#WipeForWater Is A Great Campaign

In March, I was the lucky recipient of a Voxbox from a wonderful website I have been a member of called influenster. Influenster allows you to connect your social media and use your influence to try new and different products and then review them.

This voxbox I recieved had a full size package of Neutrogena Naturals Make Up Wipes. It also included a small card with the information about the wipe for water challenge. Did you know that we waste up to 5 gallons of water just washing our face? It doesn't seem like a lot, but as a world, we are becoming more conscious of the water that we use and we are trying to preserve our natural resources. Neutrogena is leading the charge when it comes to make up and its removal.

I didn't think these wipes would be that great since they are naturally derived and use very few chemicals but I thought I would give the challenge a try.

Day 1:  I noticed that my skin was clean, soft and refreshed. I actually didn't have any greasy residue after using the wipes and the smell was nice.

Day 2: I really thought that the feeling from the night before wouldn't last until the next day. I tend to get a lot of grease, especially on my forehead, and I didn't think this would last. I was wrong as my skin felt wonderful. I used the wipe again and washed off the days dirt and my skin still felt wonderful.

Day 3: My skin was still beautiful and starting to even glow a bit. I noticed that the dryness from being sick was clearing up as well.

Day 4-present:  I have actually used these every night since and it has become a routine (yes I have had to buy more and had a surprisingly hard time finding them as they were always out of stock- so they must be popular! 

Overall, I am very happy that I was sent this product for testing purposes. It is a wonderful face wipe and the challenge is great. I have taken out most of my face washing routine in place of the wipes and just wash in the shower when needed.

A Bit of an Update

Well...it has been forever since I have been on here. Life has so happened but in a great and wonderful way. I think the last time I had an actually life update on here was almost a year ago. So...here goes!

I'm still working at the same lovely company. I love Diplomat and everything that we stand for. In December I was asked to head a new team in a new department for a new system that we are using to call our patients to get their refills set up. Though it was challenging and new, I have learned and settled into my new role wonderfully. I really love it actually and getting to know even more people in the company is a wonderful thing. It is always nice putting a face with the name and voice that you hear at the end of the phone.

I'm still living in the same place because I love it there. It is one of the more safer areas I have ever lived in, its quiet and we haven't had any major problems. I am happy with my roommate and feel satisfied that I could stay there for another year or few until I am able to move into something a little more permanent.

Kevin moved in just after Christmas. In December, he received his Bachelor's degree in Healthcare Administration from UM-Flint. Seeing him walk across that stage made me so proud. We are both college graduates! A couple weeks after that, he moved in with me full time. Though it has been testing at times, it has grown our relationship even more. He even accepted a position at Diplomat as well in December- it was a big month for him!

Big news for us (though I know you already know!), on 3/5/15 he asked me to marry him and of course I said yes (....after I said "are you serious?" lol). He asked me after getting home from work in our little home. I cried (of course) but they were happy tears. I am so excited to get married to him and spend the rest of our lives together. Though it took us a long time to start dating, we finally made the leap and I could not have been happier for the last 3 years. I feel so lucky.

There's my ring! He has such great taste :) I love it and look at it everyday!

Of course I know you want to know some details but we are still in the early planning. The date we have picked in 9/17/16- so keep it open people! We are looking to have the ceremony and reception in the Lapeer area but that may change, we haven't booked anything yet. So many people have come out of the woodwork to help out so far and offer things as we are doing this on as small as a budget as possible and it has been amazing. I want to thank those who have offered services, ideas and items for our big day!

Other than that, its life as usual. Tonks is a cute little stinker with an attitude. Working like crazy but loving every minute of it.

Life is wonderful...thanks for being a part of it. Here are some pics of the year :)

Edith Eger, a holocaust survivor. She was an amazing woman to meet.

Color run- thanks Sally for joining me!

Wine and brownies with the bestie

The cats loving the warmer weather we had a few weeks ago, watching the birdies.

