Influenster: Rimmel Scandaleyes Retro Glam Mascara

I recently received an exclusive complimentary set of Rimmel Scandaleyes Retro Glam Mascara from Influenster for testing & reviewing purposes in my Rose VoxBox.

Pros: 

• It is easy to find in your make-up bag because it is bulky
• It is comfortable to hold while applying to your lashes
• It goes on very smoothly
• It covers extremely well, with only one swipe over the lashes
• Does not feel clumpy
• Good for all day wear

Cons: 

• The brush is oddly shaped
• The brush is too bulky (made me feel like I was seconds away from poking my eye!)

Overall, this is a great mascara for everyday use.  I highly recommend it if you are looking for a new mascara.  Good news!  It hit the shelves of retail stores this month, so you can buy yours today!

 

Influenster: Dr. Scholl's® For Her Cozy Cushions

I recently received an exclusive complimentary set of Dr. Scholl's® For Her Cozy Cushions from Influenster for testing purposes...and let me tell you, they are wonderful!  They are so comfy, cozy, and warm.  They would be perfect in your favorite pair of boots or even TOMS!  If you like comfort you will definitely want to buy these!  They are great!

Influenster: Rimmel London Stay Matte Liquid Mousse Foundation

I recently received an exclusive complimentary sample of Rimmel London Stay Matte Liquid Mousse Foundation from Influenster for testing purposes and I LOVE IT!

This foundation is thicker than I am used to, but because of that, it covers my blemishes so well.  It is very smooth and not clumpy or sticky.  This product feels great on my skin throughout the entire day and my face does not turn oily or shiny.

I would highly recommend this product to any friends looking for a good and reliable foundation for daily use! :)

Covered Bridge Festival (2013)

David, Heather, Megan, David
at the Bridgeton Covered Bridge 2013

David and I at the Bridgeton
Covered Bridge 2013

We love creating new traditions.  Especially creating new traditions with our friends.  We love stuff we can do yearly together.

One of our current favorite traditions is going to the annual Covered Bridge Festival in Parke County, Indiana.  This year marked the 3rd year we have traveled to the festival with our dear friends the Depoisters!  

We LOVE Covered Bridge Festival Day!

I remembered to wear
my pedometer this year!
We did LOTS of walking!

My FAVORITE thing to buy on
Covered Bridge Day!

Our day usually involves waking up early (yuck...that is by far the only bad thing about the day though), getting breakfast together, and filling our day walking, eating, laughing, eating, sampling (everything!), walking, and eating! 



Apple Pie

One of my favorite things to make my husband is APPLE PIE!  He loves it so much.  

When he returned home from a 3 day golf tournament I surprised him with one.  It was so yummy!

Here it is:

Before Baking.

Before Baking.

After!

After!

Offic Fun. (Chili Day!)

This year for Alumni & Family Day the OCU Admissions Department held the first-ever CHILI COOK-OFF between the offices throughout campus.

Being the fun office we are........of course we participated in style!

We decided to not only submit a pot of chili for the cook-off, but we chose to make our chili together, because we're cute like that.

Well, despite our opinion that we had made the best chili ever, we ended up getting 3rd!  But don't worry.........we'll be back next year!!

Of course we took pictures...enjoy!






Teamwork!

 

Doesn't it look delicious!?! YUM.



OCU Campus Life Office Team
Chili Cook-off 2013

Today we paid off our first house.

David and I started looking at houses for fun back in August of 2009.  We loved the thought of being able to purchase our own home while we were still RDs of the dorm so we would be able to pay extra on it for a bit.  In November, we decided to take the leap and actually try to get a loan and buy our first house!  If you have never bought a house before, it is definitely a time filled with many emotions.  On December 11, we actually closed on our very first house.  We hated the thought of paying an extra $9-something a day EXTRA on our loan just because of interest.  So we decided, we would try to pay off the loan as soon as we could.  Our goal was to pay it off in 5 years.

