Bare Escentuals / Bare Minerals

A few weeks ago I won a $100 GC to BareEscentuals.com via rethinkwhatmatters.com. I was pretty darn stoked because I was trying to win that IWG for so long, but never managed a win til the 2nd to the last week! It would've been sweeter if I won the following week's $250GC prize, but I'll take it!

I had to use my GC by 4/2 so the items below are what I ordered. I got an extra (ordered TWO!) blendable collection so all in all, I just had to pay $10.80 out of pocket, which isn't too shabby at all. I figured it would be worth it :) So pretty much...

1 liner shadow, 13 eye shadows, 1 blush, 5 brushes, & 2 samples = $110.80

Retro Lounge Eye Kit

• bareMinerals Retro Liner Shadow (black coffee)
• Full-Edged Liner Shadow Brush

Blendable Eye Collection: Fruit Smoothie (x2 - I got 2 of these!)

• Banana Smoothie Eyecolor (icy yellow sheen) (size: small) 
• Ginger Peach Smoothie Eyecolor (honey coral sheen) (size: small) 
• Mango Smoothie Eyecolor (sunglow apricot sheen) (size: small)

bareMinderals Candy Cocktails

• bareMinerals Strawberry Daiquiri Eyecolor (icy pink shimmer) (size: extra-small)
• bareMinerals Mojito Eyecolor (icy clover) (size: extra-small) 
• bareMinerals Long Island Iced Tea Eyecolor (vintage copper) (size: extra-small)
• bareMinerals Kir Royale Eyecolor (deep plum) (size: extra-small) 
• Mini Eye Quickie Brush 

Get Started: Eyes Cheek Lips: Medium to Tan

• Lemon Zinger Eyecolor (a light peach gold matte shade), size Extra-Small 
• Noble Eyecolor (a copper leaf glimmer), size Extra-Small 
• Patio Party Liner Shadow (a bronzed bark shade), size Extra-Small 
• Joyous Jennifer Blush (a bronzed pink shade), size Small 
• Mini Buxom Big & Healthy Lip Polish in Ginger (a cognac shimmer) Double-Ended Contour Shadow & Define Brush Eyeliner Brush Angled Blush Brush

Louis Vuitton. Seriously?

Oh, I have been absent for my blog.  There's been numerous moments where I've attempted to write up a "New Post" but I never got anywhere with it.  FAIL on my part.  There were a lot of things that I wanted to blog about.  Unfortunately I just didn't.  I spent time with friends, Peter, my pups... amongst other things.


Today was Black Friday.  Peter was gracious enough to go with me to check out the deals.  I wrote out a list of each store and items that I wanted from that store.  However, some of the deals from the ads online clearly did not reflect the prices in store :( I want to go back today and see if there's any other deals out there.


Since Peter worked, I took to the internet to do some shopping!  I ended up buying a sweet new FourSquare snowboarding outfit for myself -- jacket and pants.  It was perfect since I've been eyeing that Jacket for over a month since I saw it at Zumiez!  I got the last one in my size so I am happy! I also bought Peter's "big" present which was a FourSquare Michalira snowboarding jacket for him.  I hope he likes the design... LOL.  I went with a semi-crazy design but with neutral colors to go with his FourSquare pants that he already has.  The reviews for this jacket was solid and he mentioned today he needed a new jacket :) 


I also bought him a family-sized Black & Decker griddle (hey, it benefits me too!).  I didn't realize how big it was soo I had to try and cover part of it up with my jacket and told him not to turn around the whole time.  LOL.  I also bought him "The Office" season 4 and when he put his stuff in the basket he was like "OoOoooo... I saw what you're getting me!"  I guess that evened out the fact that I saw him with "House" in his hands.  We're silly.  Who actually thought you could shop for your significant other when you're WITH them?!  Haha.


Conflict of the day: My brother calls me up saying, "Hey, what kind of Louis Vuitton bag do you want? We're at the LV store with mom." 


