Star Wars: The Last Jedi

I can't remember a time when Star Wars wasn't a part of my life.  My first memory was watching The Empire Strikes Back at my preschool friend Adam's house. We had a movie day of Superman 3 and The Empire Strikes Back.  Obviously one film was better than the other. This childhood friend was also my "first kiss", which I don't remember because we were still in diapers. My mom still has the photo to prove it. I digress. I think I feel a Force connection to these films because we were both born 40 years ago. As a matter of fact I'm writing this blog post on my 40th birthday.  Because the movies are released on or around my birthday every year, I feel like the films are my presents. I can't help but feel disappointed in my gift this year.

I was invited to the Star Wars Global Press Junket earlier in December, and was excited to see the cast, especially Luke Skywalker aka Mark Hamill (or is it the other way around??).  After hearing the cast and director, Rian Johnson, speaking about the film (what they could anyway) my inner geek started counting down the minutes until the Thursday, December 14th. I was actually looking forward to this film! After being slightly disappointed in The Force Awakens, I was happy that they were finally doing the films justice, so I thought.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not one of those who hated the prequels. I actually liked them. At it's core this story is about good vs. evil, a sentiment expressed by Gwendoline Christie during The Last Jedi press panel. It just so happens that the story is also centered around one family, whom fans love. Anakin Skywalker's journey to the dark side was important and while yes, at times, Ani could be a bit whiny, I still knew that through him we would get Luke and Leia and I wanted to see that story. I miss George Lucas, I'm sorry so many fans hated on your films. I liked them. I had heard of his treatments and story ideas for Episodes I, II, III and VII, VIII, IX way back in the early 90's. They were in the books which are now called "Legends" but I still call "Canon".  The Last Jedi missed the mark on so many levels, here's why....

What a waste of a character Luke was in this film. After the look he gave Rey at the end of The Force Awakens, we get a shell of the former hero in The Last Jedi. We've been waiting 34 years for this moment. Was this movie supposed to be funny? It was't. Harrison Ford is funny, he has a dry sense of humor that works well with Han Solo. Luke's attempts at being funny were just campy. "I want to see Luke drink breast milk from an alien," said no one ever!!! Then to kill him off the way they did. I hear that he's rumored to be coming back for IX? Obviously as a force ghost like Yoda and Obi-Wan in the originals. I was expecting more from him. 

I expected more from you Luke

The Originals were campy, I get it, but they were made in the 70's and 80's. The prequels were more serious and I appreciated that. Kylo Ren is the worst character on so many levels. Anakin was whiny, but Kylo is just a spoiled adult brat. I can't believe that he is the only Skywalker link we have left. What a terrible way to represent. Anakin was so upset because he couldn't save his mother, someone he loved so much, he killed a bunch of Tusken Raiders. Kylo just killed his dad. The end. Kylo, you're a horrible human. At least Vader had redeeming qualities, you have none, you killed Han (let's just pretend Harrison Ford didn't want Han Solo to die). 

The way Kylo killed Snoke and that fight scene, Kylo and Rey vs. Snoke's guards, was amazing. This is the ONLY reason for me to watch this movie in theaters for a second time. Now on Snoke's death, what was that? Seriously, why introduce a villain, just to kill him off and not give him a backstory. I hope that they explain Snoke, who he is (was) and how he got a hold on Ben Skywalker. I was so disappointed in his lack of character development. The same can be said with Captain Phasma. How disappointing it was to see her die so quickly.

One of the worst things about this movie is the reveal of Rey's parents as drunken nobodies, who just sold her as a slave. She's a nobody? Really? I hope this was just a ploy made by Kylo to get her to turn to the dark side. If not, if they really are saying that Rey isn't connected to the Skywalkers in some way, then I think I'm done with this series. Some will argue that Anakin was a nobody, but at least he was a part of the prophecy to bring balance to the Force. He had meaning. I'm still hoping that Kylo Ren only lied, similar to how he threw Rey under the bus when General Hux questioned him about Snoke's demise. We know he's a man child who lies. 

Another idiotic move, Yoda's Force ghost burning the Ancient Jedi Texts, which we see again in the Millennium Falcon, because Rey has stolen them.  Yoda was not the wise Yoda of old (old as in prequels). This was another example of pure velveeta cheesiness.  He acted like he did at the beginning of The Empire Strikes Back, when he first met Luke and he acted like a silly little green alien on the Dagobah System. His Force ghost CGI wasn't even up to par with the prequels, why? Because he's a puppet again. It was more of a mockery than anything else. 