Many people along the way told us we were crazy to think about paying off a house in such a short amount of time.  I guess that is understandable considering most people end up paying on their homes for many, many years...some even their whole lives...but we were determined to not be those people who pay thousands of dollars in interest over those years.

So, here we are three years and ten months ago as homeowners.  Actual homeowners...like, we owe nothing on our mortgage!!!

And now, here we are...

Can you read that?!?...It says mortgage PAYOFF!!

Writing our final check to the bank!!

WE OWN A HOUSE.  Unreal.

Niagara Falls Round 3

 

July 2013 I went to Niagara Falls for the 3rd time.

The first time I went with my sister and her hubby for vacation...that was back in 2006.  We went to Canada for a few days and I got to enjoy Niagara Falls from the more beautiful side!  We had so much fun!

The second time I went with the Bible Quiz Team in 2009 when Nationals was in Rochester, NY.  This was my first time to go to Niagara with David, and my first time to go on the decks...it was a lot of fun!  Man-o-man, there is a lot of water pressure coming off of those falls!

This summer we went again with the Bible Quiz Team because Nationals were in Rochester.  We chose to go on the decks again, instead of the Maid of the Mist.  I really like the decks better than the Maid of the Mist...it was a lot of fun!

Me at Niagara Falls (Canada) 2006

Niagara Falls 2009
Pictured L-R:  David, Heather, Adam, David

Our group:  Wendell, David, Hannah, Heather, Amanda, Jonathan, David

Home of the Garbage Plate

As I mentioned in a previous post, this year we went to Rochester, NY for Bible Quiz Nationals 2013!  We had such a great time!  Since we now have a larger group of young(er) adults, we decided to sneak away one early evening to go to Nick Tahoe's and get a garbage plate! 

Ladies and Gentlemen:  this thing is awesome!  I am so thankful for the Roberts Admissions Director for sharing this little piece of New York with us.

Here is our Garbage Plate Experience:

Friends. :)

I know it looks disgusting, but It. Was. Wonderful.

 

This is the most sketchy-looking eating establishment.

Bible Quiz Nationals - Rochester, NY

The theme for the week:  Pursue

As you know, every year we travel with the Vincennes FM Bible Quiz Team to Nationals every year.  This year nationals took place at Roberts Wesleyan College in Rochester, NY.  We had a great week at nationals this year, watched lots of quizzing, played lots of scum (a card game...so fun), and even ate a garbage plate!


It is always encouraging to see and hear so many youth memorizing the Bible!  I know not all of them are making the best decisions, but the Word of God is in them, and no one can take that from them!

Hannah, Me, Amanda ready to play SCUM!

One of the things I love most about nationals is the time we get to spend with our friends and David's family!  This year, Amanda came too! (she is Jonathan's girlfriend) AND this is the first nationals that the Swanks have been married!  I LOVE having the girls around!  Before last year, I was the only older girl (besides the actual adults)!  These girls are such a great added blessing to my week!

Amanda and I at Lake Erie 2013

We also snuck away one evening to get a Garbage Plate!  Oh my!  I will post about this later!  YUM!


On the way to Rochester, we stopped at Lake Erie!  The Great Lakes are named appropriately, because they are HUGE!  It is so crazy to not be able to see the other side of a lake!

Niagara Falls 2013

On the way home from Rochester, we stopped at Niagara Falls.  I have now been there 3 times. (Once, I stayed in Canada with my sister and brother-in-law...and now twice with the Bible Quiz Group)  We did the Cave of the Winds the last two times that we have visited.  I like it WAY better than the Maid of the Mist!

Overall, it was a great week...exhausting, but still great!

David and I wearing our OCU shirts, as usual!

27 things to do at 27.

Spend 1 half hour in prayer each week.

Go to Zumba class at least 2 times a month.

Do not drink soda for 3 full days each week.

Take 4 naps each month.

Learn 5 new songs to sing at church.

Complete 6 Pinterest projects.

Do 7 creative/crafty "I care for you" things for David! (Things like I used to do.)

Put together 8 girls nights.

Feed our RAs 9 times.

Finish reading 10 books.

Visit my niece 11 times.

