January Birchbox Man "Go Time" Box Review

Birchbox Man is a men's subscription service that costs $20/month. Each month includes men's grooming items and a fun lifestyle item. A year subscription is $195, which provides a savings of $45, if you decide to go that way! This has been such a fun subscription! It would be an awesome gift for that hard to buy for man in your life!! And a great way to up your/his style game for the new year! ;)

The January box is themed Go Time and is supposed to focus on simply putting one foot in front of the other for a fresh start in 2014. No vague resolutions or get-fit-quick schemes, just starting simple to set the tone for a healthy game plan that will actually last all year. Sounds good to me! 

Here's first looks:

And the breakdown:

Tommy John 360 Sport Trunk, $31 - These look great but sadly they sent us a Large this time? We've gotten Mediums in other styles, so not sure why the size change. Hopefully I can find someone to swap or these will find their way to eBay :( 

Reviver Dry Deodorant Wipes, $2.70 - These are a great idea! A wipe to run over your clothes to remove all smells. I'm kind of psycho about bad smells... I don't even like food cooked in the house for the most part. So these are great for me! LOL! And one of our favorite Louisville restaurants, Hammerheads, leaves you smelling like a smoked pig, so these would be prefect for after dinner there! ;)

Ernest Supplies Soap Free Gel Face Wash, $1.85 - How cute is this container? I love the camping vibe of it! Hubs has already been using it. It gets great reviews online!

English Laundry Notting Hill Cologne, $2 - Love the gold package! Hubs has so many fun new fragrances to try!

Proraso Shave Cream, $.70 - The little barber shop package of this one is cute! 

I came up with a total value of about $38 for this box, which as usual is higher than the cost. Not the highest value box we've received and a bit of a miss for us based solely on sizing of the lifestyle item.

You get $1 in Birchbox points for each item you review so, after the reviews, the box actually only cost me about $7.40 (I purchased a year subscription with a special deal a few months back). This wasn't my favorite box from Birchbox Man but I overall love this subscription and can't wait to see what they send next!! 

Royal Caribbean Allure of the Seas Part 4: Onboard Shows

Time for my last installment of our cruise review! You can read Part 1, Part Two  and Part Three to catch up if you'd like! 

As mentioned before, the weather was crazy and we had a couple of days onboard that were severely limited by it. This affected the shows, too, since some were outside and most would have compromised the safety of the performers since the ship was rocking soooo much (yes, THAT much. It was nuts.). 

Once the ship settled a bit, we were able to see a few of the shows. And the two that my kiddo performed in were towards the end of the cruise, so they went on as planned! 

Blue Planet Aerial Acrobatic Show

The girls and I loved this show. It was elaborate and creative and involved a big nature theme where scenes took place in all kinds of environments and a Mother Nature character united all the scenes. I had to find a few pictures online. We were right in the front and I was unable to sneak my own pics of this one! ;)

How to Train Your Dragon Ice Show

This was actually an awesome ice show! It was fun for all ages in our group, from 7 to 67! And we all love this movie, so it was an extra fun one to see come to "life"! 

* There was a different ice show called Ice Games but we were unable to see it on the limited occasions when it was available.

OceanAria Aqua Show

This show takes place in the outdoor aqua theater on the back of the ship. There is an 18 ft deep pool and there are diving stations up to 62 feet in the air! It's like Cirque du Soleil O "light" (and if you get the chance to see that show in Vegas, DO IT. It's freaking amazing!). The first few shows were cancelled due to the ship rocking and the ship was STILL rocking too much for this show in my opinion when we saw it! Yikes!! Glad it wasn't my kid or husband up there jumping (my 7 year old said she'd happily go from the top!? Noooooo). Was a fun show and good value as part of included entertainment! 

The only fools in the "splash zone"! LOL

Special Guests: Stars at Sea Performances

This is the reason we went! For our 9 year old to shine on stage. And shine, she did! She absolutely rocked it and had a BLAST. They got the chance to have a workshop with some of the performers from the big shows and it was really cool to meet and learn from people who are entertaining for a living. Her school did an amazing job and we were all so proud!! 

