Mandii's Muse

I've done it again. #badblogger I can't wait until school is out and I have free time to write, photograph, and post my blogs! As usual, I am linking up with Lauren ! Here are my thoughts about the week! 1. It's Friday, and for that I am very grateful! 2. I am getting my hair cut tomorrow! I'm keeping my length, but I might add a few extra layers to give me more volume! I can't wait! My hair has been especially knotty when I get out of the shower. 3. I ordered new contacts and glasses from Wal-Mart Vision Center. I've had really good luck with them! 4. Did any of you catch the premier of The Night Shift on Tuesday? I think this will be a good replacement for me until Chicago Fire comes back on! 5. I am very much looking forward to sleeping in! What did you love about the week? Leave me a comment and let me know! I'd love to hear from you!

I have a new favorite mascara combination, and I really am loving the results! My lashes are not thick, and I need any help I can get. The best part about this combo is that it is under $10! Mascara #1: Maybelline Lots of Lashes I love this mascara because of its tapered wand. It can reach every little lash on my inner corner. I make sure and coat my lashes really well, and make sure they are separated. Mascara #2: Jordana Best Lash Extreme Volume This mascara has a fat wand, that really plumps up my lashes. I can coat my lashes and it doesn't clump or make me have "spider" lashes. I have also been using my Precision eyelash curler that I got in my recent Ipsy bag, and I have noticed a HUGE difference in how my lashes are curled. It lasts all day!! If you have a new favorite mascara, leave me a comment and let me know! I'd love to hear your suggestions!!

Me in NYC 2011 I wanted to wish my readers a Happy Memorial Day. Take a minute today to thank those brave men and women who have served our country. I applaud your braveness and thank you for keeping us free! I hope you enjoy whatever plans you have today, and are spending it with the ones you love. Have a Great Day!!

I apologize in advance for the over-use of exclamation points.  I am SO excited that today is Friday! It seems like this week has dragged on forever. I am very much looking forward to the 3 day weekend. I'm linking up with Lauren as I usually do! Here is what I loved about this week! Image 1. My cousin's bridal shower is on Sunday. She's getting married in August! I can't wait to see everyone, I love weddings! 2. My mom and I loved our yoga classes so much we signed up for another 3 sessions! 3. I am kind of bummed my shows are over until Fall. I'm not sure I can wait until then!! 4. Did I mention that I'm glad today is Friday? 5. I'm going to try really hard to schedule my blogs for the next few weeks. What did you love about this week? Leave me a comment and let me know!

The end of the school year is fast approaching, and I have been super busy subbing. The teachers want to use their personal days in the warm weather. (I don't blame them!) So again, I'm sorry for the lack of blogs this week. I have literally been passed out early every single night. Today, I have my May Birchbox to show you, and a special surprise they sent me! Here is what was in my box this month! CoTZ| Face Natural Skin Tone SPF 40- This is a tinted sunscreen that leaves a matte finish. This would be great for days when I don't want a full face of makeup but still want to be protected from the sun. Cynthia Rowley Beauty| Black Eyeliner- I have a ton of black eyeliners, so I think this one will be going to a friend. This is said to be smudge proof, and lasts all day. Nexxus| Color Assure Primer, Shampoo, Conditioner- This is one of the most unique things in my box. There is a pre-wash primer that you put in your hair to help protect your color, then a special sha...

My Ipsy bag arrived in the mail, and it has a ton of great things I can use for the upcoming warmer weather!! Here is what my bag consisted of!! Precision Beauty: Eyelash Curler- This is obviously full size. I am excited to try this out. My one from ELF is starting to get beat up, and this looks like a great replacement. Plus, it is purple! How fun! Hang Ten: Classic Sport Sunscreen- This is SPF 50, and will be great on the days I do not want to get any sun. I've never heard of this brand, but I love the packaging!! Boo-Boo Cover Up: Concealer- Ipsy knows me so well. I was looking for a concealer to do some "patchwork" around my eyes and some blemishes I have. This looks like a great color match, and seems to cover well when swatched. I will do a full review when I use it for a while! Eva NYC: Therapy Session Hair Mask- Love, love, love hair masks for Summer! I can't wait to give this a try and see how my hair looks afterwards. I'll be sure to give yo...

Image Happy Friday! I sure hope your week went well, and the storms weren't too much of a bother, and you were kept safe! I linked up with  Lauren  as usual! Here is what I loved about this week! 1. No school today~hello 3 day weekend! 2. I went to my Bubba's (grandma) Mothers and Daughters Banquet last night. It was a fun time. 3. When I was watching the Grey's Anatomy season finale last night, I was instantly taken back to my freshman year of college and being in the dorms and watching Grey's in the common room with my friends. 4. I'm crossing my fingers for dry weather today! 5. Yoga was fantastic again this week! I am so relaxed afterwards!! What did you love about this week? Leave me a comment and let me know!

Today I wanted to share with you some of my favorite Summer outfit inspired pins on Pinterest. I am SO ready for it to be Summer. Let's get on with the outfits! Image I love this easy dress. The rope belt screams nautical, the nude sandals enhance tan legs, and the gold bag is just perfection.  Image This outfit is great for those cool evenings out. You are kept warm by the light sweatshirt, and the added silver accents on the bag, shoes, and necklace make the mint color pop! Image This outfit is simply perfect. The turquoise pops on the pink shirt, the pink skirt pops against the white pants. You look pulled together and cute all in one! What types of outfits has Pinterest inspired for you? I'd love to see them! Leave me a comment and let me know!