Long story short, I thought I almost got out of it when she settled to (and bought) me a bag from Guess.  && then my mom went and kept insisting I find a bag that I want from LV. She kept saying, "All the LV bags you have are my hand-me-downs.  You don't have a bag of your own."  I basically told her I'd rather have a "cheap" bag from Guess and cash to spend on stuff I am interested in like Electronics.  I think that hurt her feelings and she sounded mad at me :(  (man, I just can't justify spending THAT much on a bag!) She pulled the "Alright!  I'll send you the Guess bag and cash.  You and Dianne (my bros gf) can split all my bags when I die" card.  Oh boy.


Yeah ok, so I guess she really wants to get a bag for me because that's the one thing she LOVES.  I understand that.  It would really give her pleasure to get something for me that she really loves.  I can't believe I felt selfish denying her the pleasure by refusing a bag?  I totally think that's what she thinks.  Isn't that so backwards?!  After talking to my bro again tonight, I decided to just go with the dang bag.  I can't believe I got talked into this.  Hello Louis Vuitton bag.  


I don't know what my mom was on today (she bought herself and my bro's gf an LV bag)... but OK mom, be happy and buy me the bag.  I have to send my bro a style that I like tomorrow.  I'm eyeing the Totally PM in Damier Canvas.  At least this style is less noticeable than the monogram canvas.  Maybe I'll change my mind when I wake up...

I seriously don't need anymore bags than I already have.  Hmm..  is it normal to already know everything I'm getting for christmas?  That kind of sucks.  Where's the element of surprise these days?  Am I that hard to shop for?  Boooo.

Mountain Bikes

I've been wanting to get a mountain bike for a very long time.  I especially wanted one just in case I found a job somewhere close to my house and it was close enough to bike to.  I posted a "want ad" on Craigslist on Friday and made a deal to pick-up a bike by Saturday morning!  On Sunday morning, Peter & I headed out to Fort Collins to pick-up a bike from a guy.  Once I saw him, I knew I was getting a good deal!  As it turns out, his family are cycling enthusiasts.  They were pretty hardcore.


This bike is used, several years old (7 or 8), but still in good condition and a quality bike.  It's a Torker Alpental.  I looked it up online since I never heard of it, once I saw all the details I knew I should get it.  It's not your mass-market, run of the mill mountain bikes from a chain store.  It's a $200-$300 bike equipped with Shimano components.  The bike is 18 speed and complete with grip shifts.  He also installed reflectors on the front & back of the bike and a cute little bell (this bike was his daughter's).  He also lubed it before selling it to me!  For $25, I think it's a steal!


I rode it around that same morning since it was really nice out.  It would've been nice to have Peter riding with me!  I tried to take Lexi with me while biking, but I think she still needs to learn not to get excited and run in front of the wheels.  The seat is pretty hard, but it's replaceable!  Overall, I am satisfied.  



After getting my bike, Peter wanted one.  It'll be a good way for us to hang out, have fun, and get a work out at the same time.  We both are in dire need of that!  I found this Mongoose EFX bike on Craigslist (Yes, Craigslist is my friend!).  It retails for $130 in stores, but I got it down to $40 (from $55!).  We'll be picking it up tomorrow! I read a lot of good reviews for this bike and for our purposes, it will do just fine.  I don't think we'll be hitting up the trails anytime soon anyway, especially with the unpredictable weather.  For casual riding around town and bike trails, we're set to go!
I know, it's November, but you never know with Colorado weather.  It can be really cold one day and beautiful the next.  Today would've been a good day to go, but I forgot about daylight savings time and it was dark by the time I realized the time!  Grrr.  Hopefully tomorrow Peter & I will be able to ride around for a little bit before he has to go back to work!

Stonehenge.

This was an old entry that was saved as a draft since my laptop crapped out & I was too lazy to go back and finish the entry...


