FitBark Review

My household has been on a health kick recently, and after Sailor's trainer said he was a little overweight and being fed too much I have paid more attention to his portions and how much exercise he has been getting. After a year of eyeing this product, I finally decided to purchase the FitBark for $69.99 on Amazon to help track how much he is exercising and how he stacks up to other dogs. I knew he wasn't getting enough exercise before it, but this has helped us to get more active together. We have started doing daily walks together and playing more ball! I love that the app allows you to link your own FitBit as well.

Its pretty small and he doesn't seem to even notice it on his collar. 

It charges through USB cord and is water proof and rugged. You use Bluetooth on your phone to sync to the tracker. At one point they did offer a wifi base to purchase separately that links the tracker to your wifi so you can check it when you are away, but it seems they have discontinued it. 

They had a few different colors but I chose blue to match his collar. 

This is the app interface. You set up a profile and put in your dogs age and breed in order for them to determine his goal "bark points" of similar dogs. The top number is what he achieved today and the bottom is his goal. 

The app breaks it down even further so you can see the type of activity and the time of day it happened. I think it's great to be able to see how much, or really how little he moved while I was away at work as well as to see the actual measured time he was active.

This allows you to see day to day comparisons and overall snap shot of the week. 

Overall, I am so happy with this product, even though this purchase solidifies my crazy dog mom status lol! I would recommend this product to anyone who is concerned that their dog isn't getting enough activity or if you want to compare to your own activity as well. This is a really great monitoring tool that you can use to make sure your dog is still healthy and active. The FitBark has really inspired us to go on more walks, and through diet and exercise we have seen weight loss over the week. I have gotten more exercise from this as well!! I can't wait to see how his activity measures when we start agility or herding classes soon!

-K and S

Erin Condren Life Planner Review

I had an Erin Condren Life Planner for 2014 and for the first quarter of grad school. However, when 2015 rolled around I decided not to splurge on the Life Planner and opted for an adorable sugar paper planner for Target for $20. While it was more affordable it just wasn't cutting it AT ALL. I was in grad school full-time taking two courses, working a full-time job, paying bills, maintaining a social life, taking the puppy in and out of day care and the simple planner just wasn't cutting it. I simply have too much going on in my life for a basic planner to begin to even cover. So when the second year of grad school started I had to invest in the holy grail of planners once again. I opted for the Metallic Prism Life Planner in gold ($60). Isn't this planner gorgeous?! the coil is dipped in 18K gold. The metallic planners also come with free metallic elastic bands as well. I am happy with the recent switch to let you choose between vertical and horizontal weekly layouts. The new horizontal option allows me to fit my daily tasks in, where I couldn't on the traditional vertical layout. If you would like to place an order use my referral link here to receive $10 off!

As always I love the included stickers! They also have two sheets of blank ones that you can write in.

It comes with a folder section and the clear pouch with added cards and binder inserts. 

My order came with a free perpetual calendar! This handbook is handy for writing important dates in such as birthdays and anniversaries and contacts! Love!

I opted to add on the Snap in Meal planner for $4. I was really excited for this, but wasn't as impressed once I received it. It lets you meal plan on one side and add the shopping list on the other. It smudges pretty easy and rubs off before I make it to the store. I think it is a great concept however, i would rather use a regular sheet of paper. 

I also opted to add on the Wellness Journal for $6. I was more impressed with this than the meal planner. I want to start keeping track of my meals, water intake, and workouts but it just doesn't fit into my planner very well and gets lost in it. This little booklet is great and fits right into the folder section. It is god for 15 weeks. If I use it reliably I will most likely re order. 

I feel so relieved to have my Life Planner back in my life. It really helps me keep track of my numerous assignments, presentations, meetings, and social life schedule. While this planner is a bit spendy it is definitely worth the investment especially for a grad school student! I ordered in October and was suppose to receive a piece of art that never arrived. I reached out to customer support and they are sending it to me!