I'll Make an Influenster Out of You!

Back in late 2012, my friend Luna introduced me to a great website...Influenster. I remember her texting me and telling me all about this website where I could earn boxes with free items to test out and how she had gotten her first box. I thought, hey...it's worth a try right?

So she invited me (it is an invite only website) and I joined. I started doing surveys on there about things I liked, wrote reviews for things I used and wracked up some points. 

When I got my first email a month later, I was ecstatic. I was told that I would be testing out a new dish soap. Now dishes weren't my thing but I figured I would receive anything but small sample sized bottles of the product.

BOY was I wrong. In a box I received three full sized products of Palmolive Fresh Infusions (see my blog post about it here). I gave one to my boss at the time to give a try and I tested them out. They smelt amazing and were kind to my hands. I was so happy to try something like this out.

And the boxes (called voxboxes) came rolling in. The next one I received a bunch of different items, including the entire Colgate Optic White line, a new spray on lotion from Vaseline (which became one of my favorite lotions, Dickinson's Face wipes (which I also came to love) and some other goodies. 

I also received voucher programs for products that can't be shipped. One was for a wonderful yougurt drink and frozen yogurt and the other was for Sargento cheese.

But this website isn't just for the free items that you receive. I found myself a community of people with opinions. I'm not going to lie, half the time when I am trying to find a new product or see if something I am thinking about buying for the first time is worthwhile, I take a little trip over to influenster to see what kinds of thoughts others have had.

And I get to share my thoughts. Have you ever found a shampoo, makeup, household item, etc that you just can't live without? You can share your full thoughts on it for others to view. You can ask questions and get feedback on products. You can learn about other products. This website is literally for everyone. There are outdoor products, mom products, mens products, etc.

So...if you want to take on the challenge of being an influenster. If you are willing to share your opinion with others...let me know. I'll send you an invite!

Check out their website here for more information.

See below for products I have tried and won!

This was my latest voxbox, all these products were wonderful!

This came last Christmas, what a wonderful gift!

Each voxbox has "tasks" that you complete. IF you complete them and you are seen as one of the best, you can win prizes. I won this entire box of makeup as a prize for my Rimmel London Mascara box!

They couldn't send the cheese but they did send me a free lunchbox!

This was my 2nd box Such wonderful products (and the Optic White does work!)

This is my first college box. These products are perfect for any sorority girl!

What Lengths Women Go For Their Hair

So about a month ago, I moved into a new apartment. I was in love with this apartment and was over the moon to finally be living there. 

But everything wasn't perfect. My hair. Now this may sound shallow to some and not like me, but it bothered me. When I lived in my old home, I only had to wash my hair twice a week and it would stay beautiful, soft and flowy. I loved it.

My new problem started very soon after I moved. My hair wouldn't stay as clean as long. I took it as the weather getting warm and I was sweating more. No big deal, I'll wash it more. Then it would get to the point where I would wash it at night and wake up to it being gross, greasy and hard to pull a brush through. It was flat and just not beautiful. 

So I tried a new shampoo. I grabbed one of those shampoos without the sulfates and such that are left behind. It worked for about 1 week. Soon my hair was feeling greasy while it was still wet. I would blow it dry and it would be gross.

This is where Google came in. I trolled online forums for people who had the same problem. And most of the solutions that were found came right from your cup boards at home.

So I thought, why not? I'll give it a try. In came my saviors:

- Original Listerine

- Apple Cider Vinegar

- Witch Hazel

- Baking Soda

- Garnier Fructis Tea Tree Oil Shampoo

- A deep conditioner

1. I started with the vinegar and witch hazel. I used 1/3 cup of vinegar, about 2 tablespoon of witch hazel and enough water for 1 cup of solution.

I poured this over my DRY hair and left it on for 20 minutes while I went around doing things around the house. Rub thus into your scalp before letting it sit!