The absolute worst things that Rian Johnson did to this film was have Jedi Leia fly through space. COME ON!!!! Even Obi-Wan couldn't do that. Even with being Force sensitive, the rising of Leia should not have happened, it doesn't make sense. Another character wasted!! While yes, it wasn't the films fault that Carrie Fisher passed away, it was the way they sent her off that was horrible.  My entire life I wanted to be a Jedi Princess. Carrie Fisher's Princess Leia was a Force (ha ha) for young girls to look up to.  While at the press event, all of the ladies on the panel seemed to agree that Carrie was a role model. I love watching films with strong females, who can kick a little but like their male counterparts, Buffy, Black Widow, Wonder Woman, Padame (in Episodes I and II) and her daughter Leia. To see her end the way it did, which was in no way at all, seemed a little disrespectful to "Our Princess".

While this review leans more towards the dark side of the Force, and by that I mean negative, there were a few scenes that I loved. The fight scene, mentioned earlier, with Rey and Kylo against Snoke's guards, was spectacular. I love the scenes with Finn and Rose. Although Rose can be a bit annoying at times.  The best thing about these new films are Daisy Ridley, John Boyega and Oscar Isaac. Laura Dern sacrificing herself for the Resistance was a great scene too. Anything with Poe is amazing!! Could he be the next Admiral?  Could there also be a spark between Poe and Rey? I love Oscar Isaac!

I feel sad that that I couldn't like this movie more. I had super high hopes and was disappointed at the way the story was handled. My hope is that J.J. Abrams can fix what was so horribly done. Didn't Rian Johnson say this was his baby?? Is there a way to have a redo? The more I think about this movie the angrier I get. 

I wish that I could give it more Gerber Daisies, but alas, to this I give only 2. 

On a side note, please Star Wars "Powers That Be", give Ewan McGregor his own Obi-Wan film.  Oh, and George Lucas, please come back!!!

Thor: Ragnarok Review

OMG OMG OMG!!! I have no words for the beauty that I witnessed last night. And by beauty, yes I mean Chris Hemsworth The Lord of Thunder, I mean God of Thunder. Thor: Ragnarok is my favorite Marvel film to date. Watching this movie, I felt like I was in an 80's video game. I have nothing negative to say about it. It kept my attention from start to finish, the music was great, the visuals were stunning, and the acting was on point.

I laughed out loud so many times throughout the film. Hemsworth is hilarious. He can sure have some fun with the roles that he plays. I love that about him. He doesn't take himself too seriously.  Of course I loved the cameos in the film. Dr. Strange shows up in the beginning.  Anthony Hopkins also makes a brief appearance as Odin. We find out that Jane and Thor broke up, but I think that is already briefly mentioned in Avengers: Age of Ultron. The scenes between Mark Ruffalo and Chris Hemsworth are so funny. Bruce Banner is the "Hulk" in the majority of the film. Mark Ruffalo is my favorite Banner/Hulk.

The plot of Thor: Ragnarok was really good. A dark force awakens to take over Asgard. Come to find out, this "dark force" is Thor and Loki's sister, Hela, the goddess of death, played by Cate Blanchett. Thor, Loki, the Hulk and a Valkyrie must work together to save the day without the help of Thor's hammer, which is destroyed by Hela during their first encounter on earth.  Because she is Odin's oldest child, she can wield the hammer. This surprises both Thor and Loki.

After the events of Avengers: Age of Ultron, the Hulk winds up on a "junk" planet, run by Jeff Goldblum (he is very good in this movie too). Hulk ends up becoming a fighter in their version of UFC.  We find out that Banner has been living as the Hulk for the last two years. Thor also happens to land on this planet after his first encounter with his sister, Hela. Thor, now hammer-less, and Hulk have to fight (you see this in the previews and commercials, so I'm not giving anything away). The exchange between Hulk and Thor is hilarious.

My sister-in-law loves Thor, she thinks he very handsome. Chris Hemsworth looks very good in this movie, especially with his short hair. With the success of this film, I wonder if Chris Hemsworth will sign on to do a few more? What does this mean for the franchise. Is Hela dead? Can you kill the Goddess of Death? Does Death die?

Thor was never my least favorite marvel character. That honor is bestowed to Captain America. Let's face it Cap is pretty boring and vanilla. Thor is vanilla too, but he controls lightening! Thunder too right, considering he's the God of Thunder, not God of Lightening. 

