Mandii's Muse

One of our free appetizers! On Friday, I went to Columbus Ohio to see the Pittsburgh Penguins take on the Blue Jackets. I went on a bus with my aunt and uncle, along with my uncle's nephew. We left at 12:00 and arrived at Easton Town Center at 3:30ish. Easton Town Center is absolutely incredible! It is an outdoor shopping center with over 150 stores and 35 restaurants. After spending a very short time there, I already want to go back and shop until I drop! We ate at a restaurant called Bar Louie. Our tour guide had given us a coupon book and Bar Louie had a coupon for a free appetizer with the purchase on an entree. So, we showed our waitress the coupons and she said that we could do it! Win! So we ended up getting 4 appetizers that totaled around $50. My buffalo chicken flat bread was half off for Happy Hour, so my bill only came to $5.50. So, it was a cheap dinner stop. The view from the seats!  Next, it was time to head to Nationwide Arena. Our seats were up high, ...

I am so glad today is Friday! I am linking up with Lauren like I usually do! Here is what I am loving this week! This was from my first game at Consol 1. I am going to see the Pittsburgh Penguins in Columbus today! I am SO excited! 2. I have become pretty obsessed with the show Chicago P.D. It keeps you hanging, and your blood pumping! I can't wait for next Wednesday's episode! 3. Starting April 1, I am going to add some cardio into my Image found here workout routine. I am excited and nervous at the same time. Think happy thoughts for me, ok? 4. On Monday, I am going to sub for an art teacher...I am pretty sure the kiddos can draw better than I can! 5. I have begun to stockpile a list of things I want to buy for Summer and Spring. Some items are clothes, some are makeup, and some are just totally random. Do you want to see a blog about those items I want? Let me know! What have you loved this week? I'd love to hear from you! Leave me a comment and let...

I am going on a bus trip to Columbus, OH tomorrow. My aunt, uncle, my uncle's nephew, and I are going to see the Penguins take on the Blue Jackets! I have packed a few essentials that I feel are needed for a day trip, and wanted to share them with you! Cosmetic Bag- We are leaving at 12:00 pm and not returning home until 1:00 am. So it will be a long day. I wanted to pack some makeup essentials that can help me freshen up. I am using my Tibi bag that I got with a Birchbox purchase! Here is what I packed! Blotting papers Powder and retractable brush Hair tie* Hairspray* Contact case and solution  Glasses Wide tooth comb Travalo* Wet Ones Wisp Mini lunchbox- With bottled water and some healthy snacks inside! (KIND bars, nuts, rice cakes, etc) For this trip, I will be using my cross body purse that I got from Marshalls. The brand is Giani Berini. It is light, small, and can hold just enough. I will also be taking my camera, so I can share the experience with YOU...

Since we are "officially" in Spring (although it snowed here last night) I wanted to give you some of my favorite Spring posts I have done on the blog! Maybe one day soon, it will actually feel like Spring, and the ground won't be white from the snow. Even though I am on a healthy eating plan, I fully intend to make these sticky buns. They are just that good! Since Spring isn't here yet, I am doing my best on wearing colors like it was here! I still love these polishes for my Spring nails! If the snow would ever go away, you can begin to prep your yard! My dad is the Lawn King, and you can find some of  his tips here! How are you getting ready for Spring? I'd love to hear from you, leave me a comment !

I don't consider myself to be a very trendy person. I do however, notice patterns in the clothes I wear. This is what today's post is about! In the recent weeks, I have been wearing a lot of the same types of clothes. If you have been reading this blog for a while, some of these pieces will look familiar. The first trend I have noticed on me is stripes. I just can't get enough of horizontal stripes lately! I have more than my fair share of stripes in my overly stuffed closet. Green and Blue sweater: Faded Glory found at Wal-Mart. This is definitely wearable in the Spring and Summer as well because it can get chilly at night. Grey and Pink t-shirt: No Boundaries found at Wal-Mart. I LOVE this t-shirt! The colors are perfect for warmer weather, and I can't wait to wear this with a tan!! It instantly brightens up your face! Black and White shirt: a.n.a. An New Approach found at JC Penney. This is just able to go with anything from white shorts to black leggings....