Being in England has been great.  I continue to forget that I am in a different country despite the constant reminders:  driving on the "wrong" side of the road, narrow roads, ancient buildings, abundance of mercedes & BMWs, & extremely expensive everything.  Different terms I've learned thus far:


Bathroom = Toilet or Loo
Take out = Take away
Cotton Candy = Candy Floss
Popsicle = Ice lolly
Fries = Chips
Subway = Tube


It's quite interesting.  The accents still amuse me.  Just listening to my little nephew speak cracks me up.  Ok, he's not so little.  According to this stores measuring poster thing, Gian is the height of a 7 year old (he just turned 6 on Saturday).  I am the height of a 12 1/2 year old.  Hahah!  


Anyway, we checked out of the hotel on Monday morning.  We left our baggage with Guest Services while Peter & I walked around London.  We headed down to Buckingham Palace to watch the changing of the guard.  We made it just in time to watch them at their starting point.  We then headed down the street to the gates where there was a SEA of people.  We pretty much missed most of the ceremony as everyone fought for a spot near the gates.  We could hear the band/guards, but we couldn't see anything.  So we waited & waited  until they came towards our way.  The man standing next to us had extremely bad body odor.  It was a bit nauseating to say the least.  It was bright & sunny out, so everytime a gust of wind blew by, the feeling was bittersweet.


After that we got a drink & sat around & relaxed in the park for a bit.  We walked some more through the sights and ended up in Covent Garden.  We should've gone here earlier!  We were hanging around Chinatown so much, we didn't get a chance to check this area out.  We did some shopping and picked up some things for people.  I also now have more scarves than I will ever need in a lifetime.  There were a lot of shops & it was just a quaint collection of buildings, stores, & restaurants.  Performers also riddled the streets as the masses were drawn to them like flies.  We finally said our goodbyes to Leicester Square and headed to the Tube.

My cousin & his family were gracious enough to let us stay with them for the remainder of our trip.  We all went to Stonehenge today.  I never thought I would get to see such a sight this early on in my life, but I did.  I expected it to be much more grand, but it didn't disappoint.  Just being there.. was amazing for me.  Maybe if we were allowed closer, allowed to actually touch the rocks, the henges would surely tower over me.  Being in the English countryside was also a sight to see.  Peter, my nephew (cousin's son! it's just easier to say nephew), & I took a walk through the grasslands to get closer to the sheep.  It was adorable seeing my nephew follow Peter like that.  I can't imagine how the experience would've been if we were there for sunrise or sunset.  There were sooo many tourists there.  I think I would very much like to enjoy the area all by my lonesome.  There's a sense of mystery there, a sense of peace.  I'd prefer it not be clouded by the presence of people all around me.  I'll have to do that next time!  I picked up some postcards & a stonehenge ecobag (only £2.50!) as souvenirs.  


We headed out shortly after our walk through the fields.  We stopped by KFC for lunch!  Yum yum.  I love KFC.  It was interesting to see the menu & their portions of food once again.  I continuously receive reminders of how over indulgent us American's can be.  Their "large" sized side dishes were no bigger than those mini-sized play-doh containers!  I was also amused by my nephews choice of food.  Sweet corn dipped in baked beans & ketchup.  LOL.  Kids are so strange.  


We started heading back towards the city to go "picking" at this farm.  You can pick your own berries, fruits, vegetables, or flowers, & just pay for them at the closest kiosk.  Unfortunately the weather was not cooperating and it started pouring rain.  We decided to head back to Hayes & once we got home, the sun broke through the clouds & the rain stopped.  Great timing!  Hahah.  At that point my cousin decided to just take us shopping in Uxbridge.  I picked up a last minute birthday gift for my mom & my cousin hooked me up with a super sweet pair of Adidas Superstar shoes!  Oh man, I love it, so much!  I don't think you can find it in the states, which makes it even more sweet!  He even got me a Nike top to use for sports/running.  I know, I'm so spoiled :)) It's the benefits of being the baby of the family.  Hehe.


I'm so lucky.  So blessed in my life.

Asher Ida.