I repeat, this is my favorite Marvel movie to date. I didn't want it to end. Maybe I should post a blog with a list of all my favorite Marvel comic book films. That would be interesting.

Thor: Ragnarok is rated PG-13 for brief Hulk nudity (ha ha ha) and it gets 5 out of 5 Gerber Daisies on my Gerber Daisy scale. This is an absolute must see, not a "I'll wait until it comes out in the cheap theaters!!" I may even like it better than Wonder Woman.

My New Love.......

Yes, it's true, I'm in love. I'm in love with the new Kat Von D Saint and Sinner eye shadow palette.  I've had a love/hate relationship with the other products I've tried her line of cosmetics. I didn't care for the Studded Lipsticks or her Everlasting Liquid Lipsticks (which beauty professionals tell me are the best).  I loved the Tattoo liner I tried in my Ipsy bag, so I bought a full size. My disappointment in the liquid lipsticks prevented me from buying the palette released last holiday season, which I'll talk about later. I know, lips, eyes, two very different things.

I was always hesitant to try the shadows. They're so expensive and because of my dislike for the liquid lipstick, I wasn't sure I wanted to invest the money. Technically I didn't, I bought the palette with gift cards.

The aesthetic is beautiful. The cathedral design is beautiful, but the packaging is a bit bulky. This isn't a palette I'll be taking on vacation with me because it is so bulky.  I love the play on "Saint and Sinner". When you open the "Cathedral" doors, the left side of the palette is aptly named Saint, whereas the right is Sinner.  The colors looks like stained glass windows in a church. All of the shadows are given Catholic names. The mirrors are awkward to use, so I don't use them. It is awkward to hold the palette while trying to put on the shadows because of the design. So I just put it on my bed.

I watched a few YouTube reviews for this product. One girl absolutely hated it. I don't follow her so I can't link her video. I wonder if she's reviewing the same product as everyone else? Whether or not someone enjoys a product is very subjective, hence the review. One YouTuber I love, and watch all the time is Jen Luvs Reviews. I trust her fair assessment and her reviews are very in depth. She discusses ingredients and makes sure to swatch shadows on various skin tones. Here is a link to her review of the Saint and Sinner palette. Go watch it, it's very informative.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SupZ2FOnXgI.  (I'm a newbie, so I don't know the exact protocol for posting videos. I am a teacher and I am giving credit to the link).

I've heard many people, who are on the fence about purchasing this palette, say the shades are unwearable and not cohesive. That the scheme is all over the place, and that it looks difficult to create makeup looks with.  This is actually what one of my coworkers mentioned. She said she didn't know what to do with the colors. She said that it looks hard to create looks with. She wouldn't know where to begin. So she decided to not purchase this after all and she's a makeup junkie just like I am.

I know the colors in this palette are out there, but I love it. I'm not a makeup artist and my makeup probably looks bad, but I'm having so much fun trying to decide what colors to use. It's forcing me out of my neutral comfort zone, something we've all become accustomed to these last few years. If you love neutrals, then this isn't the palette for you.

These are the shadows with the MAC pot in Painterly

The shadows themselves are richly pigmented and are very blend-able. I haven't used the top shades which are shadow toppers, so they're not fully pigmented. I do have a minor complaint with the shadows. They didn't seem to work well with my NYX shadow primer. The shadow creased and pretty much disappeared by the end of the day. I was thoroughly disappointed at first.  I even used glitter primer. Then I tried a look with my MAC pot and the shadows lasted longer. All day actually. If you have a proper primer, these shadows will look amazing!!

Creasing with the NYX Primer

I really regret not buying the palette from last year. So I'm glad that I decided to get this one. 

I really admire Kat Von D and love that her products are cruelty free, something I look into before purchasing makeup. Of course, this isn't for everyone. At $62, this is very pricey. I wish I could love her Everlasting Liquid Lipsticks, because of the beautiful range of colors, but I can't, they just don't work for me. Her eye shadows on the other hand are AMAZING!  The best I've ever had, with the right shadow primer. I can't wait to she what she comes up with next year!

I would give the Saint and Sinner palette 4 out of 5 Pink Gerber Daisies

Marriage is a Tough, Full Time Job!!

Why is marriage so hard??? I'm not complaining about my marriage. O.K. maybe I am just a little bit. Yes, we've had our struggles, as do most couples. As the years go by, his laid back tendencies that I once thought endearing, are now annoying.  Just like my knack for repetition and sarcasm annoys him. I can't help it, and I guess neither can he.