Image found here Right now, I am in full on Summer mode. I am ready for the warm weather, not subbing for a few months, and soaking up all Summer has to offer! I think that this time is a great opportunity to work on projects that you put off throughout the year. I know I have a few that I want to do, and I want to share them with you! Project #1: Organizing my Drawers I have some drawers where things are just thrown in there. In one drawer I have SEVERAL lipsticks, my camera, extra jewelry that doesn't fit in my jewelry box in there. I want to get my lipsticks into a small bin, and place my jewelry in a bin so I can easily grab it when I need it.  My sock and undergarment drawer is a mess! It seems like I have a lot of socks with holes in them, and I just need to get rid of them! I have a few new pairs that wouldn't fit in my drawer, so I am going to swap the old ones out for the new ones. Project #2: Create A Blog Binder In this binder, I want to include a...

I am beyond excited it is Friday!! I'm linking up with Lauren , as usual! Here are the highlights of my week! 1. Do you watch Chicago Fire, and Chicago P.D? Holy cow! These past few episodes have been INTENSE! 2. The weather yesterday was absolutely wonderful! 3. I have done a much better job planning my posts for this week! 4. My mom and I took a yoga class, and we really liked it! We are going back next week! Any tips for us beginners?? Image found here 5. The Penguins are 1 win away from finishing up the Rangers! Let's Go Pens!!! What did you love about this week? Leave me a comment and let me know!!!

I think Summer is the perfect time to read books. You can sit outside on cool mornings or crisp evenings and just read until your heart's content. In college, I was on a committee to help pick the book the incoming freshman would read the Summer before they entered college. It was a fun experience that I am glad I could take part of! Here are 3 books that I want to read this Summer. Image found here I have always wanted to read the original Five Love Languages book, but since I have found the Single's version , I will read that. I think this is a great way to learn about someone and how they convey love. Each person's love language is different, and what works for one person, might not work for another. The 30 Life Principles will help me strengthen my relationship with God. This book is almost like a Bible Study, so I might read this one weekly. That way, I can take time to reflect on what I have read, and apply it into my life. Now for the funny one... Being ...

This has strawberries, raspberries and blackberries in it! I recently got this new water bottle from Wal-Mart. It was $6, and has a built in infuser, the brand is Contigo. This water bottle holds 28 oz. Generally I love water, but sometimes it can get boring. So I thought this water bottle was perfect. I experimented with some recipes of my own. I like infusing my water because it is natural, and I know what is in my drink. Recipes: I squeezed 3 small lemon wedges into the infuser, and put about 6 mint leaves on top. I filled the bottle with water, and placed it in the fridge overnight. I loved this water because the mint gave it a nice smooth taste, and the lemons made it fresh. (I have also used just lemons, and it is good as well!) Here are a few recipes I found on Pinterest that I want to try as well! (Are you following me ?) Infuser from the top This one has several different varieties I can make with fruits and some herbs. I can't wait to make this orange ...

Aside from Christmas and the 4th of July, Cinco de Mayo is one of my favorite "eating" holidays. I absolutely love Mexican food. I have made these enchiladas for the past 3 years, and they always get rave reviews. (If you want a recipe, let me know!) *I'm sorry about the picture quality, my lighting was terrible!! My Plate: I have my enchiladas, rice, and black beans mixed together. I topped my enchilada with plain Greek yogurt, and chopped green onions. I also drizzled a little extra enchilada sauce on top! I didn't get a picture of this, but I put some nacho cheese, salsa, and the extra taco meat in case anyone wanted to make loaded nachos. YUM! How did you celebrate Cinco de Mayo? Leave me a comment and let me know!

Today I am linking up with Andrea for her "What's On..." series. Cool fact about Andrea, she is a middle school math teacher. Bless her. I think this link up is such a cute idea! I'm one of those people who drive past houses, and if their curtains are open I look inside! (Please tell me you do that too, and I'm not some weirdo!) So today, it is "What's On My Nightstand?" My nightstand is actually a pretty decent size. It is a 3 drawer nightstand, that matches my bedroom suite. On my nightstand I have Reshaping It All by Candace Cameron Bure. This is what I am currently reading, and I am really loving it so far. (Look for a book review when I finish!)  Next, I have my alarm clock that I got  years ago. I can't even tell you how old that thing is! I have a cordless phone and the dock. My room can get dark so I have a lamp that I can turn on when I don't want to have my big light on. I have a basket with lip balms, lotions, and some Klee...

Hi! I'm Mandii, and I have been a horrible blogger this week. I didn't plan well, and I hate that. Please tell me that you have weeks like that too!? I am already starting to plan for next week. Today however, I am linking up with Lauren like I usually do on Friday's! Image found here 1. I bought my Celtic Thunder ticket for their Christmas tour. I am excited! 2. My mom and I are going to be trying yoga for the first time next week. Do you have any tips for us? 3. My cousin is coming over on Saturday for a little girl time. It will be so relaxing, and laughter will be had! Image found here 4. Cinco de Mayo is on Monday. I can't wait! Mexican food is one of my favorites! 5. The produce auction I go to every summer is starting back up again! I can't wait to go and buy vegetables and flowers! What did you love about this week? I'd love to hear your thoughts, leave me a comment ! P.S. Can you give me some pointers on helping me plan better?...