My pretty sweet hoodie that I bought yesterday! It's a Matix Asher Ida hoodie. I normally wouldn't wear purple, ever, but I think it went well with the mix of grays & black. Plus, I can't see the purple insides & the purple in the back, so it doesn't bother me as much. As long as I don't see the color 24/7, I can tolerate it! Haha. Strange logic indeed.  It's originally $67.95, but I got it for $20. Yay!  I love deals.

Yesterday Peter & I went down to Denver and went to Park Meadows. I got the hoodie, MAC eyeliner, & $13 worth of white & milk chocolate covered gummy bears from Sweet Factory. A bit indulgent with the sweets. Totally worth it though! I love chocolate covered gummy bears!

We finally got home after a looong drive & ran into a crazy old man carrying a rock, looking for a certain place. Peter tried to help the man out, but he quickly became irate, & ended up arguing with Peter. LOL. Something was truly not right with the guy. I was afraid he was going to come back and smash my car windows in >_<

After some lounging around & eating a bunch of junk food, Peter & I played some scrabble! I beat him! Twice! I hope he's up for a rematch tonight. Lol. He needs to increase his vocabulary. It's rather hard trying to work with 3, 4, sometimes 5 letter words after a while. Haha. He'll get better, hopefully!

Today, I turned in a cover letter & resume for this position I really want. It's located in Fort Collins though, but *cross fingers* I hope I have a chance at it at least!  Please, please, please.  Until I get a call back, I'll just have to wait and see and send out more cover letters & resumes.  Such is life.

Lastly, it's been 2 1/2 years since Peter & I have been together.  What a milestone eh?  Who would've thunk it?!

Hanging out with the boyfriend.

After Peter got off of work today, we headed over to Loveland for a couple of things.  First, we went to pick up these board games that I bought off of a guy on craigslist.  I bought Taboo, Cranium (Regular Edition), & Scattergories!  I'm so happy & stoked that I got these games because I've been wanting them for a long time and I got them all at once.  The best part, it was only $22.00 for all the games :D  They're used, but I don't mind.  One of the games alone, brand new, would be the same price.  Score!  He had a BUNCH (100s) of other games & I may just have to buy from him in the future again.  I love board games!  Peter just doesn't like em as much :]

After we picked up the games we went over to Pho Lan, a new Vietnamese Restaurant in Loveland that serves pho.  It was a perfect choice for the gloomy weather!  We both got the Bo Vien (Meatball) pho.  He got a large and I got a medium, which was more than enough!  We also got an appetizer of 6 crab & cheese wontons and vietnamese iced coffee for Peter.  Everything was $21.00!  Well-worth the money if you ask me.  I enjoyed the meal and it was very affordable.

We headed over to Layne guys' house afterwards to drop off this girl's shoe that I accidentally took during my drunken stupor ;)  Oops.  Haha.  I also needed to get my pants that I left at their house.  Wish we stayed longer, but next time :P

We headed to Centerra to check out the shops.  GameStop, Best Buy, PacSun, & Lids.  Peter walked out with the new Method Man & Redman CD & a Colorado Rockies hat from New Era.  Then we headed back to Greeley to check out Blockbuster.  There were A LOT of good deals, but we decided not to get anything though since we won't have time to watch a movie this week.

LAST stop... King Soopers!  I really really wanted ice cream.  I bought a half gallon of Dreyers ice cream for $2.67... amongst other incredibly unhealthy things that I normally eat/drink.  2 liter Pepsi, Keebler's Fudge Striped cookies, bag of Nestle Crunch, bag of Baby Ruth, and Haribo Gummy bears.

I know, I am SO unhealthy :)  Bad habits die hard.  It doesn't help that Peter LOVES candy and I LOVE chocolate.  Lol.  Ever since I started drinking soda again though, I've gained the weight that I lost, which in retrospect is probably a good thing.

I'm pretty tired, but I'd like to go ahead and do a bunch of other stuff like cleaning up & organizing before I sleep.  All in all, it was a good afternoon with the boyfriend.