My Ipsy bag came in the mail, and I absolutely love getting my Ipsy bags each month! There is nothing better than receiving makeup in the mail! Unless it is money, money is good. This month, the bag was absolutely adorable! It is so colorful, and tells me that Spring is on the way! Here is what was in my Ipsy bag this month! Chella Eyeliner Pen| Indigo: Okay, I need to gush. You know I LOVE my Blue Devils, and that March Madness is starting. So, this eyeliner is perfect for when I want to play up my eyes with a little Duke blue. I am still learning to line my upper lash line, but this will be great for my lower lash line! Pixi| Flawless Beauty Primer: This primer is slightly peachy in color, and slightly shimmery. I am anxious to see how this works on my oily skin. I will keep you informed! NYX Love in Rio| Cabana Boy: This eyeshadow is very metallic and the brown is matte, and highly pigmented! I am excited to give this a try and see how it looks! Stay tuned for a review in t...

My monthly Birchbox came! I love getting little presents in the mail! Here is what was in my box this month! Beauty Protector| Protect and Detangle: This is said to lock in color, and protect from heat damage. I will definitely be trying this out when I am finished using some other samples. You know I love any type of product for my hair! *This smells amazing!* COOLA| Tinted Matte SPF 30 for Face: I am so excited to try this! I love the fact that is is matte, and has SPF 30 in it. This could be great for the Summer months! I will definitely be reviewing this for you all! Gilchrist & Soames| London Collection Body Lotion: This body lotion seems like it would be rich and emollient. The scent is light and "organic" and earthy. I will definitely be using this on my horribly dry winter skin. Harvey Prince| Cherie Blossom: If you have been reading my blog, you know that I am a HUGE fan of Harvey Prince perfumes. Cherie Blossom is a slightly musky, slightly floral ...

A! A! Chooooo! GOD Bless You! Did you have a cold this winter? Do you have indoor allergies?  Spring and summer are upon us, (hopefully) and if you are like my family and I, we struggle with all kind of allergies.  I want to introduce you to NASACORT. Wow! It really opens up your nasal passages so that you can breathe again. *I'm a BzzAgent, and was sent this to review*  My mom and dad were suffering from sinusitis and they both snored so loud at night that they broke the sound barrier! Mom tried it first, two shots up the ole nose and she was able to breathe freely. Dad tried it the next night along with mom. Although he sneezed, and sneezed, it broke up the gunk and he was able to get it out, and was able to breathe much better. Best night sleep I had in a couple weeks! (Haha!) They both seemed to struggle a little throughout the day so they each took one shot in the morning and one before bed.  It worked all day and night. So when a cold or allergies ha...

I had planned on doing a lot more for St. Patty's Day, but it was a low key instead.  However, I did do a few things to get in the Irish spirit! I swear this shirt is green... I had to sub today, so I wore a green sweater, and then when I got home I changed into my Love Celtics shirt that I got from Old Navy. It instantly says "Irish!" Next, I listened to Celtic Thunder. It is extra special this year, because one of the principal singers George, passed away so suddenly last Thursday. Needless to say, all of the Celtic Thunder fans are pretty sad right now. I mean, you DO have to listen to Celtic Thunder on St. Patty's Day! Lastly, I made some Irish coffee! Nothing says "Irish" than coffee, brown sugar, whipped cream, and whiskey. Right?! I'd love to hear what you did for St. Patrick's Day! Leave me a comment and let me know! Ryan Kelly~one of the principal singers of Celtic Thunder It is also my Grandpa's 91st birthday today! He i...

I wanted to share with you one outfit I wore while subbing this week. I have been absolutely loving chiffon tops lately. They are just so light, and easy to wear. This is a top that I can easily transition in to Spring and Summer because they are so lightweight. The day that I wore this outfit it was still snowy and cold, so I was able to wear boots with it. It was a simple outfit, that was comfortable and classy at the same time. *Let's just talk about how hard it is taking outfit shots by yourself. I know my head is cut off, and I'll get better taking them, I promise!* Outfit Details: Top: a.n.a  A New Approach from JC Penney Leggings: Active leggings from Lane Bryant Boots: Buckled Wedge from Lane Bryant. (I cannot get enough of these boots!) I took the picture after I had taken my accessories off, but I wore a long black necklace from Premier Designs, and the matching earrings. In the Spring and Summer, I can see this being worn with a bright statement necklace...

YouTube makes me buy things. I first saw this on Fancy That with Candice's channel. She loved it, and I loved the packaging, so I had to try it. Plus, you know I am a total sucker when it comes to lip products. ;) This Winter has really dried my skin out, especially my lips. So I need to keep them hydrated. Lypsyl Intense Protection lip balm is great. First of all, it glides on my lips like butter! Secondly, it has so many healing properties to it such as coconut oil, shea butter, and vitamins A and E. This is a beeswax based lip balm. I have the scent Original Mint, and I LOVE the scent. It gives a slight tingle when applying, but it quickly goes away. This version does not have SPF, but they do have a version that has SPF 15. How adorable is the packaging? It has a unique shape, that is still easy to apply. The bee on the slider is just too cute! (The closest I want to be to a bee!) I found my Lyspsyl at Wal-Mart, but you can also get it at Walgreens and other places as we...