-K

The Age Gracefully Cookbook Review

We were kindly sent The Age Gracefully Cookbook by Grace O to review. This goal of this cookbook is to provide recipes that promote health and wellbeing. These nutritional recipes are suppose to contain anti-aging properties. The book is breaks up the recipes into five categories: Antioxidant: prevents and repairs oxidative damage to cells caused by free radicals, Anti-Inflammatory: Reduces inflammatory process in cells, tissues, and blood vessels, helping to slow aging, Immunity Booster: supports the body's resistance to infection and strengthen immune vigilance and response, Mind and Body: Enhancers that encourage vibrant skin and hair and improve mood and mental agility, and Disease-Preventing: reduces risk factors for common degenerative and age-related diseases. While I need to do more research on the science behind this I am really enjoying this cookbook. These recipes are healthy and are simple enough to attempt to make. One of the hardest parts of planning meals is understanding the nutritional values and making sure you are actually making a healthy meal, this cookbook is a collection of healthy recipes that I am excited to try. The pictures are great and included for every recipe. There are the following categories: starters, salads, main courses, extras, desserts and drinks. I have taken a few pictures of recipes we are going to test out in the near future. I love thai food and cannot wait to try the shrimp and mooring curry! My boyfriend and I love seafood and I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of seafood recipes. Overall this is a great addition to my cookbook collection and I intend to add these recipes to our weekly meals in order for us to integrate meals with great health benefits into our meal planning.

-K

Sloane Stationary Review

Sloane Stationary was recently included in Rachel Zoe's Box of Style. While I didn't receive the box we swapped on MSA's site for the exclusive set. I received a Sloane Stationary Passport book in a Popsugar box a year ago and I love the quality. I am so obsessed with these notebooks. They are lightweight and perfect for throwing in my bag to take notes for my thesis work on the go. You can use boxofstyle15 code to receive 15% off your order.

I am dying to get my hands on this Geek Chic set. How adorable for my field and lab notes!

-K

The Honest Company Everything Tote Review

I recently received the Everything Tote from The Honest Company. It is $169.95 or you can receive 20% off if you add to a bundle. I have been obsessed with this bag every since they released it, so I was very excited and pleasantly surprised when it arrived in my mailbox. Essentially this is a diaper bag but can also be used as a regular tote as well. It is made of vegan leather. It comes with a changing pad, an additional shoulder strap, and a dust bag. It has many pockets which I love for storing things and even has two insulated pockets for keeping bottles in or your bottled water and snacks. I am obsessed with gold this season and the gold zippers and details are gorgeous with the black. I love that I can fit my laptop in it with my journals for school. This is a great bag for my night classes as well as hitting the gym. While it is a bit large to use for an everyday purse, I am an obsessed puppy mom who carries treats, food, toys, leashes, poop bags, water bowls, and wipes in his carry bag so I can use this to condense to one bag for the both of us. I cannot explain how obsessed I am with it, it's beautiful!

-K

Honest Company Essential Bundle Review

If you aren't familiar with The Honest Company, it is an eco-friendly company started by Jessica Alba. They offer household, beauty, personal care, and baby products. You can sign up for Essential bundle which offers five items for $35.95/month plus shipping. You can also add on up to three additional items to receive 20% off of them. I have found some amazing products that I love through this company. They are also now in Target as well. I wanted to try a few of their new products as I haven't placed an order in a while. 

Honest Laundry Detergent: I love this detergent. I have a metal allergy which makes me allergic to most laundry detergents. Since this one has clean ingredients I don't have any allergic reactions to it. It is also HE. 

Scrubber Sponge: These sponges are a great add on. Sponges really should be thrown out monthly and I like that they are plant based and more eco friendly than most sponges. 

Deodorant in lavender vanilla: When The Honest Company first released their new deodorants they only offered in the bergamot sage scent. It was okay, but a very strong earthy smell. I am a huge fan of their lavender vanilla scent so when I saw that they offered it now I added to my order. It is a clear spray on deodorant. It seems to last okay, but definitely need to reapply throughout the day. I am happy they offer a natural deodorant because almost all drug store brands have aluminum and other metals which cause me to break out every now and then. While I am still testing the lasting power of it, I am confident enough to continue using it but just have to reapply mid day.