Now you will smell like a pickle but do t worry, this smell won't last. After about 20 minutes, jump in the shower and rinse it all the way out. You may notice a change in your hair texture already. Mine felt dry- don't worry, the deep conditioner will help this.

2. Next I used my old shampoo for this step. Don't worry about this at all. Pour the amount of shampoo you use for your hair in your hand and put some dry baking soda in it. Mix in your hand to make a paste and apply to your hair- mainly into your scalp and massage on. Really get in there! Then rinse.

3. Next came the Listerine. I poured a capful through my hair from scalp down. This will feel cold and tingly. It felt good to me but for some it may be too much. I rubbed this into my scalp and let it sit for a minute then rinsed.

4. After that, I used the tea tree shampoo to cleanse my hair and some of the dry feeling went away. Rinse.

5. Lastly I used a deep conditioner in my hair. The kind I used was Herbal Essence Hydraliscious. I applied liberally and let sit on my hair for a few. Use more at the ends but don't forget to give you roots a little love too. Rinse well.

I found my hair texture had approved tenfold with this and when I blow dried it after the shower, my hair was silky and smooth- much like it used to feel! 

Thoughts

Today, I  am having just one of those days. One of those days when you realize just how lucky you really are and you take the time to count your blessings.

Last Saturday, one of the call center workers at my work collapsed while walking back in from break and was gone before he made it to the hospital. He was 32 years old.  Tuesday morning after the long weekend, the building had this eerie feel about it, a quiet. The only kind of quiet that a loss like that could give.

One of the girls who was on the Synagis team was a close personal friend of his and I can't imagine what she has been going through.

But its times like these that makes me realize how lucky I am for everything I have in my life. Recently, I was able to move to a new townhouse in a much better area. Not only do I feel safer (and willing to take my dog for a walk), I no longer have to worry about the upkeep as much as I did at the house I was renting. Now, I'll miss that house. It was a cool place and had a great layout. But the stress that came with it (and the crazy water bills) are not something that I will miss. 

Right before moving, I was promoted to a higher position. Though it has been a time of great change as it is my 3rd department in the year that I have been with the company, I have learned a lot and I am welcoming this new position with open arms. I love my new team and the fellow leads who I work with. Everyone has been so inviting and patient with me as I learn the ropes.

And I have amazing people in my life. Not only do I have great friends who make me smile all the time, I have the best boyfriend in the world. He makes me feel like a queen and helps me feel beautiful when I'm not so sure. Though we have our moments (what couples don't), I know that someday, I'm going to marry that boy...and for that I cannot wait.

Life is so exciting when you get the chance to experience it. I feel so lucky to be continually growing and being. Though there are people in my life that I miss all the time, I know that I will see them someday and it will be wonderful. I have the best group of guardian angels up there watching out for me and helping me get through the tough stuff. Sometimes with a bunch of determination (and a few tears) you are able to get through those hard moments.

It doesn't rain forever, you just have to wait for the sun to come back.

Here's some pictures from the past few weeks:

Goals- Again

So, my cousin asked me for the link to this blog, which was all cool, and I remember that I even had this blog and haven't actually posted on here in awhile. I was looking at some of my old posts and realized that my goals post that I made- I have completed these goals. Well, 4 out of the 5 of them. The other one, I have just been so busy that I keep forgetting to look into Alumni relations....oops.

In September, I completed my first 5K and I want to do another...and another. In October, I did the month of giving. Though I didn't share what happened, I did a lot of good deeds for some very deserving people. In December, I got my CPhT which is totally awesome. And this past week, I finally got the promotion I was working on and start it in a couple weeks. I am very excited about what life has in store for me.

But with that realization, I remembered that I need new goals. This time, I think I'm going to make them a little harder to achieve.

