Review: Crest White Strips

I was recently asked to try and review Crest White Strips by Influenester. Influenester is a web site where you fill out questionnaires so they can determine what type of items to send you for review. Since I drink a lot of coffee and tea, they thought I could benefit from a teeth whitener. If you'd like to try Influenester click here.

This was the first "Vox Box" I'd ever received. I was super excited and couldn't wait to get started.

I quickly found that already having sensitive teeth made the 20 day Crest White Strip challenge (use a whitening strip for 30 mins a day for 20 days straight) nearly impossible. Whitening strips will cause some sensitivity, but it was pretty rough on me.

I did whitening strips for prom when I was in high school. One thing I noticed this time around is that there isn't a weird taste. I also noticed they had changed the strip formula. These aren't goopy and feel like they stick to my teeth and don't slide around.

Even though I was only able to complete 7-10 days of the challenge, I feel like I did see a good improvement. I've been trying to still do a few every week. Even though I haven't used all the strips, here is my before and after.

I feel like my teeth are whiter and I really like this product. I think it would have helped if I bought some toothpaste for sensitive teeth.



Have you tried Crest White strips? What did you think?

Resolutions: 2012

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Ok so here are my resolutions from last year. I crossed out the ones that I completly failed at.

1) Wear everything in my closet. If I don't wear it, I donate it.

2) Wear at least one skirt or dress a week.

3) Loose 30lbs  After I tried keto .. well lets just call keto and me a crash diet experience

4) Do a LOTD or EOTD once a month

5) DON'T CUT MY HAIR IN 2012 - EPIC WIN! 

6) Give my blog a more consistent look - I felt I did a better job of this and I'm going to continue! 

Money:

7) Tithe (give an offering to my church)  and put money in my savings every paycheck.  I decided it didn't count if I put in it and then took it right back out.
8) Coupon and put my saving in my savings. Keep track and then use that for Christmas money! We'll see how it goes!  I did do much better on saving up for Christmas though!
Craft:
9) Finished all my unfinished projects. (sewing and knitting)
10) Finish my LA scrapbook. (I did a semester there in 2008.)  I just started using a new scrapbook app! Hopefully this will be done soon.
Other: 
11) Go see Rocky Horror in Costume at a Theater.
12) Finish unpacking (I moved in August 2011 and this is still an issue.)  I have a shelf of things to still be sorted

That would be 3/12. Not even HALF!!!

I'm planning to chop all this long hair off within a week! Yes there will be before and after photos. Here are some styles I'm thinking of. This one is my favorite and I'm going back to a shade of red!! 

New resolutions for this year:

1) Lets get Classy!
    - I donated a lot of my clothes. I'd love to have a more professional wardrobe. I have TOO many pairs of jeans (sizes 7-14, not joking). I need to fill up my wardrobe with some classically good pieces. 

2) Get fit.
   - I know this is everyone's resolution, but seriously I ate so much chocolate this Christmas. After my crash keto diet, well lets say I need to get on this. I bought the app Zombies, RUN! Looks fun. Just waiting to get the gym or for some snow to melt. Meanwhile, I've been playing a ton of Just Dance 4 (a gift from Andrew)

3) Continue with the consistent blog look, but be less consistent. 
  - I get really stressed when I don't have a block of blogs scheduled and then I just put off blogging until I can do a ton at once. Now that I have a new look to my blog, I want it to be a lot less formal. I'll TRY to post at least once a week, but who knows. You may get a week of photos and then a week of reviews. 

4) Work on that tithing. 
  - I found out that the church I attend will send you a list of your donations for tax purposes (if you write checks). :O This means at the end of the year I can see how well I did, even if I don't keep track

5) Finish that LA scrapbook!!!
  - 5 years later...

6) Knit something I can wear

7) Pay off a credit card
  - Last year was rough on me finically. I'm back on an even keel and it's time to eradicate my debt! 

8) One day a week w/o jeans. 
  - It shouldn't be too hard

9) Bring treats to work once a month
  - We have several bakers in our mists at work. I'd love to share my tasty talent. 

10) One savory and one sweet new recipe each month. 
  - Classics are classics but I have a pintrest board full of things to try! 


What are some of yours?

BRB: Blog on hold

The holiday's are kicking my butt time wise. I haven't even posted since November. Sorry guys. With the New Year expect the blog to be revived. Happy Holidays!! I hope they are both merry and bright.

Photos: Don't Be To Serious

Photos: Rory and some randoms

These are just some random photos that I keep meaning to share. Five of them are of my cat Rory, 3 are of tea or coffee, and one is of my brother and boyfriend. 

The last row has some soft claws on Rory to keep him from scratching. They are plastic nail covers that you can buy. Rory hates them so now we just keep his nails trimmed. 