3 in 1 Facial Towelettes: I am excited to try these. I own a MIA face scrubber however, I don't carry it on the go and these are looking great for traveling and throwing in my gym bag. I hope to post an update after I try them out. 

Organic Cotton Tampons Regular and Super: Okay, the main reason I purchased my recent order was to try out their new organic tampons. Because I majored in Environmental Science as an undergrad I am really into using natural products as often as possible to limit the amount of exposure to unnecessary chemicals. I actually had no idea that there was such an issue with tampons. When they first released their announcement for the feminine product line I decided to do some research. I came across a few articles that stated that companies are not required to disclose the ingredients used in tampons and some studies found they used petroleum based chemicals in most drug store brands. That was enough information to make me want to switch over to natural ones. Unfortunately, when I went into Target to see if they sold any they did not, so I placed my order. I have been using them and I am really pleased with them. I have only used the regular ones but I haven't had any leakage problems and they are holding up well. The applicator is simple and comfortable. The applicator is made from a plant based plastic. They also have no applicator options as well. I think adding the feminine hygiene line is brilliant to this service because it is drawing me to make monthly orders now.

Honest Aromatic Soy Candle in Lavender Vanilla: I absolutely love their candles and the lavender vanilla is a light sweet lavender scent. It is very soothing to light in the bedroom and burns clean without the nasty chemicals that paraffin ones emit. The candles are only available as an add on to the essential bundle. 

Overall, I am very happy with my choices this month and can't wait to test them all out!! I am also going to list other products that I have come to love over the years.

Lemongrass Hand Soap- smells great and doesn't dry out my skin like other soaps. 

Organic Healing Balm- This stuff is amazing and I think every household should own a bottle. It's a miracle worker on burns and cuts for me as well as it helps with my dog's irritated skin as well. I haven't found anything that heals as well! 

Organic Shave Oil- It's a little greasy but really hydrating!

Organic Breathe Easy Rub- I depend on this stuff to get my through my seasonal colds.

Auto Dishwasher Gel- This stuff works well.

Air and Fabric Fresheners- The scent doesn't last too long but I love the spray the lemongrass scent after I clean the house and the lavender vanilla before I jump into bed.

Stain Remover- works amazing on pet stains on the carpet and stains on clothes. 

-K

Target Crumbs Bake Shop Make Your Own Peanut Butter Cup Cupcakes Review

A few years ago my mother traveled to New York and brought me back cupcakes from the world famous Crumbs bakery. But since then they bankrupted and then re opened their doors. I have seen their mixes in the baking aisle at Target but they cost $7.99 a box so I always passed them up. However, on my recent Target trip I saw these and their Cookies and Cream and Birthday Cupcake mixes on clearance for $4! The kit included the cupcake mix, frosting mix, chocolate and peanut butter chips, and cupcake liners. HOWEVER you have to buy the peanut butter and peanut butter cups...which I didn't bother with. These cupcakes were AMAZING. I love peanut butter and the peanut butter frosting was to die for. Granite I was a few cocktails in when I baked them, but they still tasted just as good the next day ;]. I really hope that clearance doesn't mean they are getting phased out as I really want to make these again but I will not buy at full price considering the high price tag and the need for additional ingredients!

-K

Plated

I tried Plated a year ago and wasn't impressed with my meals at all. They didn't taste that great and I had frustration with the recipes not giving enough details in the instructions. However I recently came across their intro special and decided to give it another shot. I ended up paying $24 for two meals for two, which is cheaper than paying to go out for two nights. Last time I tried Plated it wasn't a subscription service however, that has changed and you are required to enroll but you can skip any weeks and can cancel at anytime. Typically the meals are $12 a plate and you are required to purchase four plates.

The first meal I picked was Thai Peanut Curry with Sticky Rice

Words and pictures cannot describe how amazing this meal was. Seriously I think my favorite meal I have made. My boyfriend was a little weirded out about the idea of a subscription service and wasn't really sure how it would arrive however, after I cooked this meal he was looking at the future menus and picked out our next Plated adventure. He couldn't stop raving about this meal! It was extremely easy to make, and the instructions were clear and concise. I am horrible about eating greens but I finished off my bowl! I really hope they bring this recipe back in the future, or at least offer other curries that are up to par with this!