There are days that I am ready to throw in the towel and vice versa. Every year were go through a period of, 'well this is it, we've lasted this long'. We're coming up on our 10th anniversary. We've had our ups and downs. Bouts of unemployment, financial stress, dogs multiplying like Gremlins and therapy. Why am I discussing my private life,knowing my hubbers doesn't like to? Everyone struggles in relationships. You're not alone. Most people don't want to talk about it, but they have to know they're not alone.

I've been wanting to type this blog for a while, but held off because I wasn't sure how my hubby was going to react. I warned him in advance about it, though. 

I was raised in a family where both my parents and grandparents married the love of their life. My husband said that I'm the love of his life. How can that be? We haven't lived an entire life yet. My husband is a product of divorce. Part of why we don't throw in the towel is because of that reason.

As the years pass, (we're only at 10), I see  significant changes in the both of us. I don't feel the constant need to be out like I used to. We got married a bit older and didn't have children. One thing after another just got in the way. It wasn't that we didn't want them, we did. Life just had a different plan for us.

The older I get, the more I crave "sameness". It's funny, I'm teaching The Giver right now. Everything in the story is about how sameness is good for the world. For example, keeping the temperature constant helps the food production, but the community is left without seasons. I'm reaching a point in my life that the things familiar to me are more comforting. 

I'd rather sit in a coffee shop and write, or go to a bookstore and read, than drive out to L.A. to visit a club. My husband says that he doesn't want to go 'clubbing' either, but at 10:00 p.m. on a Friday or Saturday night, what's left to do? I do work, so does my husband. Another thing my husband gets annoyed by, is what I named my blog, 'Confessions of an Unemployed Real OC Housewife'. When I started my blog I was unemployed. In my bio I say unemployed/underemployed. I'm also an OC housewife. I don't feel my title is deceptive.  Anyway, I digress. I work 5 days a week. 7:15 - 5 most days. My hubby works four, 10 hour shifts a week and is off on Friday. While he's resting all day Friday, I'm working. When I come home, I cook dinner, do laundry and other things around the house. When he comes home, he turns on the TV. I'm on my feet all day long and my hubby is working behind a desk. I would like to come home and relax. He spends many Friday nights out at the movies or arcade by himself. I'd like to rest when I get home on Friday. When I get home, he's ready to leave. I sometimes wonder if it's to avoid me?

I was once annoyed by the lack of diversity in Orange County, I still am, but after living here for so long, I'm becoming more complacent with being in my bubble. The master-planned communities of Amerige Heights in Fullerton and La Floresta in Brea are becoming more and more appealing to me. My husband tells me that I'm becoming a recluse, that I don't want to try new things. The thing is I do, but the older I get, the more selective I become. 

A few weeks ago we went to San Diego and stayed at a hotel I love, The Hacienda in Old Town. My husband was annoyed that I didn't want to stay somewhere new. If I know I like the place, why go somewhere else?

I love to travel and explore. In the last few years, we've been to Florida and Texas and soon we'll be heading to Chicago (I don't count Las Vegas, San Diego or Santa Barbara. They're too close to home). If I love to travel, how then am I a recluse? Does my hubby find me boring? I want to go and do the things I enjoy. I want to go places where I don't have to hassle with crowds and lines (unless it's to Disneyland, I love Disney). My patience with stupid is waning.

Another part of The Giver mentions the dangers of picking a mate. If you aren't familiar with the story, a boy named Jonas becomes the Receiver of Memories in a community where your partner, children and jobs are chosen for you. No one has memories because they're too painful to keep. There is one Receiver of Memory who advises the community. While in training Jonas mentions how absurd it would be if they were allowed to choose a mate. "What if they choose wrong", he asks the Giver. Many of us do. I don't think that I chose the wrong mate. At the time we were dating, we liked many of the same things, or so I thought. My hubby always says that when people date they generally put their best face forward. I didn't think I was 'putting on airs'. Now it seems that if say the grass is green, he'll tell me it's blue. I'm a  wine girl, he's a beer guy. 

Before my husband and I got married, we took a compatibility test. It said our personalities weren't compatible. I felt I shouldn't let a test dictate who I was going to marry and that we could make it work. Last night I told my husband that I thought we were heading in two very different directions, this was the first time he agreed with me.

I do miss the nights out with my friends in Hollywood. I miss going to the clubs, but I'm fine not doing that anymore. I don't want to stay at home and watch TV either.  What happens when the biggest thrill you get, is being able to get tickets to the newest blockbuster, on your Fandango app? I'll admit, we put ourselves back into a rut. Now it's time we take ourselves out of it.