Do 12 Random Acts of Kindness.

Do something special for someone on the 13th of each month. (my birthday date)

Go to the movie theater 14 times.

Invite friends over to our apartment 15 times.

Go 16 days without cheese.

Go to 17 new places.

Invite 18 people to come to church with me.

Donate 19 items.

Watch 20 movies that we own that I have never watched.

Lose 21 pounds.

Straighten my hair 22 days for work.

Prepare and cook 23 new recipes for David.

Go on 24 dates with my husband...just the two of us.

Handwrite letters & mail them to 25 people that I love.

Write 26 new blog posts.

Read through the 27 books in the New Testament.

Life is not always fair...

We are all told at a very early age that life is not always fair.  Oh my!  As I have gone through my almost 27 years of life, I have learned...THIS IS SO TRUE. 

I have always struggled with seeing people with bad attitude get praise, because they have people in power fooled.

I have to constantly remind myself to live my own life, and live a life that would make God proud of me...I don't need or even want the praise these other people get, because I don't want to be two-faced and manipulative, but also...I don't need praise from man.  As Christians, we were told life won't be easy, living a God-pleasing Christian life won't be easy, but our reward is not on this earth...our reward is in Heaven!

For those of you who may be like me, and get wrapped up in the rewards of this world, I want to encourage you today.  I want you to know that God will reward us if we continue to follow Him and share His love with everyone around us!  Yes...even those who are snotty and hateful towards us.  This is a challenge.  A daily challenge.  I know we can do it.  Let's remind ourselves daily that this world is not our home...and our reward is definitely not here.  The things in our Earthly lives don't matter.

I want to be pleasing to God and encourage and help others to know Him and invite Him to lead their paths.

I used to be so good...

So, when we were dating, actually even before we were dating...I used to do creative, Pinterest-worthy things for David all the time...and this was BEFORE Pinterest!  I know it may be hard to believe, but I was actually creative on my own!  I used to do such cute things for David!  I used to make cards, write cheesy poems, and do all kinds of other cute things to remind him that I appreciated and cared for him.

I still appreciate him and care for him SO much, but somewhere along the way, I slacked off on doing the cute things.  I don't know exactly why, but I just haven't been able to get myself together and organized enough to continue to do the cute things I used to do.  This makes me extremely sad, and I am actually embarrassed for people to know I have slacked off so much.  I mean, I have still created a few things for him, but nothing like I used to do.

I want to do better.  I want to do what I used to do.  I want to make sure David knows he means just as much to me as the olden days...actually, I love him more and more each day.  I love our journey together and want him to remember the little things along the way.

I will leave you with an example of what I am talking about...things I used to do...

The way I told David, I love you, was one of my all time favorite projects.  I created a puzzle out of cardboard, painted the pieces, and on each piece I wrote something I liked about him.  The next to last piece of the puzzle said, "these are all reasons why..." and the last piece was a heart that fit in the middle that said, "I love you."  I already knew that he was the guy I wanted to spend the rest of my life with, I knew from the beginning that he was super special, so I wanted to have a cute way to remember this special time for us!

Lifeway Kefir...YUM.

Me with my complimentary voucher
to try Lifeway Kefir product!

I am a member of the Influenster program.  (You can read more about Influenster:  HERE)

I was chosen to try a new product for them and review it on their website, Twitter, Facebook, and other social media...because after all, social media is more advertisement than an actual commercial these days!





Blueberry...YUM!

The product I tried was Lifeway Kefir (View their website:  HERE):  it is a probiotic, smoothie drink (they have other products, I just tried the drink).  It is 99% lactose-free, gluten-free, yummy, and good for you!
I highly recommend this product...and would purchase it in the future.



I received this product complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes.

 

4th of July FUN!

I know I'm late with this post, but I wanted to share some pictures of our 4th of July fun! 

Depoister/Hose Picture

This year we watched the Vincennes Parade with the Depoisters and even got to sit with my sister and her family!  Unfortunately we sat close to the end of the parade so the kids didn't get much candy, but it was still fun to sit and relax with some friends and family. 