That little one on the left in the purple, though! ;)

We were unable to see Chicago because so many of the showings were extremely late and it wasn't appropriate for our kids. I was sad to hear that the guest performer on the cruise the week after ours was Kristin Chenoweth! What??? That would have been cool! 

There were other nighttime comedy shows, etc., that we skipped to spend the time in the room with the girls.

So, final thoughts...

Would we go on a cruise again? Maybe... if the kid is performing again, sure. If it's just a trip that we choose and book ourselves? Would probably need to be a more exciting itinerary and maybe places that aren't necessarily ideal to visit on their own (Turkey, Israel..).

Was it what you expected? Yes and no. We expected the tiny rooms, big crowds, buffet food. We didn't expect entertainment quality to be as high as it was nor did we expect weather to be so chilly and swimming options and desirability to be so limited. The whole thing definitely made more sense to us on the days that we were able to get off the ship and see something destination-wise.

Did the kids like it? Absolutely. They LOVED it. They didn't notice any of the things that the adults found less than ideal. They both say they would pick it over a week at a beach. 

Was it worth it? I would pay any amount to provide such an amazing opportunity for my kiddo and to be there to cheer her on. Was it worth close to twice what it costs to book an all-inclusive in a 4-5 star resort someplace like Cancun just for a regular vacation? Not for us.

Let me know if you have any other questions! It was quite the learning experience, for sure! Happy travels! 

January Giveaway worth $190+!

Oh yay! Time for another giveaway! This one will help you get started with a beautiful and organized year! :) 

Here's what's included:

* Graphic Image 2014 Leather Planner, $90

* $30 Code for Canvas Pop - expires 1/31/14, so figure out what you'd like to order! :D

* Code for free online workouts

* Curl Keeper Sample

* Alterna Dry Shampoo Sample

* NYX Eyeshadow, $5

* Juice Beauty Lip Gloss, $15

* Julep Double Step Foot Treatment Stick, $22

* Model Co Fibre LASHXTEND mascara, $24

To enter please use the Rafflecopter box below. Giveaway open to legal residents of the US 18+. Winning entry will be verified so please follow instructions! Good luck! 


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Ipsy Glam Bag December 2013 Celebration Review

Ah, Ipsy.... How do I love thee? Let me count the ways again.... Only $10 a month? Check. Products that are often FULL-size? Check. Tons of value for my money? Check. Super fun products? Check. On and on and on.... If you are thinking of trying a subscription service but you don't know where to start, start HERE!! Enough of the love letters, let's get to what is in the December Celebration bag!

First looks:

Always excited to see that fuchsia envelope!

And the breakdown:

Ardell Eyelashes, $3 - Hmmm.. I keep getting faux lashes. I think this is a sign that, in addition to embracing a bolder lip, I need to work on embracing the fake lash in 2014!

Pop Beauty Eye Shadow Palette, $7 - Pretty, basic colors. The last thing I need right now, though! So passing these along.

Bombshell The One Stick, $16 - I like this brand a lot and am a fan of anything that streamlines routine - this can be used as lip gloss, eyeshadow and cheek tint!

J. Cat Big Lip Pencil, $4 - Never been much of a lip pencil fan. I just can't seem to get it right? I'm sure it's one of those things like eyeliner that just takes practice!

Starrily Nail Polish Bzzz Bzzz, $4 - Looks just like a glittery bumble bee! Cute!

This month's bag had a value of $34. Probably not my favorite bag ever but I'm excited about the glitter polish and the Bombshell stick! If you would like to try Ipsy (and really, it's $10! Who wouldn't??), please use my referral link and GO FOR IT! It's a little present to myself that I look SO forward to each month! Can't wait to see what January brings! :D

PopSugar Must Haves December 2013 Box Review

YAY!!! It's PopSugar time!! This box and $10/month Ipsy are my two FAVORITE subscription services out there!! If you are thinking of subscribing to a box and aren't sure where to start, I'd suggest you start with one of those two! 

PopSugar always sells out. Sign up now to hopefully get the January box! PopSugar is $40/month and gets a little cheaper with longer commitment. There is a RARE deal right now to save $30 off of a three month subscription - use code 3FOR2 to get three months for only $79.95! Or you can always use code REFER5 to save $5 on your first PopSugar box!