We do have a fun time together. When we travel we have a blast. When we're out together we have a good time. Lately, I find myself doing more of my own thing, than spending time with my husband.   

Do I think the is the end? No, I don't. Do we need to be better at communication? Yes, we do. Why did I write a blog so personal? Many people are in the same situation and no one wants to talk about it. People are embarrassed to ask for help or they pretend to be happy and they're not.  Life isn't perfect. There are always hills and valleys. I'm not bashing my hubby, our marriage or our life together. I love him and know that things will work out fine. We're not in a valley, but we're not on the hill either.  If I was unhappy, I'd get out. I'm not the kind of girl who goes back and forth in a bad marriage. I know a woman like that, and that's not who I am or who I want to be. 

Too Faced Peaches Part II: Peaches and Cream Collection

I already gave a review of the Too Faced Sweet Peach line a few weeks back. I bought The Sweet Peach palette and a few of the lip oils when the line relaunched at the end of 2016. I love that palette, with the exception of a few colors.

Recently, I purchased some more products from the new Peaches and Cream collection, an extension to the Sweet Peach line. This time I bought the palette, a lipstick in I Think in Pink, a shocking pink, the primer, a setting spray, two blushes in the colors So Peachy and Peach Dream, and the only highlighter from the collection, Happy Face.

Let's start with what I loved............. the eye shadow palette. OMG! This is probably my new favorite from Too Faced. I think I like it better than the original Sweet Peach. The shades are all beautiful, are very pigmented and blend nicely. I feel like Too Faced got the colors right this time. There were a few shades in the original that I didn't really care for, but these colors are truly gorgeous. 

The scent is different than the Sweet Peach palette. I think that palette smells like the peach gummy rings I used to get at the movie theater, while this one smells like Fuzzy Peach, the old shower gel from The Body Shop. I worked at The Body Shop in the late 90's and that was my FAVORITE shower gel. The fragrance from this line takes me back to a simpler time.  I don't love the fragrance, I prefer the scent of the Sweet Peach palette. 

I love the packaging. It's very sleek.  Too Faced always has the cutest packaging, and while that's not a reason to buy a product, it helps to pique my interest in it. In this case the quality of shadows and packaging are both winners!!

Now to what I liked........ the blushes and highlighter. This wasn't a love for me. I didn't buy the blushes or highlighters in the last peaches launch, I'm not sure why I decided to buy them in this one. They're just "meh". I'm very fair, almost pasty, and Peach Dream barely gives me a wash of color. These blushes are infused with peach and sweet fig cream. Interesting, I ate some sweet fig creamy preserves this morning for breakfast?!?!?!?! Anyway I digress. To get any color payoff, I can only apply these with my fingers. They are a cream to powder formula. These blushes aren't horrible. I like them and I'll use them, I just don't love them and I probably won't buy them again.

The highlighter wasn't a favorite for me either. I have so many highlighters that I love more. It's the cream to powder formula just like the blushes. I'm not a fan of this type of formula.  Again, I don't hate it, I'll use it up, but won't buy it again.

My only regret.....the lipstick, I Think in Pink. It's horrible. I know that it's a matte formula, but this is just a patchy mess. I have other matte lipsticks that aren't as patchy. I'm not a huge fan of Too Faced lipstick overall. I love their liquid matte and melted formulas, but the actual stick is the worst. I have another lipstick from them, from the La Creme line and I just don't reach for it. 

For my peach lipstick in shocking pink, I've tried everything. I scrub and moisturize my lips, but nothing works. I will never buy another lipstick from Too Faced again. The color skips, the application is patchy and this isn't even incredibly matte either. It's a creamy matte formula. It also has the shower gel peach scent, something I don't care for on my mouth.

The color is off. On my lips, the color looks lighter than when swatched. It starts to fade very quickly and doesn't have much pigmentation when applied. One of my coworkers even mentioned how that color looks a bit off on me and I always wear colors like this. 

Overall I think this is an OK collection. I wish that Too Faced could improve the formula of their lipsticks. The only thing that I would repurchase would be the palette. 

