inspiring-women-tv-edition.
Today, I want to focus on some of the women who inspire me, real or fictional, from the last 100 years.
1910 - WINIFRED BANKS, FICTIONAL CHARACTER
1920 – HELEN KELLER, DISABILITY ACTIVIST
Helen Keller lost both her sight and her hearing in 1882. At such a young age, Keller was instructed on how to live a normal life with a disability. She went on to graduate college in 1904. In 1920, she helped found the American Civil Liberties Union, ACLU, which has since helped fight for equal rights for both women and for people of color! |
1930 – ZORA NEALE HURSTON, WRITER
In 1937, Zora Neale Hurston wrote one of my favorite books, Their Eyes Were Watching God. She collaborated with Langston Hughes for a play that was never finished. She also served as a faculty member for the now North Carolina Central University in Durham, N.C., my home state. I have a soft spot in my heart for writers, and Hurston really paved the way for other African-American writers to be recognized for their scholastic and academic achievements! |
1940 – ANNE FRANK & MIEP GIES, WWII ICONS
Image living in a small, cramped attic with your entire family and another family to escape a dictator who was out to kill you for something you couldn’t change. Anne Frank remained extraordinarily child-like in such a hard time. They were hidden by Miep Gies, a non-Jewish woman who helped to hide the Franks from Nazi soldiers. It took so much courage from both of these women, but only one escaped with her life. Miep is featured in one of my favorite movies “The Freedom Writers.” |
1950 - ROSA PARKS, CIVIL RIGHTS ICON
I can’t imagine how scary it was for Mrs. Parks to sit down in the front of a bus surrounded by men and women who were willing to do just about anything against people of color. But, when you've had enough, you've had enough! Parks serves as an inspiration to so many, including myself. It took real guts to do what she did! |
1960 – SKEETER PHELAN, FICTIONAL CHARACTER
Skeeter Phelan, played by Emma Stone, is an aspiring writer who decides to work with African-American house workers to uncover the reality of their every-day lives. While Skeeter isn’t one of my favorites of the movie (I fancy Minny Jackson, myself), I identify with her. I’m a writer and I was a journalist for a while. |
1970 – GLORIA STEINEM, JOURNALIST
As I’ve mentioned, I have a soft spot in my heart for journalists and writers, particularly ones that are motivated to expose wrong in the world. She went undercover as a PlayBoy club bunny in 1963. She is a champion of women’s rights and event helped form the National Women’s Political Caucus. I don’t agree with absolutely everything she stands for, but I love her persistence and opinion! |
1980 – MATILDA, FICTIONAL CHARACTER
I can’t actually imagine a life without watching Matilda make magic while staying positive under the roof of an emotionally-abusive family. I really love how brave Matilda is and I think she taught the children of that generation that it is OK to be brave and speak out. Being little doesn’t discount you! |
1990 - SELENA QUINTANILLA, SINGER/WRITER
I don’t know about you, but Selena captured my heart when I learned about her during a project in my high school Spanish class. Selena was a talented singer/songwriter and fashion designer. Although she couldn’t speak Spanish fluently at first, but she overcame her challenges to become the “Queen of Tejano Music.” She was sadly murdered by the founder of her fan club after questions involving money fraud were addressed. |
2000 – J.K ROWLING, AUTHOR
While Rowling began publishing the Harry Potter book series at the end of the 1990s, I think it is fair to say that much of her work was recognized in the 2000s. She has openly spoken about her struggle to get published and has been an advocate for everyone to follow their dreams, despite any rejection letters they may receive. She gives hope to a ton of young writers and encourages them to pursue their passion! |
PRESENT - SUSAN ISAAC, MOTHER
This is my mom! She is without a doubt one of the most inspirational women in my life. I have a blog collaboration I recently did with my friend from Gratisoul.com! To put it plainly and in simple terms as to not overshadow my collaboration post, my mom raised my brother and I as a single mother, and she always made a point to go the extra mile every holiday to make my brother and I feel so loved. If you’re reading this, I love you mom! |
STRAWBERRY GUAVA DIET COKE | $3.50/8 CT.
I am usually a Diet Pepsi girl, but Jonathan (the hubby) saw this in the store when he was picking up a few things and decided to purchase it so we could give it a try. One thing I love and appreciate about this drink is that the taste doesn't seem overly synthetic. The strawberry and guava flavors taste very natural. The drink has zero calories and only 35mg of sodium. It also gives you 2 percent of your daily potassium needs. I love these and can definitely see myself repurchasing them in the future! |
ILLUMINATOR/HIGHLIGHTER | $8.99
This isn't actually a new palette, but I found it while I was cleaning the other day. It is called the "I Came, I Saw, I Contoured" palette and I purchased it from Rue 21. I have never used illuminator before, and I rarely use highlighter because it just doesn't blend well with my skin. However, I used it the other week during date day/night and I felt so flawless and full of myself. The product was easy-to-use and applied nicely. It came with a handy guide on where to apply each product, so that really helped me! |
THESE CUPS | $5 EACH
Both of these cups are perfect for different things. To begin, I was very shocked to see this Starbucks coffee tumbler on sale for only $5. Jonathan and I snagged two of them and they are perfect for your morning coffee, especially if you need to take them on the go. Check your local Walmart or department store to see if they have any Starbucks tumblers on sale. This one has come in handy more than once, and I'm excited to take it to meetings at work and beyond! |
I almost died when I saw this cup at Walmart. It is coated in whatever magic they use to make things look holographic. I've used it for actual drinking before, but I found that it fit well with my home office decor and it is the perfect height to store my white board markers. They had many different styles of cups and different colors, including green and pink. Check from The Pioneer Woman brand in your local Walmart. These are called "pearlized tumblers." |
DOVE OXYGEN MOISTURE CONDITIONER | $3.98
I have to confess something that may make some of you hair lovers a bit queasy: I haven't used conditioner in YEARS. Ever since a few years ago, when I started having an allergic reaction to my favorite hair brand ever, Aussie, I had to switch to more mild shampoos for sensitive scalps. I currently use Head and Shoulders, although I don't really suffer with issues from dandruff. My hair was just getting out of control. After just one use, it made my hair feel so much better, and I'm so excited that I added conditioner back into my routine! |
POP-UP PHOTO CUBE | $14.89
All of the photos taken of my products for this post have been taken inside of my brand new pop-up photo cube. This one came from Amazon and had good reviews. It plugs in to a USB box or port on your computer. There is a flat at the top so you can take photos from the top down. This one also came with five different backgrounds. The flamingo one on the Diet Coke photo was one I made myself from 97 cent cloth from Walmart. Super cute and easy to use and would recommend this for bloggers to use for their product photos! |
WUNDERLIST APP | FREE
So, I've always loved to put what needs doing into words. However, there was never really a good way for me to keep track of the things I had to do. This app has really helped. You put in your to-do lists for various parts of your life (mine are blog, home, and freelance), and you get to hear that satisfying "ding" sound when you check something off of them. |
FAVORITE YOUTUBER | SAFIYA NYGAARD
Safiye is quirky and funny, and you'll love watching her do various lifestyle and fashion videos with her now fiancé Tyler. Check out her channel and let her know I sent you!
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