Now, on to December's Must Haves!! 

Here's first looks:

And the breakdown:

Ghiradelli Chocolates, $7 and CC Made Gourmet Corn, $4 - These little chocolates made their way into various Christmas gift bags! My kids are in love with the Peppermint bark! 

MIXT Wrapping Paper, $9 - This is the kind of fancy stuff that I love to give and receive but never seem to spend the money on. Happy to have it! 

Lashxtend Mascara, $20 - Always excited to try new mascaras! Always looking for one to convince me it's worth more than my beloved Maybelline versions! ;)

NCLA Nail Wraps, $16 - These are super cute and I totally meant to use them for Christmas and forgot... what happened to the holidays, anyway?? Blur... So, I'm thinking I'll use them for a University of Louisville event and just do some black "L's" or something over them!

Givino Go Anywhere Flutes, $13 - These are plastic and can be packed for drinks on the go. The girls and I were impressed with the little thumb grooves on the sides! Hey, it's the little things! LOL!

Lulu Frost for Popsugar bracelet, $100 - The opinions on this are mixed but I love it! I thought it was so cool to get a piece uniquely made for PopSugar and I like the art deco/salvage/vintage feel! 

I came up with a value of $169 for this box! Awesome!! I know that people have mixed feeling about the bracelet but I really love it so the box is a huge hit for me! PopSugar consistently gives me great value for my money and I can't wait to see what they send this month! Be sure to use code 3FOR2 to get three months for $79.95 or REFER5 for $5 off your first month if you sign up! 

FabFitFun VIP Winter 2013 Box Review + COUPON

FabFitFun is a quarterly subscription box curated by Giuliana Rancic. Each box costs $49.99 with shipping included and will include the hottest seasonal items in beauty, fashion, fitness and wellness with a retail value of over $120. 

The inaugural box launched in the spring and had tons of issues (out of date items, missing items, wide range of values). I had a few issues with the Summer box but was totally happy with how customer service handled everything. The Fall box was a hit for me and I've been looking forward to the winter box! 

Here's first looks:

And the breakdown:

The info cards keep getting better and better! Love that all of the prices are included! 

$20 gift certificate to Me Undies. Excited to try this one!
$25 credit at Physique 57 online workouts.

Skyn Iceland Relief Eye Cream, $45 - Seriously, there aren't many beauty products I'm more excited to see than eye cream! This one is next when the Lancome I'm currently using is gone!

NYX Eye Shadow Palette, $8 - Pretty, pretty colors. I have soooo much eye shadow and so many palettes right now! This one might get passed along.

Beauty For Real Lip Gloss, $22 - A little bright for me but I'm thinking that's one of my goals for 2014, embracing the bold lip! One genius aspect of this one, it includes a little mirror and built in light! Brilliant!

Bioxidea Miracle 24 Mask, $19 - Second only to eye creams? I LOVE getting masks to try! And I'll use anything with "miracle" in the name! Haha!

The Giving Keys Necklace, $55 - This was a spoiler for this box and I was super pumped about it. I purchased a Giving Keys necklace on a trip to California and have loved it. Love the concept behind these - you wear the key and pass it along to someone who needs the message on it more than you. The company employs people looking to transition out of homelessness to help California communities at grassroots level. Love.

Lorna Jane Bracelet, $30 - This is a new one for me. A "symbol of sisterhood and a daily reminder to move, nourish and believe." Love the bright pink! Would have bought it for that alone! ;)

Simple Foaming Facial Cleanser, $8 - Love Simple products, I'm sure I'll love this basic cleanser!

TruEnergy Inspired Earbuds, $40 - I'm pretty partial to my Bose earbuds, so these will probably be passed along. Love the bright color, though, and the built in splitter to let people listen together! 

This box had a value of $271. A great deal for $49.99!! I was really happy with the assortment of items. Let's be honest, I was going to be happy with the necklace alone, so everything else was really just bonus! Haha! 

If you love this box, I think you can sign up now and still get this exact one! Use code EARLY5 to save $5 and please use one of my referral links! Thank you!! :)