The Just Peachy Matte Palette gets a 4 out of 5 Pink Gerber Daisies 
The blushes get a 2.5 out of 5 Pink Gerber Daisies
The highlighter, Happy Face gets a 3 out of 5 Pink Gerber Daisies
The lipstick gets a 1 out of 5 Pink Gerber Daisies

Home Chef

One thing I despise, no, let me rephrase, HATE, is going to the supermarket. I love to cook, but I hate to shop for the supplies I need. I always seem to forget something, even when I have a list. I'm on an app called Nextdoor and someone was advertising Home Chef, a meal delivery service. I was super excited to try this out! Some of my friends at work buy their meals through a meal delivery service and they seem to enjoy it. Now, let me warn you, it is a bit pricey.  

I'm going to be honest and say that I didn't do a ton of research before picking this company to try. Originally I scheduled four meals to be delivered, for the two of us (the hubbers and me). The price was $9.99 a meal. My first set of meals ended up being $49.60 for 8. I was given a $30 discount for my first purchase. Not too shabby. My next set of meals cost $59.70. 

The food is delivered straight to my front door, every Tuesday, in a large box with lots of ice packs. So much ice, in fact, that by the time I got home, the bottom of the box was broken. Could this be because of the moisture? The box I got was very heavy. I had a heck of a time trying to carry it upstairs to my kitchen.

When you register for an account, you fill out a profile page of things you like and things you dislike. For example, I don't eat beef or pork, so I can plan my meals around chicken and fish only. You can also request for meals low in carbs and calories. 

WHAT I LEARNED

I realized that four full meals was too much for the week. I ended up cutting it down to three. There are other dinners I still like to make on my own. 

I have to be careful and only select meals that are easy. It takes me a while to navigate the kitchen. I really do love to cook, but I still have to follow a recipe card. I don't have the cooking styles of Monica Geller, but I'm no Rachel Green either. I know that a traditional Trifle does't have meat, peas and carrots (Friends reference). I thought that the food was going to come to me precooked and all I would have to do was heat them up. NOPE. I have to actually cut the potatoes into cubes, core tomatoes and mince the garlic myself. The prep is what takes me forever. The recipe cards have a suggested time that it takes to make the meal from starting prep to finish. What takes a normal person 45-50 minutes, takes me an hour and fifteen 

I don't have nonstick pans and most recipes call for them. I'm not a fan of the nonstick variety. I think they cause cancer, and while don't know if this is scientifically proven, I want to stay as natural as possible without having to build a fire out of wood with my hunters and gatherers. So, how do I use my "non" nonstick pans without having my food stick? Someone please tell me. 

Each meal card gives a recommended cook time. The fish products say to cook within three days, while the chicken says five. This is all fine and dandy, but why did my fresh basil wilt before the recommended three day cooking period. My tomatoes did the same thing. The plantain that arrived in my box was already black. I don't know much about plantains or how they're supposed to look, but aren't they a banana? 

THINGS I LOVE

So far what I've made/eaten has been very tasty and healthy.  I love that they sent me a recipe folder to hold my recipe cards.  I love that my ingredients are delivered straight to my door and I love that the time spent trying to figure out what to make for dinner has been cut. I love trying new recipes and I love to cook the food. 

As of this post I made three of my four meals for the week, a Dover Sole Piccata, Shrimp Pomodoro and Jerk Chicken with Brown Sugar Plantains. 

The Jerk Chicken didn't stick on my stainless steal pan. This made me very happy!!

I really do love to cook. It's very relaxing. 

I love buying organic food, but  I'm not sure if this is organic or not. The meals, however, are very healthy and the ingredients are fresh.

The packaging can be recycled and the ice pack are reusable (according to the Home Chef website). 

I love the recipe cards. They give you step by step instructions and all of the nutritional information for the entire meal. This is something that is very important to me. 

THINGS I HATE

I hate that it still takes me forever to cook my food!!! How does Rachel Ray make it look so easy? I hate that my "non" nonstick pans make my food stick. 

I had the toughest time cooking the Dover Sole Piccata. The fish stuck on my stainless steal pan and eventually turned to mush. The only fish I'm comfortable cooking is Salmon. 

I don't like the fact that some of my greens wilted before their recommended cook time.   

FINAL OUTCOME

I am only going to keep this service for a couple of weeks. I like that all of the ingredients are healthy and fresh. I like the ease of having the food delivered to my home. I like the recipe cards. The meals are pricey but, I would absolutely recommend this service only if you can manage it in your budget. If you are interested in this type of service, here is a link to the registration page.  Home Chef

Is IT Worth IT?

Last weekend I had the opportunity to see IT with the hubby and I didn't take him up on his offer. While he was watching IT, I wanted to give some love to the other movie released as IT's competition, Home Again. That movie I loved and thought was absolutely adorable. We all know that Home Again wasn't going to hold a candle to IT. 

