Happy Two Weeks Into 2012

Well, after much trouble logging into this blogspot account ( I was on some deranged loop that kept returning to the sign-on screen) I can finally post my New Year salutations. Sorry it's late, but it was written during the Patriots/Bills game on January 1. Carry on!
Happy New Year, friends! I wish each of you a great 2012 filled with health, success and prosperity.
I've got a bit going on in January. If you've spent any time in the last month looking at my blog, you'll have seen a few product reviews. I'm part of Influenster and have enjoyed trying new products for the holiday season. We'll see if I'm chosen for any more sampling in the coming months.
My photography has been doing well and I have placed first in two contests with two of my pictures. Very unexpected! I never thought I would be into photography as much as my writing, but I've found it to be another great outlet for my creativity.
I know I haven't mentioned my foray into self-publishing in the past, but back in October, I used a pen-name and sent some of my scribblings out into the real-world. My big conundrum now is whether or not to rework it a bit and publish under my own name. After all, most people know me under this name.
Our winter here has been unremarkable. We've had no measurable snow and really no cold days to speak of! I'm not complaining! On January 1, I saw people wearing flip flops and sweatshirts when we would normally have thick wool coats and boots on. Groundhog Day is just about two and half weeks away and I'm crossing my fingers that the big storms stay far, far away.
My nights this winter have been filled with lots of reading and I've been getting through two or three books a week. And you can count me in the masses of people who are hooked on Downton Abbey!
That's all the news that's fit to print from my little corner of the world.
How is everyone enjoying 2012 so far? I've been reading great news and accomplishments in the Facebook and Twittter feeds!
PS...Next blog: The wrap up (FINALLY) of my Disney trip :-)

Reviewing X Out

I admit that even as I have aged, my skin still has a tendency to be oily and break out on occasion. I'm always looking for something new to try and when my Influenster Holiday VoxBox had X Out in it, I rolled up my sleeves and tried it to see how it would work.
Before trying it I did some research by visiting the product website http://www.xout.com which is also the place to purchase the product.
What is great is that this is a one step product and NOT a 3 or 4 product regimen. This saves time and is great for those of us who travel frequently. It is formulated to wash and treat your skin to 'X-Out' breakouts. You will get enough product for 30 days of use and you will get a bonus moisturizer with purchase.
I used it sparingly at first to see how my skin would react and am pleased to say that it is not overdried.
I recommend this for ease of use!

Reviewing Montagne Jeunesse Strawberry Souffle Face Mask

What a treat to get to to try this product in my Influenster Holiday VoxBox! This was the first Montagne Jeunesse product that I've tried but will not be the last.
I was impressed that the company uses vegetarian-friendly ingredients and is free of parabens and not tested on animals.
The instructions say to RELAX when you use it and that is exactly what I did! The little packets are perfect. You get just the right amount to use and no waste. The scent was luscious and the smoothness of the product felt wonderful on my skin. It worked it's magic as I watched TV and read. After rinsing off the mask, my skin felt smooth and soothed. A real treat during the busy holiday season.
Start the year off right and pick some up at ULTA Beauty, Walgreen’s, Claire’s, Walmart, Kroger, CVS Pharmacies and other retailers. In addition to the Strawberry Souffle that I tried, some other scents are:
•Cucumber Peel Off
•Passion Peel Off
•Dead Sea Mud
•Fruit Smoothie
•Strawberry Souffle
•Chocolate Mud
A great addition to ANY beauty regimen!

The Disney Fix Part Three

My apologies for not having this post up last week. I had some issues logging in here on Blogger.
Let us proceed to the good stuff!
On Day Three, another glorious morning dawned with a bit of a chill in the air. As I wandered Pop Century with my coffee cup in hand, I took some shots of the new Art of Animation Resort across Hourglass Lake. These couple of shots were taken on November 2 2011 and show the progress up to that day.
Dad drove in to spend the day with us and he wanted to do something a little different than his normal time at Epcot. We chose to go to Hollywood Studios.
The Christmas decorations were already up at the Studios when we arrived and it was fun to see how quickly the switch from Halloween to Christmas had happened!
I so enjoyed the half day we spent at the Studios because almost everything we did was new to us. We rode the new and improved Star Tours twice, getting a different experience each time. The effects were incredible!
We finally got over to the One Man's Dream exhibit and this is being added to my must-do list for each trip. I got a little teary at the movie. I think it is required visiting for all Disney fans!
And last, we visited Toy Story Midway Mania. I had a blast! Dad and I sat together and competed, he won! What a great time!
Lunch was a fast trip to the Pop Century food court for Chicken Alfredo, one of their better offerings. After relaxing for a bit, we drove over to Epcot for Food and Wine goodness.
Our attractions this night at Epcot: Spaceship Earth, Reflections of China, Test Track and American Adventure.
I had some fun over in the China Pavilion in the display they had of replicas of the Terra Cotta Warriors. Also, just wandering through the store in the back gave me a couple of photo opportunities.

