long time no blog

So...what's the big, new, exciting, development in my life? Netflix. 

That's how not so exciting my life has been lately. 

We (the 'rents and I) recently broke down and bought a Wii.
We love it! 

I am eyeing this.

I'm patiently waiting on a good sale.
We all know how I love a good deal!

But, back to Netflix. You can watch movies instantly on your t.v. through your Wii!
I love it! The instant movies come free with whichever subscription you paid for. They aren't new releases but there is still a pretty good selection.
So, you can still watch movies while your waiting on the snail mail.

 This was first in my queue.

I really enjoyed it. I watched it win all those awards at the Oscars and I wondered what all the hype was about. I understand now. The movie is very suspenseful and
keeps your interest the whole time. 

I never felt myself getting bored. I also really liked the way it was filmed. Some parts of the movie were filmed with handheld cameras which gave it a really cool feel. Even if you're not a fan of war movies youshould check this one out. 

a slice of old Florida

I have always been intrigued by old Florida. I'm a Floridian (born and raised) and I love the magic that Florida holds for non-Floridians. The promise of endless sunshine, gorgeous beaches, the happiest place on Earth (Disney World, of course!).

But, there is a forgotten piece of old Florida that out ranks all of this for me.  Just north of Tampa on US 19 sits a relic of Florida that is still standing tall. Weeki Wachee Springs is slice of nostalgia that has been preserved for future generations. Hailed as the world's only city of live mermaids, it beckons tourists away from the all mighty mouse. It promises them a wonderful, if not gimmicky, show full of magic and sights beyond belief. Since 1946 tourists have been coming to Weeki Wachee to marvel at the beautiful mermaids that seem to effortlessly dance without the need for air in the crystal clear spring. A spectacle and a must see for sure!

The draw of old Florida and the magic of such a place is what drew me into my current read, Swim to Me. The book tells the story of a 16-year-old girl who leaves her home in the Bronx for the sunny promise of Florida. After her father walks out on her family, she feels as though she must get out and make a better life for herself. Weeki Wachee seems like the perfect place to do just that after visiting the park on a family vacation the year before. She auditions at Weeki Wachee and gets the job. Now, how will she deal with her new found stardom and what will happen when her family suddenly reunites in a most feared twist of fate? This book is not the most substantial book but it is a good read none the less. I would recommend this for a long drive or a day at the beach. It left me with dreams of old Florida and I am now planning a trip to Weeki Wachee as soon as possible!

books and what not

I have recently been devouring books. This isn't really out of the ordinary. I read about 6 books last summer. What can I say, I've always loved reading. Hence, my career choice of an elementary school teacher.

I finished two books last week.

One: The Elegance of the Hedgehog.  It was a good book, although I'm still unsure as to whether I liked it or not. I spent the first few chapters very confused and feeling like I had no idea what was going on. The story is actually two stories that intertwine. One is of a twelve-year-old, upper class, Parisian girl living in a very nice apartment building. She is searching for beauty and purpose in her life and has set her mind on committing suicide. The other story is of the concierge of the apartment building. She is secretly a very worldly person. She hides her intelligence and worldly hobbies from the tenants because she thinks she needs to keep with the idea that concierges are simply there to serve the tenants and should not be knowledgeable about upper class topics. These two characters eventually meet and become fast friends. They each find what they are looking for in life, but in a most peculiar way.  

Two: Wench. I was so into this book I finished it in two days! I found out about it from O Magazine. Wench is the story of four woman slaves who only see each other during the summer when their masters take them on vacation in the North, free country. The book delves into the relationships the women have with their masters, most are forced to have their master's children. It also explores the relationship the slaves have with each other and what they are willing to do for each other and their children. The book provides great insight into why a slave would not run while in the free territory of the northern United States. The most interesting part is the way the masters interact with and think of the children they have with their slave mistresses. A great, and interesting read, I highly recommend it.  

Check out the sidebar to see what I am currently reading: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. 

In other exciting news.....I GOT A JOB!!!! I am the administrative assistant at a local home health agency. It's not a teaching position which would be ideal considering I do have a degree in elementary education. But, it's a job and it will get me out of my house and stop me from going absolutely bonkers! I start tomorrow and am very excited for someone who will be leaving behind her life of leisure and the ability to sleep until noon. 

what I'm listening to

I recently discovered some wonderful music while perusing on British iTunes. I find the best music on the UK iTunes. BTW, you can get to it by scrolling down to the bottom of iTunes and clicking on the little American flag. You can go to any country you want right there on iTunes. What a cheap trip, huh?

A wonderful singer from South London, Ms. Florence Welch combines her amazing voice with some great lyrics and adds them to some wonderfully created melodies and beats to create music that will get stuck in your head. But, you won't care! I have been listening to her album Lungs all weekend and I am smitten!  Without further ado I give you Florence + The Machine!

You've Got The Love



Dog Days Are Over

I have fallen in love

The last time I went to CVS I was looking for replacements for some of my toiletries. I visited my grandmother over Christmas and left all of my shower things at her house. So I was without shampoo, face wash, and body wash! ahhhhh! But, an upside is I do enjoy shopping for these particular items. I especially love smelling all the different things I could buy.  I'm sure the people at CVS think I'm crazy!

I was already a fan of Burt's Bees but I had only ever used their chapstick and lipgloss. I had a coupon so I decided to take advantage and replace my things with Burt's Bees product. I am oh-so-happy that I did. I have absolutely fallen in love with everything Burt's Bees.

I bought the Very Volumizing Pomegranate Shampoo:

It leaves my hair smelling wonderful and my hair is not the slightest bit oily. I have rather oily skin and my hair has been known to be oily by the end of the day depending on the weather conditions and the shampoo I used. This shampoo keeps my hair soft and shiny!

I also picked up the Extra Energizing Citrus & Ginger Root Body Wash:

This smells amazing and doesn't dry out my skin in the slightest. And, mixed with the heat of the water it leaves my bathroom smelling great too!

Last but not least, I decided to try the Natural Acne Solutions Pore Refining Scrub:

Like I said, my skin can be rather oily and I've always had to fight to have clear skin. I usually use a Neutrogena scrub but I like the thought that the Burt's Bees one is 100% all natural. It has a gentle scrub in it as well as 1% Salicylic Acid, which as we all know is the best thing to fight acne with. I have been using it for about two weeks now and it has succeeded in keeping my face clear and it keeps the oil down all the way into the next morning. 

If you're looking for any all natural additions to your toiletry arsenal, Burt's Bees is the way to go!

What is your must have beauty product?