Courtney, Addie, and I enjoying
the Vincennes parade!

A not-so-pleasant surprise was that a rotten egg fell from the building and splattered all over the sidewalk right in front of some of our group...oh my word!  It smelled SO bad.  Yuck!  (It was definitely a smell we will all remember!)  Jason (my bro-in-law) sprayed some Lysol on the sidewalk where the egg was, and that helped tremendously!  Yay!  Jason, our hero!

David and the Swanks waiting for the
Vincennes fireworks to begin!

Next, we went to a new pizza place in Vincennes and met up with our friends, the Swanks!  This was the first time we have gotten together with the Depoisters and the Swanks!  It was so nice to hang out with both sets of friends at the same time!  Isn't it great that God sends us so many good friendships in life.  I am super thankful for the time David and I get to spend with friends.  I think it is important for young married couples to have good friends.

David and his little buddy, enjoying
the fireworks...she kept saying, "wow!"

After supper we all went to the river-front to watch the fireworks!  David's family met us there so we could all watch the fireworks together, like we try to do every year!  It was so nice getting to hang out with so many people this 4th of July!

I know it doesn't sound like our day was very glamorous, but we really enjoyed the day (minus the stinky egg) with our friends and family!

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5 Years.

So, here it is...Our 5 year Anniversary Date!  Normally, we don't get to do anything on our anniversary because it usually falls during the week of Bible Quiz Nationals. This is the first year, since the year we got married that our wedding date wasn't during nationals.

What David did for me:

My Choose Your Own Adventure
Story envelopes!

After work, on our way towards Evansville, David pulled out an envelope and handed it to me. It was labeled, "The Choice is Yours." The paper inside was titled, "A Choose Your Own Adventure Story" (You know?  Like those story books where you choose your own adventure?  Well, it is that concept.) and it was a history of our five years together and the decisions we have made along the way (we hate making decisions like where to eat, what to do, etc...it's too much pressure)...the note said that I was a good choice...and almost made me happy cry (David has always been a good writer, he always knows just what to say!)...the end asked if I wanted to continue and of course, I said yes!
 

Baklava...DELISH!

The next envelope was labeled , "Choice of Empire." It included a short history of Greek food and a short history of Italian food. Followed by my options: Acropolis or Angelo's. I decided to be different than normal and chose Acropolis! It was such a nice change from the normal places we go, we tried a couple of new things, and fell in love with baklava...yum!  Plus, I had a Groupon (read more about Groupons > here<)  so our bill was very small and we got a ton of food, including leftovers! Win-win!

Miniature Golf!

The next envelope was titled, "Choice of Sport."  This one included a short history of golf and walking in the Olympics.  Then my two options were:  Miniature Golf or River Walk.  So, because I didn't choose the restaurant that was down town, near the river, I chose mini-golf.  I threatened to beat David at mini-golf, but of course I didn't come close (he IS a golfer, you know?), although I did get a hole-in-one and he didn't...that should count for something, right?!

Us with our Starbucks drinks!

My last envelope was "Choice of Dessert."  It included history of ice cream and a history of iced coffee.  My choices were:  Cold Stone Creamery or Starbucks.  This was a tough decision, because I had a gift card for both places...yay for free dessert!  I chose Starbucks and we both got a delicious Frappuccino!

 What I did for David:

It was so fun to watch him find my face all over our apartment!
PS...that is ALE8 in the fridge!

I took a picture of myself with a sign that said, "Happy, Happy, Happy Anniversary!"  I printed it (four to a page), cut them out, and hid them around our apartment for David to find throughout the day! 

Also, I created a replica of something I found on Pinterest...it is a timeline of years, months, days, hours, etc. that we have been together.  I framed it and it is now in our apartment...I don't think I'm going to remake one each year, but maybe I'll make a new one in a few years...who knows. 