I also had my taken picture at Gary's Column, which all of you Intercot folks should know and love! :-) Sorry I'm sideways, Blogger seems to not let you edit your photos when they upload!
This was by far the best night for eating and drinking around the World Showcase. I paid cash for some of these items and they will not be included in the Free Dining Total at the end of the post.
We ate (OK...gorged on!) Escargots, Belgian Waffles(look at that picture...mmmm), Belgian Mussels, Kerrygold Cheese Selection, Linguica Plate and Pastel de Nata in Portugal and Belgian Chocolate truffles. Dad also treated me to the fine and yummy Mexican frozen margarita.
Total at end of Day Three for the Free Dining: @$125.

Next week...ALAS....the last day and the long drive back home......

Reviewing NYC New York Color Liquid Lip Shine

Yet another great product in my Influenster Holiday VoxBox!
I always love to play with new makeup and skin care products and up until now had not tried the NYC New York Color line.
The color including in my VoxBox was Nude York City, a shimmery nude shade that I tried over lipstick I wear. It adds the PERFECT amount of dewiness to my lips. I love it and the price of the NYC line is going to let me get every color that catches my eye.
Some things to keep in mind about Liquid Lipshine:
A beauty-editor favorite
Retails for $2.49
It has pure pigments that created a 3-D gloss effect.
Vitamin E provides shine and a moisturizing feel.
The formula is non-sticky, super shiny & soft.
Available in 10 on-trend shades from neutral nudes, to berries & fuchsias. Available at Walmart, Target, Rite Aid, CVS and other stores. Visit newyorkcolor.com for more information.

Reviewing imPRESS Press-on Manicure

Well, I got my first Influenster VoxBox yesterday and was excited to try all of the products that they sent.
I pulled the cutest product out of the box! In packaging shaped like a nail-polish bottle was the imPRESS Press-on Manicure. I had used press-ons in the past, but these really do live up to their claim of ease of use!
Within 10 minutes I had some snazzy nails that were the perfect length for my busy life. No waiting for polish to dry!
I am enjoying them and pleased I got the chance to sample them.
Want to know a little bit more about imPress?
This great product retails for $5.99 for colors and $7.99 for patterns, and is available at CVS, Rite Aid, Duane Reade, KMart, Walgreens, Walmart and more. Visit imPressManicure.com, where you will find an exclusive coupon and see all the colors and patterns that are available!

The Disney Fix Part Two

Day Two dawned sunny, dry and just-right warm. Animal Kingdom was the first stop today. While on the tram to get to the entrance, I was Tweeting with two of my Intercot friends who live in FL and we all agreed the weather was perfect!
Animal Kingdom is, in my opinion, one of the best parks to take pictures(yes, we are going to keep with the weekly topic of photography as promised in my blog schedule!)
I had made a wish-list of picture opportunities before I left for the trip. Kilimanjaro Safari was on the list, though I have to admit that unless you are there when it is not so busy and not packed like sardines into a safari vehicle, you are at the mercy of whatever side of the truck you're on. I did get a few good shots, though not nearly as many as I would have liked. I saw the two cheetahs together which was a first for me, but lacking the camera with a long lens a work-of-art photo wasn't possible.



<----One of the things I love about the parks is the plethora of details you'll find, like this at the end of the safari. Gotta wash the clothes when you get back from trekking in the savanna!
Next stop was the Maharajah Jungle Trek. I hadn't walked through in years but I'm adding it to my list of attractions to see each time. I really enjoyed this, but I can see why some people pass it by.It is a long walk with nothing exciting (unless you count the bats!) I've been to the parks so many times that doing a walk-through attraction is a treat for me and since I love birds, the aviary was a great place to hangout.
After perusing this part of Asia, it was on to the Yeti and Expedition Everest, truly my favorite attraction in the parks. I got some shots while on the ride (yes, I know I'm crazy, believe me the lady sitting next to me gave me the fisheye).

After summitting Everest four times in a row, I headed over to Dinoland USA. I have a lot of images of the quirky, kitschy signs that adorn Chester and Hester's Dinorama. I felt like I was back at South of the Border.


After riding Dinosaur five times, it was time for lunch at Flame Tree BBQ. My usual lunch in years past was their yummy salad, but seeing as we had the dining plan this time around, I ended up with the chicken and ribs. DELICIOUS!!!! And I never would have tried them if it hadn't been for the free dining.
We left Animal Kingdom around 1 PM, rested at Pop Century for a bit and then headed to Epcot again for the evening. We were over in Future World West and then wandered World Showcase.I will spare everyone my rant about how much better Imagination and The Seas were in their previous incarnations, but I'm sure the Disney fans out there know exactly what I mean!


Food and Wine selections for that night included the Kerrygold Irish Cheese, Pierogies and Kielbasa from Poland,Lamb Chop with wine reduction and goat cheese salad from Australia .


A most excellent day!


Running total for the free dining plan after today:$84.07