The second meal I tried was Vietnamese Caramel Fish with Vermincelli and Bok Choy




Unfortunately I had to make this during the week so I prepared this meal solo. Overall it was pretty good....but not as good as the curry. The noodles were easy to make. The fish was a bit of an adventure as it all fell apart in the pan. I felt like overall it was pretty easy to prepare and had great taste. I would try to prepare this again on my own once I get searing down a little better.

Overall I am very happy with Plated and will continue to order from them. I love cooking but as a busy full time graduate student, full time employee, and mother to a fur baby it is very difficult to plan out fancy meals and run to the stores to collect all of the exotic ingredients and plated takes away the stress of finding fun healthy meals and having to track down ingredients by having everything delivered right to my door step. I also really enjoy that these meals are on the healthier side and is exposing me to healthy meals that I can make again in the future. I absolutely love that they include the recipe card so you can recreate it at home again. Cooking with my Bf is more fun and cheaper than having to go out to eat and this will become apart of our weekend routine. If you are interested in Plated you can sign up here.

-K

BarkBox January 2015 Review

Sailor and I got to try BarkBox this month. I purchased while there was a buy one month get on free promo code. BarkBox is one of the most popular subscription boxes for dogs and cost $29.99/month and even cheaper if you do a 3 month subscription ($24/mo), 6 month subscription ($21/mo), or a 12 month subscription ($19/mo). You can also add on a premium toy for $9. 

 Sailor was so excited for his box! Can you tell? January's theme is Ice Age!

BarkMade Wooly Mammoth- $8

Delca Corp Adorable Snowman- $11

These are both exclusive to BarkBox and they are the cutest!! The adorable snowman reminds me of the one from Monsters Inc. I really love that the squeaker on the snowman is a deeper grunt sound, so it is soo much less annoying than the regular toys. These were both a hit for him!

Aussie Naturals Salmon Skin Training Treat  Nibbles- $8 I knew as soon as I opened the box that these were what Sailor was going crazy over! They have a very strong fish odor but he liked them. 

Heartland Premium Rib- $2. He also really like this! This rib is made from all American USDA approved beef. BarkBox wrote a helpful tip to give it them in the kitchen to keep the carpets clean, which I followed and really appreciated the tip!

Complete Natural Nutrition Off-Leash Twigs- $8 These chewing twigs are made of all natural turkey and pumpkin from Canada. These help to keep their teeth clean and breath smelling good.

Overall I really liked this months BarkBox. The toys are adorable and made of good quality so hopefully they last a while. I really appreciate the fact that all the treats included in the box are made within North America and contain high quality ingredients. It is also pretty cool that the info card contained item codes that you can text to BarkBox to reorder anything if your pup especially loved something in this months box. Sailor can't wait for next months box!

-K

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Ipsy April 2014 Review

I got my April ipsy bag a couple days ago, but just getting around to posting. The theme this month is Beauty Rocks!

 

 

 I like the bag this month, the style is cute. Looks Rock n' Roll. There was five products included out of a possible sixteen.

 Urban Decay 24/7 Velvet Glide-On Eye Pencil - This one's waterproof. There seem to be a lot of waterproof eye makeup coming out lately, summers getting close.

Such a Tease So Seductive Lashes - These are light and soft as a feather. They look thin enough to look real. I do not wear false lashes, so these go into the gift box.

 

 

Cailyn tinted lip balm in #14 Acid Pink -  I love the applicator wand. The bottle is so cute.

Benefit lolli tint Candy Orchid - This is tinted lip and cheek stain.  K loves this. She loves anything by benefit, but really loves this one. It looks great on her.

City Color White Gold Shadow and Highlight Mousse - Kendra's favorite item in the bag. She Loves! Loves! Loves! She is taking this on her next trip to Vegas!

 

So, that's it for the April ipsy bag! I didn't find any items that are useful this month. I'm not sure how these got selected for my profile, that's a mystery. Some of the other item choices would have been great for me. I updated my quiz on ipsy, to see if I get better items next time. K totally loved this months bag, so it's mostly going to her!

 

~A