Product Review: Venus® Embrace Sensitive

Recently I received the Venus® Embrace Sensitive razor from Influenster to test out due to having dry skin after shaving. Prior to using this razor I always just used the Gillette men's razors because they are cheap and I hate spending a lot of money on razors, honestly. Also, they work really well. But, I have noticed that my skin is pretty dry afterward. I never really cared until Influenster made me really think about it and that's when I jumped at the chance to test this product.



I waited two days to shave, since I had just done it the day before I got my package in the mail. I was so excited to test it out, I did use it to shave my under arms that night and no joke, it did such a great job! Then when I finally got the chance to shave my legs with it, I was sold. It's a very smooth shave, my legs felt so soft afterward and my skin wasn't dry! Normally I would have to add lotion to my legs after shaving due to the dry skin and after using the Venus® Embrace Sensitive razor I no longer needed to. It's a great razor and I highly recommend it!



Another really cool thing (maybe I live under a rock) is that it comes with this really cute holder that has a suction cup to hang on your shower, so that the razor doesn't get icky from laying on the tub. I actually said, "Awwww!" to myself when I hung it up in my shower. Haha, I'm a nerd.

Note: all products complimentary for testing purposes from Influenster. Thanks Influenster!

Say bye, bye, bye to the front porch!

It ain't no lie, baby. Bye, bye, bye! The front porch is gonzo! Paul did 95% of the demo work, but I helped where I could being that I still had to watch Lily. I can't tell you how long I'd been waiting for that day to come. Yeeeaars. It's been a long time coming. I'm so excited to get the front of the house looking the way I want it to look... finally.

This is what the front of the house looked like before.


And this is after.


We have a lot ahead of us. But first, check out the mess we had to clean up.


What a mess! It didn't take long to clean it up though. 10 minutes to be exact. We called someone and had all of it hauled away for free, since they can just take it to a metal buyer and get paid for all of it. We didn't have the patience or time to do it so, we just wanted it gone.

I have big plans for the front of the house. I'll be painting the house again, this time a simple mixture of grays with a happy mint green door. Here are a couple of ideas...

I don't know how dark of gray the one I chose compared to this is, but it's close. I'll be doing a darker gray for the main part of the house and then a lighter gray for the accent and a light gray for the trim.



with this color door



If you scroll back up and look at the house after the porch was removed, you can kind of see an orange trim. That is the original color the house was before I attempted to paint it green and white. I never painted the orange because it all needs to be removed and rebuilt. That's one of the tasks we have ahead of us. As well as extend the portico over the door to the edge of the window, on the left. Then next to that we are building a pergola, like this...



I'd also like to add faux shutters for curb appeal. Then eventually, maybe next year add a white picket fence to the front of the house. We are also adding a new mailbox, maybe a white railing and sprucing up the garden. So many things to do! I can't wait to get started and share our journey along the way. Stay tuned! We're about to get knee deep in home diy!

Hello, 2014

Happy New Year! Wow, it has been a looong time since I've updated. Needless to say, I've been a little busy between the holidays, Gracie's 6th birthday, being sick, being a new mom to a new baby and just living life the best I can. So much has happened since my last post. Gracie turned 6, had a fun birthday party and during the whole thing I was sick as all hell. I didn't have a voice for 3 or 4 days, I lost hearing in my left ear due to an ear infection and was just feeling rather yucky for most of November. By the time Thanksgiving got around I was starting to feel better, but enjoyed spending the holiday with my family. December was another busy month due to the holidays being so close this year, a shorter time span then usual to buy gifts, decorate and just get everything done. We baked cookies, brownies, ate lots of yummy food, opened lots of presents and I'd say had a pretty great month. We ended 2013 with a small get together here at our home with our closest friends, drank waaay to much alcohol, played lots of games, shot off fireworks and rang in the New Year with laughs and joy.

As for 2014, well we will have to see what happens! We or should I said I have lots of plans this year, to do the outside of the house. I'm going to paint, take down our front screened porch, put up a pergola, change out the poles in our carport, fix some rotted wood, spruce up the landscaping and that's only the outside. Inside, I have plans to paint the main tv wall in my living room in a fun Moroccan pattern, stain our chest/coffee table and mostly, my most exciting task, redecorate Gracie's bedroom. Boy, do I have plans!

1 & 2 Baja & Cozy Cottage by Behr - I'm undecided on the exact color I want to do, but this is the basic idea.

A. Kura by Ikea - Of course, Ikea! This is the bunk bed Gracie has been asking for and the good thing is, the bottom portion is actually right on the floor so when Lily is big enough to be in a big girl bed, she won't get hurt if she were to roll off. Gracie can't wait to be roommates with her, it's cute!

B. Throw pillows from Ikea & Etsy - Gracie's would obviously be a G, not an E. But that's what it will look like and the other pillow is just one of many from Ikea I'm going to be throwing on her bed & reading corner.

C. Shelf, Bins, Wire hanger for Art all from Ikea - Gracie needs a place for toys that's organized and also a place for her art, these things will work perfectly in her room. View a larger image here, in my Pinterest.

D. Ombre dresser - I'll be keeping Gracie's current dresser and painting it just like the one above. Ombre!

E. Color Pop Bed Set by Circo at Target - This is the exact thing I was looking for when I started looking months ago. It's everything Gracie loves! Lots and lots of colors!

F. Tastrup by Ikea - This rug is so Gracie. She's currently obsessed with all things Lalaloopsy, but I wasn't willing to do a themed room for something I know she will be tired of in 6 months. So, this little pop of buttons gives her a taste of the Loopsy button eyes without going all Loopsy wild in her room. She's happy, I'm happy, solved!

G. Colorful frames & art - Obviously there isn't a place for me to link for this picture but you get the idea. Lots of colorful frames & art on her walls. Fun! Colorful! SO Gracie!

So, lots of posts coming soon! Stay tuned! :)