I am sick of the snow and ready for Spring and Summer. A quick way to do that is through scenting my home. *I'm a BzzAgent and was sent coupons to use for this review.* These Glade Plugins Scented Oil Customizables are a no brainer!  These plug into your wall with a beautiful face plate to hide the oil. Another aspect that I liked about this is that I can rotate the plug if it didn't fit the way my outlet was set up. In the package is 2 scents. I chose the Vanilla Passion Fruit and Hawaiian Breeze. I just removed the caps from the oils, and placed them in the plugin, and I was good to go. The Glade Plugins Scented Oil Customizables are great because you can vary the strength of the scents. On the low setting, these can last up to 60 days! These plugins also alternate scents daily! One day it might be the vanilla passion fruit, the next day it could be the Hawaiian breeze! I like that it varies because scents can get boring after a while. The great thing about these plugi...

It is Friday, it is payday, and I got to wear jeans to school. Win! I'm linking up with Lauren as I usually do! Here is what I loved this week! 1. I got my hair cut on Monday, and I didn't wash it until Thursday morning! I had 3 day hair everyone! It looked great, and I still can't believe I had 3 day hair! I am left thinking, "what did my stylist do?" 2. I have been getting good use out of my Farm Kings sweatshirt! 3. I am wearing Duke blue today in honor of the big game tomorrow! 4. I have learned that shooting outfit shots are hard to do by yourself. It is probably why I don't post them often. 5. Is Spring here yet? What did you love this week? I'd love to hear from you! Leave me a comment and let me know!

I went with my parents to buy some curtains and make a stop at Home Depot the other night. It was 6:30 by the time we left, and I didn't feel like getting horribly fancy to shop at 2 stores. I also got my hair cut and highlighted so this picture shows that a little. (If you want to see a headshot picture of my hair, just let me know!) Outfit Details: My hoodie is from Freedom Farms . You know I love my Farm Kings, and I won this sweatshirt in a giveaway they were doing. It is the softest sweatshirt I have ever owned. Pete King is known as the Human Harvester. (Remember when I met the Farm Kings in October?) My jeans are my favorite T3 jeans from Lane Bryant. Their pants just fit me perfectly. My shoes are from Macy's and they are really old. Like really old. Finally, my glasses are Retro Fox, and came from Wal-Mart a while ago. As far as makeup went, I had on eyeliner and mascara, and my NYX lipstick in Miracle. That was it. So that was my outfit. I still looked cut...

I had cut this recipe out of my newspaper several years ago, and just stumbled upon it in my recipe holder. I had all of the ingredients handy, and it is a clean dish so I decided to make it! The thing I love most about this dish is that is a one pot wonder. I cooked all of my ingredients in one skillet, and put everything in one casserole dish. I love these type of meals! Here is what you need! Ingredients: Olive Oil 1/2 small onion chopped 2 cloves garlic 1 cup frozen chopped spinach (I used a 10 oz bag thawed) 1 cup quick cooking brown rice (I used minute rice and cooked it for half the time) Salt, Pepper, Onion salt, Garlic salt, Oregano 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into cubes 1 cup chicken broth Reduced fat Feta cheese 2 tbls slivered almonds Put a little bit of olive oil in a skillet, then add your onions. Add your garlic and spinach when your onions are almost done. Season with a little salt, pepper, onion and garlic salt, oregano and red pepp...

I am not a morning person. In order for me to not be a total grouch, I need to shower in the morning. There is nothing I love more than a great scented body wash to awaken me. This one from Tone wakes me up and smells great!  *I'm a BzzAgent, and was sent this body wash to review.* I was sent the scent (holy homophone!) Petal Soft, and it has scents of pink peony and rose oil. I love how this smells! It is floral, but not overpowering at all! When you use this, it fills your shower with this lovely scent. This body wash also does not linger. You would be able to put a fragrance on after using this and it would not interfere with whatever you are wearing. Tone body wash is also moisturizing. I have noticed a lot less itching on my legs since starting to use this wash. How I use this: I first wet my loofa, and put a nickel sized amount on it, and begin scrubbing! Then I rinse, and enjoy the scent! I found Tone Body Wash at my Wal-Mart for $3.50. This is a great value! They al...