After hearing how my hubby and my friends loved the movie, I decided to check IT out for myself. I hate gory films but I love horror/thriller. Give me a great Scream or scary Halloween and life is good. On a side note, I'm over the moon with excitement that Jamie Lee Curtis will be in the new Halloween film, coming out next Fall. I loved her return for Halloween H20. Maybe she'll rectify her Halloween Resurrection mistake. Anyway, I digress.

I watched the original IT miniseries in 1990 (27 years later IT returns, interesting ploy there Warner Bros.) I feel that the 1990 miniseries was scarier than the movie version. I jumped once and IT wasn't even a full jump, IT was more of a twitch. I think what was so terrifying about the 1990 version of IT was that I watched as a little girl CHILD. What is IT after? Children's fears. Knowing the ending and knowing that IT is a giant alien spider, doesn't make IT all that terrifying. I cried in this movie, can you believe IT!  I laughed a few times too. I pains me to say IT, but IT was't all that scary. The Conjuring, now that was a scary movie (the original, not the sequel). 

Like Buffy the Vampire Slayer is an allegory for the demons we face in high school, IT is an allegory for the fears we face in real life. I was more afraid of crazy mama, the bullies and the disgusting dad, than of the circus clown. I loved how the outcasts joined together to fight against their fears. 

I don't think I can read the book. The insinuations already make me feel sick to my stomach. I don't need to read IT in print, where everything is described in detail.  Anyway, I'm reading Joe Hill's (Stephen King's son) NOS4A2. IT's taking me a long time to get though because IT makes me nervous to read (so I read a little bit, then stop, then start again and repeat the process)

Bill Skarsgard was good as Pennywise, but he's attractive in real life, so he's not that scary. His voice was the scariest thing about him. Tim Curry was good in the role, but IT's been forever since I watched the 1990 version, and I can't remember how much he was in the movie.  Don't get me wrong, I don't like clowns, but to me, they're more laughable than they are scary. When I think of clowns, I think of Circus Circus in Vegas, and I always had fun there when I was little. The whole "killer clown" craze  from last year was just one long Halloween prank to get everyone ready for the movie (I loved watching those videos online). 

My hubby didn't make me go alone, that was nice. He watched some YouTube videos explaining the Easter Eggs throughout the film, and wanted to watch IT again. 

Overall the director, Andy Muschiette, did a good job with the film. I enjoyed IT a lot. Would I see IT again, no. Would I buy IT on DVD, no. I'm glad I saw IT and I'm glad IT wasn't gory. Even though IT wasn't super gory, this is definitely not a children's movie. IT is rated R for a reason. I hope parents are smart enough not to take their kids.  

Because IT is almost Fall (and Fall is the time for scary things), and I'm feeling some nostalgia for 1990, IT gets 4 out of 5 Pink Gerber Daisies. I hope IT enjoys them!! I tried to capitalize and bold, and use a lot of ITs. I hope I got them all.  Yes, I wrote this way on purpose tonight, even using the redundant "little girl CHILD." 

Too Faced Peaches, Yummy Yum Yum!! Part 1

"Movin' to the country, 

Gonna eat a lot of peaches

Millions of peaches, peaches for me

Millions of peaches, peaches for free" (Presidents of the United of America)

I've been obsessed with the Too Faced Peaches line for quite some time, and OMG they just came out with a new line of peaches, the "Just Peaches Matte" collection.  Last December, I bought the Sweet Peach eye shadow palette. I think this palette was originally launched Summer 2016??? It had such a cult following that Too Faced expanded the line. 

I've posted reviews on all of the Chocolate Bar palettes, but for some odd reason, I never posted one on the Sweet Peach. This one happens to be my absolute favorite. I've used this one so much, that I've already hit pan. There were so many items in this line, but I only bought a few of the lip oils and shadows. 

The smell is amazing. When you open the palette, the shadows smell like the candy peach rings I'd eat at the movie theaters when I was little. A little bit of the powder fell into my mouth, and while I don't recommend eating them, the taste was delicious. 