You probably saw our anniversary picture that I posted <here>.  Well, I discovered Pinterest after we had already been married a couple years.  One of the first things I found there was a picture of a couple holding a framed picture of them holding a framed picture of them.  Did you follow that?  I was so sad, because I thought this was a great anniversary idea, but I didn't want to start it randomly at year three.  SO, we both decided we could start it at year five and instead of taking a new picture every year, we would take one every 5 years instead!

We had a great anniversary,  I am so thankful for David.  He is such a kind, caring, fun, & loving husband.  I am so glad he married me five years ago...I am so excited for what God has in store for year six!


   

Happy Anniversary

Today, we celebrate!

David and I have been married for 5 years!

I will post later about our day...but for now I will leave you with our 5 year Anniversary picture!

Cincinnati 2013

We have been blessed with GREAT friends over our married years.  Well, this year we decided to go on a Memorial Day Weekend Trip with the Depoisters.  You may remember reading about them from my past posts.

We had a full and fun-filled weekend...and had a blast!

Friday: 

We left after work and stopped in Louisville at the Cheesecake Factory.  Then we checked-in to our hotel and played some euchre.

My thoughts on the Cheesecake Factory:  over-rated and VERY over-priced...their cheesecake wasn't even as good as the hype...Sweet Stuff Bakery & Cafe in Petersburg, Indiana is WAAAAAYY better, in my opinion...and much more affordable...here is the Sweet Stuff Facebook Page:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sweet-Stuff-Bakery-Cafe/115441976407?fref=ts

Saturday: 

Our main plan for our first full day in Cincinnati was to go to the Creation Museum.  The Creation Museum is actually in Kentucky, but super close to Cincinnati.  It wasn't as interactive for children as I thought it was going to be...there was A LOT of reading to do throughout the museum.  There are a few different theaters/presenters throughout the day.  They also have a petting zoo (I even fed a duck out of my hand...it was such a weird and frightening experience), camel rides, and a really cute outdoor walking trail.  New this year they will have a zip-line course, but it wasn't open yet when we were there.  I really enjoyed our trip to the Creation Museum.

Next year they are supposed to have completed a FULL-SIZE replica of Noah's Arc.  Oh, wow!  I can't wait to see this!

My husband and I, as well as the Depoisters, like to be frugal so rather than eat at the museum we decided to drive a couple minutes down the road to eat at Skyline Chili, a staple in the Cincinnati area.  It was really good!  I LOVED how much cheese they piled on top of everything we ordered...it was heavenly.

Saturday evening, we went to Taste of Cincinnati...it was a street festival in downtown Cincinnati where we were able to try more awesome Cincinnati food.  Some of my favorites were:  Fried Cheesecake, Bread Pudding (it was different than every other bread pudding I've ever tried before), and my favorite...Fried Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwich!  It. Was. So. Good.

Sunday: 

Sunday we went to the Reds/Cubs Game!  We were there cheering on the Cubs!  When we first began our planning for our trip, we thought about visiting Chicago and going to Wrigley...but remember, I mentioned being frugal?  It was MUCH cheaper to watch the Cubs play at Great American Ball Park...and our seats were really great!  That ball park was really nice!  They even let you bring in your own snacks AND drinks!  I took half of my leftover lunch in the game with me!  Also, they have a $1 stand where you can get child-sized hotdogs, sodas, and peanuts. 

Oh, and before you assume they didn't...the Cubs DID win!

Monday: 

This was our travel-home day.  We stopped to have lunch first at Tom & Chee.  Oh. My. Goodness.  This was BY FAR, my favorite place we ate the entire trip!  We definitely saved the best for last.  It is a grilled cheese place.  It has even been featured on Man V. Food!  Their specialty is a grilled cheese glazed donut!  Hey!  Don't knock-it 'til you've tried-it!  It was surprisingly delicious.

After Tom & Chee we got ice cream from Graeters, which is an ice cream shop in the Cincinnati area...I got Mango Sorbet...it was fabulous.

We had such a great time getting away from the OC area, and really enjoyed spending time with our besties!  < Am I too old to use that term??  Oh well. 

As I most often do, I will leave you with some pictures from our trip...I took tons, so I will try to pick only my favorites!