1. Complete the National Diabetes Prevention Program

This is one that I decided a couple weeks ago that I was going to do. Through Diplomat, they are offering this program for $100. It is a yearlong program where we attend classes that teach us about different healthy habits (many of those that I don't have), help give us the ability to knock down barriers against us being able to be healthier and help us lose 5-7% of our body weight over the year, which isn't a lot- but it is proven that can lessen your chance for developing diabetes by 64%. That is huge! I know that I have gained a lot of weight in the past, so I think it is time to lose it again.

Click here to learn more about the program.

2. Learn!

I will be starting a new position soon and I am excited to learn a lot. I plan to learn more about who I am as a person, where do I fit into the scheme of things and start making those long term goals. When I left high school, I wanted to be a music teacher. When I left college, I left with a bachelor's degree and no idea where I wanted to go with it. Over the next few months, I want to see what I want to do with my future. I want to go back to school for a masters, but what for? Where do I want to go from here? What are my career goals? I am in a time of learning a lot about who I am, and what kind of worker I am. It's time to decide what I need to achieve where I want to go.

3. Create and Conquer a Summer Bucket List

My friend Abijah has one of these and I think it is something that I should do. Though I haven't sat down and decided what I want to do this summer, I am going to make some plans. Now that I am moving somewhere that takes less time and energy to care for, and I will have a roommate and a higher paying job to help take the stress off of me financially (and finally start some savings), I want to work on a list of fun things for me to do to get involved in my community around me and enjoy life a little more. More on that later.

The Last Conversation I Had With My Father

It was a cold December day in 2004 when I lost my mother. New Year's Eve to be exact. I had been out shopping with my Aunt Debbie when she got the call that my mother had died. She waited until we got home to tell me, before we went inside, that my mother was gone.

3 days later, on cold January 3rd, we buried my mother next to her parents in a funeral that I only remember some of as I was still in shock.

The last time I spoke with my father was 11 months later. One night in November 2005, I was downstairs playing video games with my cousin Mary. Uncle Dave yelled down the stairs that my father was on the phone and to grab the cordless down there.

A lot of emotion came up. Why hadn't he called before? Why didn't he contact us when our mother had died? Was he even aware before today that mom had died? I felt angry and disappointed in the person that I called my father.

And the conversation was just as awkward. 

"Hey Amelia..." He said. "How are you?"

"I'm good."

"How have things been?"

"They've been good, just going to school. I'm in the band at school and I love it."

"That's great."

"How have you been?"

"Oh,  I'm good. How's the weather up there?"

"Cold and snowy just like a normal Michigan winter."

"Ah, I miss it up there sometimes."

*long pause*

"Well I'm gonna let you go. I just wanted to check in on you."

"Thanks for calling."

"Love you, bye."

*click*

Little did I know that that 10 minute conversation would be the last time I would hear his voice other than in my head when I thought about him. Four years later, in March is 2009, he would pass away from a mixture of diseases that included cancer and organ failure. I would later learn of his passing in March of 2011 and realize that both my parents were gone.

Though my father never was around much, I still mourn the losses of what could have been. My father was a smart man and I'm sure he would have been proud, as my mother would have been, to see me graduate with a college degree in my hands. I'll never have a father walk me down the aisle and I'll never have a father/daughter dance at my wedding.

Sometimes we take for granted the things we have. Sometimes we don't realize the pain that our fellow man is going through. Sometimes we feel emotions towards another that we do not mean because we don't know the whole story at the time.

I thought of my father as a bad man for many years. I was angry and didn't understand what happened on the day in 1994 when he basically sent himself to prison for many years. I was 4 at the time and never really remembered who my father was before that happened. The times I saw him after were always so awkward, mostly because I didn't know how to act in the situation. 

I have come to learn that my father was a lovely man. Smart, funny, a joy to be around. He was also a man who lost likely fell into a deep depression after losing his job and never got the help he needed.

But my father was my father. Without him I wouldn't be here. I'm just so sorry that I didn't get to know him better before his death.