The colors are so pretty, (I love them so much)!!!!!! I apply all of my shadows with primer. I hate the Too Faced Shadow Insurance, so I use either the MAC Pot in Painterly or the NYX Eyeshadow Base in White.  I don't care for the purple and black shades. The green can be tricky. Sometimes I like it and other times I have a hard time working with it. I really don't care for the black.  I don't like ANY black in ANY palette. Sometimes the colors can be a little muddy. I love the entire middle row and; Luscious, Just Peachy, Charmed I'm Sure, Peaches N' Cream, Summer Yum, and Puree. My least favorite is, Talk Deby to Me. As you can see from the swatches below, it's extremely patchy. You can't always base your decision to like or dislike a palette on swatches alone. Sometimes a shadow can swatch poorly, but look really great on the eyes. That's how I feel about my Pur Cosmetics Troll palette. The swatches were bad, but they work lovely on the eyes. I still like to watch YouTubers color swatch. It makes it easier for me to determine if I like the colors. 

Top to bottom; White Peach, Luscious, Just Peachy, Bless Her Heart, Tempting, Charmed I'm Sure

Top to bottom; Nectar, Cobbler, Candied Peach, Bellini, Peach Pit, Delectable 

Top to bottom; Peaches N' Cream, Georgia, Caramelized, Puree, Summer Yum, Talk Derby to Me

Apparently I purchased five Peach Lip oils in; Peach Tease (love), Peach Fuzz, Papa Don't Peach (love), Pure Peach and Peach-Sicle. I only really wear these during the spring and summer when I want a more natural look. They aren't really pigmented because they're a lip gloss. If I had to do it all over again, I probably wouldn't get these. They're all right. They taste sweet and perfumey all at the same time. These end up looking the same color on your lips anyway and they emphasize any dry patches you may have on your lips. As I mentioned before, I wouldn't recommend these. 

While I really do love the Sweet Peach palette, there are a few palettes from NYX that are very similar. They're not exact dupes, but the color scheme is similar, minus the ugly black and ok green.  Of course you're not getting the yummy scent, but for a cheaper price, they're nice. I'd say that the NYX shadows are a bit stiff, but they blend nicely. The NYX shadows are a perfect example of bad swatches vs. decent application.  For $18 a palette you can get both and it would still be cheaper than the Sweet Peach. If you're a sucker for adorable packaging and yummy scented shadows, buy the Sweet Peach Palette. 

Warm Rust Palette.

Warm Rust

Sugar High swatches 

Sugar High. This palette swatches poorly, but blends nicely.

The Sweet Peach Palette is $49. This palette gets 4 out of 5 Pink Gerber Daises.

Items in the original collection:

Sweet Peach Glow Highlighter Trio

Sweet Peach Creamy Peach Oil Lip Gloss

Sweet Peach Papa Don't Peach Blush

Sweet Peach Eyeshadow Palette

Items in the new collection:

Just Peachy Velvet Matte Eyeshadow

Sweetie Pie Radiant Matte Bronzer

Peach Blur Translucent Smoothing Finishing Powder

Peach Perfect Comfort Matte Foundation

Peach Mist Mattifying Setting Spray

Peach Perfect Mattifying Setting Powder

Peach Kiss Moisture Matte Long Wear Lipstick

Primed & Peachy Cooling Matte Perfecting Primer

Peach My Cheeks Melting Powder Blush

Peach Frost Melting Powder Highlighter

Bronze Peach Melting Powder Bronzer

Week 1 My Life Limiting Social Media

I'm sitting once again in my favorite locale, the coffee shop, sipping on the "new" Fall flavors. Not a Pumpkin Spice Latte, in my case an Iced Toasted Vanilla Brown Sugar Latte, I added some cinnamon too, yum yum. Anyway, I digress. Last week I decided to limit my social media usage. I have completely "gone off" Facebook, very rarely Tweet, Snap once in a while and barely go on Instagram. I've decided that I feel fine being "antisocial". Here's why.....

1. I've gotten further in the book I was reading, Voyager, by Diana Gabaldon. The new season of Outlander starts tomorrow and I haven't finished the third book. I started reading it in July. Then I got sick and stopped reading completely. 

2. I spend more time talking to my hubby and playing with my puppies.

3. I do more things around the house.

4. I stay latter at work, to finish my grading, so that I don't have to take things home over the weekend. This may not really be the result of staying off social media. This year I've decided to stay at work until 5, every night, so I can spend that time grading on weekdays. I'd rather reserve my weekends to doing the things I love, like sitting in a coffee shop, sipping my favorite fall drink. It's peaceful in my classroom, I'm not tempted to pickup my phone and see what everyone is doing.

5. I've been going to be earlier. I get up every morning at 5. By not spending time on social media, I get a much better night's rest.

So far, I'm really liking the "antisocial" thing. I completely understand the irony of blogging about how antisocial I'm being.  Anyway, see you next week!