Review: Web Store: Adagio Tea

While I have long enjoyed Teavanna teas, there is another tea company slowly stealing my affections. That would be Adagio teas.

Two big differences are Teavanna sells there tea starting at 2 ounces and the prices range from under $5 to over $20. Adagio teas sells their blended tea in 3 ounce bags and the prices are either $9 or $10.

Now if you prefer to buy tea that isn't blended there are many more options. This type of pricing actually keeps them pretty competitive. Not to mention all of the choices.

My package arrived on a Friday so they wished me a good weekend! Aw! While personal notes aren't always included little things like this can really set a company apart. 

Why has Adagio Teas suddenly drawn my attention? I'm a nerd! While they offer a massive variety of tea they also let you blend your own teas (choosing up to three types of tea to blend together.) Then you can save your tea and also add an image. 

Fans from shows, movies, comics .... what ever you can think of, make tea blends to match up with characters or themes in the show. 

These three teas are TARDIS, Harry Potter, and Dodge.  

(I had to make this image larger just to show it off.) The website does an amazing job of letting you know what you are getting. This is an example for the TARDIS blend. They display the three teas. You may have noticed that each pouch has it's own image.

They even joke that the pouch for the Tardis is bigger on the inside so you get 4oz for just $9. (The tardis is a spaceship that is much bigger on the inside for those of you who don't watch Dr. Who)

This is another part of Adagio that I love. There is what I'm nerding out about right on the label!

That is included a little further down the page. There are reviews on the left, information and video reviews in the center.

I also appreciate how much social networking is involved.

When you decided to brew some tasty nerd tea (or what ever it is you may have found) you can get "Frequent Cup" points if you tweet or share it on facebook. You can also link your facebook to Adagio and other facebook friends can see what tea you are into and read your reviews.

Photos: Halloween Costumes

Review: Black Friday Apps

Thanksgiving and Black Friday are right around the corner. Last year I reviewed several Black Fridays app. I was going to RE-review them but they haven't changed much. TGI Black Friday is still my favorite and now they have a TGI Cyber Monday.

Here is a list of the reviewed apps:
Fat Wallet
Dealsnews.com app
Dealtaker.com app
bradsdeals.com app
TGI Black Friday

Have a happy Thanksgiving!!

Photos: Craft Fair

I love fall and craft fairs. Also that second photo is a walking taco! 

Photos: Rory's Petco Order

With free shipping after $49 and a $5 reward balance all of these toys were free. The green bag was  a free sample of wet cat food. 

This litter box cleans it's self when you roll it to the right and then back. All of the cat droppings are collected in the little drawer. I've used it for a few weeks. It's amazing. I didn't want to post pictures of it working (because that's gross). If you go to the petco page, there is a video and the guy uses ping pong balls to simulate how it works. SO COOL! The blue dish is a water fountain because Rory gets confused with still water. What a silly kitty. 

Review: Restaurant: Fujiyama in Marion

After going to both the Carbondale and Marion Fujiyama locations, something was pretty obvious. If you want to dine in but you don't want to eat hibachi then you should go to the one in Marion. If you are going FOR hibachi then go to the one in Carbondale. 

Carbondale (not pictured): Small corral of tables for dining but has a large well spaced hibachi area. 

Marion: While it is in the mall, it feels like a stand alone restaurant. The first two photos are of the front of it (yes it has it's own entrance.) The last photo is of the dinning area. There are booths, tables, and everything is well spaced and spread out. The sushi bar is at the end of the room. My friend Rachel and I LOVE sushi. When we feel the need to splurge, we go to the one in Marion. The food doesn't taste ANY different, but the atmosphere is much more mellow. 

Any food I've had from Fujiyama's is always stellar. I didn't mention the Marion hibachi because I've never seen it myself, but I've heard the Carbondale one is much nicer. 

Baking: salvaging burnt cookies

I burnt about three dozen cookies after I forgot to rearrange my oven racks, after roasting a turkey. I found that I could remove MOST of the burnt part with a potato peeler. When I served the cookies, no one could tell. I even told some people and they seemed surprised that they couldn't taste it.

HTS!: Shopkick: Free Giftcards

Shopkick, a smart phone app, just announced this today.

"From now until November 30th, receive a $2 Target GiftCard in the app when you walk into any Target store just 2 times. Go ahead -- spend on all the ingredients you need to make Thanksgiving the best ever. 

Enjoy,
shopkick"

If you don't have shopkick on your smartphone you can click HERE. 

Shopkick is an app that can tell where you are at. When you walk through the doors of certain stores it gives you 'walk in' points. You simply have to have the app open when you are in the mall or when you walk in the store.



When you are in a store you also have the option to scan items for even more points. It's like a store scavenger hunt.

You can browse flyers for stores near you to find exclusive deals.

The points you collect can be used to buy giftcards and more!