Disqus

Hi, everyone! Sorry for the lack of posting this week. I've needed the week off to find some post inspiration and life has caught up with me. I have some post ideas in the works for next week, so make sure to come back then. Also, I added Disqus to my site-check it out below!

-Carrie

Contigo

Today I thought I'd share with you all my love for my new water bottle. After taking my Camelback water bottle in between and all over 4 Disney parks this summer, I had a little issue with it. When I arrived back home, I stopped in Target and walked through the water bottle aisle. My eyes wandered all the different colors, brands, and types of bottles. How interesting, right? I once again spotted this Contigo water bottle that I've had my eye on for months. The cute pinky rose color, the fact that it breaks into three parts, and you can carry it by the loop on the lid all influenced me to buy this it for only $10. 

I have been using this bottle every day (don't worry, I wash it) and I am completely obsessed with it! I take it everywhere. If any of you are in the market for a new water bottle, I would suggest trying out Contigo!

-Carrie

Wednesday/7

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"To live a creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong." 

-Joseph Chilton Pearce

Big Eyes

I have a product to rave about today-Maybelline's The Falsies Big Eyes waterproof mascara. I have nothing but good things to say about this product. It has two sides-one for the upper lashes and one for the lower. The wand for the upper lashes helps lengthen and thicken the lashes. I would suggest adding another coat on top of your first coat of mascara. The lower lash brush is thin, with small bristles and separates the lower lashes effortlessly. The formulation holds up through waterworks, rain, and the like.

Have you tried The Falsies Big Eyes?
-Carrie

Revamp/2

Hi, everyone! If you read this post you'd know that last month I was beginning my brainstorm for the new layout and content for my blog. I've been working on changing up my content this past month, so over the weekend I thought it was a good time to change the layout. I really like the new look and I hope you all do too.
If you haven't looked around too much, I want you to know what has changed: on the home page, in the righthand corner, you can now find a few of my social media handles like my Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Below that, you can search the whole site and click on the "About" page and the "C&G" page to find out more information about me and Gary (if you're new here!).
Below all of this, you can now subscribe to my blog via email which I'm very excited about! Feel free to put your email in so you can find out when I post. Below the email subscription, you can now look at my most popular posts, my blog archive, and my Blogger profile.

I hope you guys like the new setup!
-Carrie

Spring Goals Revisited

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In this post I listed a few goals for last Spring. Today, I wanted to revisit a few of them and let you know the progress I've made.
My first goal was to drink more water. I've come so far with this goal. I've completely cut out coffee which I was drinking everyday and I've started taking a water bottle with me basically everywhere and actually drinking all of it!
My second goal was to read more. I have completely crushed this goal-I've read eight books (they were all over 200 pages) since the earlier part of 2014 (I'm almost done with my ninth). Considering the tough semester I had, this is quite an accomplishment for me! If you have any good reading suggestions, please let me know in the comment section below! I'm always up for a new book to read.
My third goal was to work on my French: to be honest, I haven't practiced French since November. Though I do plan on starting pretty soon.
My final goal was to sew: I haven't touched my sewing machine since I've been home for the summer. However, since I was planning on buying some curtains for my new apartment, I think I am going to try to make my own. If you have any tutorials on how to make your own curtains, please let me know below!

What goals have you made that you've accomplished?
-Carrie

Makeup Brushes

Today I'm here to share with you all my love of Sephora makeup brushes. I received a Sephora makeup brush set from my parents for Christmas and I haven't used anything since. They. are. that. good. I know that Sephora brushes can be quite expensive on their own (I'm talking like $34 for one brush), but I'm madly in love with them and their soft bristles. I would recommend waiting until around Christmas time and then buy them in a set so you get more bang for you buck. These brushes are so soft, they work your makeup in like no other, did I mention they're soft? In my opinion, these are the perfect brushes. My favorite out of the set are the precision shadow brush, the small contour brush, and the brow comb. You should check them out.
From top to bottom:
1. Powder brush
2. Small contour brush
3. Fan brush
4. Precision shadow brush
5. Blending shadow brush
6. Angled liner brush
7. Brow comb
8. Smudge brush

Do you have a favorite brand of makeup brushes?
-Carrie

Wednesday/6

"If your definition of love stresses affectionate feelings more than unselfish actions, you cripple your relationships." 

-Time Keller

Weekend/3

On Friday morning, my mom, my best friend Hannah, and I trekked down to Birmingham to look for an apartment! After walking the sidewalks to find numbers to call (where I saw this pretty tree) and through a few not so good apartments, we finally found one that is perfect for us! We're so excited!

On Saturday, I went back down to Birmingham to see Gary and we ate really good food all day, stopped by Nordstrom Rack, drove to my new apartment, and went to the Vulcan Park & Museum where you can see the whole city of Birmingham. We had a great time being tourists in the city we've lived in for two years!

On Sunday after church, we got together with some friends and watched the Germany v. Argentina game. We had German flagged cakes as we ate German food while watching the game.

What did you do this weekend?
-Carrie

Weekly Favorites/3

Hi, everyone! Today is the third week of doing my "weekly favorites." You can see the other two here and here. If you have a post like this as well, please feel free to post it down below so I can take a look!
This week, I've been loving my Fujifilm Instax Mini 8. I used it so much while I was on vacation in Florida and I can't get enough of the photos. I forgot to mention this in this post, but I also bought the Japanese Cherry Blossom fragrance mist from Bath & Body Works. This is one of my all time favorite scents from them. I've been using it all week! My other favorites this week are my OPI nail polish in "Mod About You" and my Morgan Taylor nail polish in "Water Baby." I'm still loving pastels.

What are you favorites this week?
Have a great weekend!
-Carrie

Skin Routine

Hi, everyone! Today I wanted to share with you all my skin routine because I think it's really interesting to see other's way of doing things. So, here we go!

[Just a disclaimer: I wash my face once a day because I've learned the hard way that over-washing it does it no good! Therefore, this is the routine I do only at night]

Before I take a shower, I use the Ole Henriksen African Red Tea Foaming Cleanser to take off all of my makeup. Once I'm in the shower, I scrub in my Neutrogena Clear Pore Cleanser/Mask, let it sit on my face for thirty seconds, then wash it off. Once I'm out of the shower, I use the Neutrogena Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover to take off all the leftover eye makeup (including waterproof mascara!). Once that is removed, I usually rinse my face with warm water so the leftover remover residue is gone. After I finish this step, I usually let my skin sit without any product on it for a little while and then right before I go to bed, I pat the Clinique Clearing Gel on places that are still trying to clear up and I also use it as a spot treatment for places that feel as if they could start breaking out. After applying the gel, I use Pond's (old school right?) Dry Skin Cream (because my face is a desert) all over my face with the exception of where I just applied the gel. 

There you have it! My "skin routine" is fairly simple. I don't use anything too intense because I still have young skin (Like, my cheekbones haven't even made their appearance yet).

What is your skin routine?

-Carrie

Wednesday/5

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"That's who you really like. The people you can think out loud in front of."

-John Green-

Summer Bath & Body Works Haul

Hi, everyone! Instead of doing a product review today, I thought I'd show you all a few bath and body bits I picked up on vacation.
Whilst in Florida, my family and I all made a stop at the mall. We walked into Bath & Body Works and since my best friend Hannah and I are about to go looking for an apartment, I couldn't resist the great sales on candles, hand soaps, and shower gel!
I picked up the "Strawberry Hibiscus" gentle foaming hand soap, two deep cleansing hand soaps in "Malibu Sunset" and "Perfect Beach Day," the "Wild Apple Daffodil" shower gel, and two candles in "Sundress" and "Fresh Linen." All of them smell. so. good. So, if you're in Bath & Body Works and you need suggestions on soaps, shower gels, or candles, I got you!

Have any of you got in on the sales from the 4th of July weekend?
-Carrie

Florida 2014

Hi, everyone! I'm back from vacation! If you've been reading here for a little while, you'd know that every summer my family packs up the car and drives down to Florida (where we're from) to visit family. This year was no different, although there was six of us this time-we had a blast frequenting the beach and all four Disney parks! Below are some iphone photos from 6/27-7/5.

^^beach day

^^the best Greek salad from Kelsey's

^^bruschetta also from Kelsey's

^^brownie batter dip dessert platter made by my aunt

^^gary's first time at Epcot

^^maggie and I in the UK (at Epcot)

^^gary and I in Italy

^^gary and I in the UK (future home)

^^day at the pool

^^walking under the lights below Rapunzel's tower

^^standing in line to ride the mine train at Magic Kingdom

^^after waiting for 10+ years, I finally got to ride Rockin' Roller Coaster!

^^gary trying on Buzz Lightyear Mickey ears at Hollywood Studios

^^beautiful day at the beach

 

^^i captured a few memories with my polaroid camera

^^meeting my new cousin for the first time

^^beach bums

^^can't do without sparklers on the 4th

I hope you all had a great week! My regular posts will resume this week as I go back to work and get back in my little daily routine. 

-Carrie

Pool

After a long day at the Magic Kingdom and Epcot, today we spent the day relaxing at the beach and the pool.
What have you been up to this week?
-Carrie