Hello Wench - A Life Update

Let's sit down for some coffee - shall we?

The past few months have been an absolute roller coaster for me - and I am exhausted. Travelling to Japan was one of the absolute best experiences in my entire life. It will be a moment I will always cherish and I look upon those two weeks with such fondness I don't even know how to explain it. I have so many blog posts planned around this trip - but I also have 800+ photos to sort through and edit. Don't worry, it's coming. Posts will also resume back on the regular schedule of twice a week on Tuesday and Thursday.

In case you DON'T know who I am, I'm the ONLY official regular host of the Friday night #bdibNA chat. Which is seriously difficult to host on Friday because well, it's Friday. But chats will start coming back in regular rotation once I get back on my schedule. I really didn't realize it was going to take almost a month to get back into the swing of things. Which is probably an error on my part.

Other than that I am honestly making an effort into being the best version of myself possible and making strides in being more confident than ever. Thanks for spending some time with me!

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Recipe: Crockpot Stuffed Peppers

Recipe: Crockpot Stuffed Peppers

I got a crockpot for christmas last year, and have been absolutely in love with it since I got it. I'm always on the hunt for new recipes that I can make in my crockpot, and this is the perfect recipe to make in it. On the plus side - it's super simple to make and I always have leftovers!

This is my grandma's recipe - so there are no real measurements. She always told me "go with what looks good" and well, it turns out delicious every time so she must've done something right! (Or this recipe is bomb proof)

Recipe:
Ingredients:
Ground Beef
Green peppers
Egg(s)
Garlic Salt
Salt
Pepper
Canned Tomato Soup
Instant Rice

Directions:
Depending on how many and how big your green peppers are is how much ground beef you should buy. I bought three medium sized peppers and needed a pound and a half of ground beef. I opted for lean ground beef as it creates less 'juice'.

1. Combine ground beef, egg, and instant rice in a bowl. Add as much garlic salt, pepper, and salt as you like.
2. Mix the above together using either your hands or a baking spatula. (for 1.5 lbs GB I needed to use 2 large eggs) Eggs act as the 'glue' that holds it all together, so add another egg if you need more 'glue'.
3. Core green peppers, leaving just the hollow shell. (no seeds!)
4. Take meat mixture and stuff the pepper until it reaches the top.
5. Put canned tomato soup on the bottom of the crock pot, place peppers inside, then top with another can of tomato soup. Then add one can of water.
6. Put the top on your crock pot and set it to low/10 hrs. *
7. Go about your daily business - and then come home to a delicious meal!

If the sauce is too watery for your taste, add a little cornstarch until you get the desired consistency/thickness. This can also be made on the stove, on a low simmer for 2 hours with the lid on a pot. I just find it easier to cook in the crockpot.

*Please note, I make this around 8am and don't get home until 6pm. This time can be shortened to as little as two hours on the stove.

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#UltimateVegasOutfit*

#UltimateVegasOutfit*

Getting to Las Vegas from south Florida is a bit of a haul (like, a 5 hour plane ride). So the first thing I'm going to want to do is wear comfortable enough clothes to sit on a plane for 5 hours and also not drive the TSA (and the people behind me) crazy at the airport.

I'm going to keep it comfy chic by wearing some comfortable broken in boyfriend jeans with an old Fall Out Boy band tank. I'm also going to be keeping the accessories to a minimum with just a watch, bracelet and a cute pair of earrings all while pulling my ridiculously long hair into a cute messy ponytail. I'm keeping makeup to a minimum with just some natural shadows and a cute pink lip. A backpack to hold all of the stuff I'm going to need on the plane is essential. I like to read while I'm on a plane so it's gotta be big enough to hold at least one book and my ipad. Pair all of this with some super cute kitty flats and we're good to go!

That night though, ya girl is gonna turn out.

The dress is a super cute tank floral skater dress from Miss Rebel. Its super short, has spaghetti straps, and has a cool mesh panel on the bottom of the dress. It can however get a little chilly in Vegas at night (I mean it is a desert) so I paired this dress with an awesome leather jacket to give it an edgier vibe. 
For accessories some simple but geometric layered necklaces paired with some cute stud earrings and stackable rings completed this look.  
Shoes make an outfit, so I decided booties was the way to go. Strappy shoes can get very uncomfortable by the end of the night (this is personal experience). So go with a heel you're comfortable with and a shoe you feel like you can wear all night, because you will be out ALL NIGHT.
Makeup wise, I mean, you're in VEGAS. Go smokey, go bold, and go sultry... because you CAN. Grab that Urban Decay Naked Smokey palette that you just spent your hard-earned money on and SMOKE THOSE EYES OUT. Put on a nice dose of winged eyeliner and layer that with some of Too Faced Better Than Sex mascara. Top the whole look off with some berry toned lipstick from NARS and don't forget to paint your nails! Pop everything you're going to need for the night into your cross-body bag (because you're not going to want to carry your bag all night) and head out for whatever you want!

How To: Keep Your Long Hair Fun & Healthy for Summer!

How To: Keep Your Hair Fun & Healthy for Summer!

Today I'm working in conjunction with Brooke Elise on this haircare How To! We've both got a few tips and tricks for keeping your hair type healthy and happy. Personally, I've got super long (almost to my butt) naturally blonde hair - so I'll be telling you what I do!

Stay away from the hot tools!

This is my natural hair! (and natural curl)

No seriously - it may look awesome for like a second but it ends up damaging the hair more. If you want to style your hair try the blow dryer on cool, braids, or rollers!

Speaking of braids...

They will become your best friend, and are practically a necessity if you want manageable hair. A braid is also a super cute hairstyle and is perfect for windy days. I personally braid my hair every night before bed - sleeping with your hair loose just creates tangles and a mess to brush through in the morning. Also - use a metal free hair tie. I bought a pack of 100 at the dollar store!

Find the perfect brush/comb

Personally, I use a wide tooth comb and a tangle teezer to brush my hair. I also own a wet brush that I never actually use in the shower anymore - but dry when my tangle teezer is no where to be found. The wide tooth comb is a shower staple when I've got conditioner in my hair to make sure that the conditioner gets in every nook and cranny.

Washing your Hair

Now I know everyone is weird on hair washing, and we all have our own system. But I'll tell you mine - I was my hair MAYBE once or twice a week. I don't have super greasy hair although it definitely can get that way, it just depends mainly on how sweaty I get during those inbetween days. I use a moisturizing shampoo too - I know there is all this chemistry behind shampoos but I'm gonna be honest, I buy my shampoo and conditioner at Sams club. (which is a wholesaler) So I've got a very large shampoo and conditioner pump sitting in my shower.

Conditioning your Hair

This is going to sound weird probably, but I always apply conditioner to the ends of my hair first. I feel like this is the part of my hair that is most fragile and I will apply a large portion of moisturizing conditioner there before anything else. My hair is also long enough that I pull it up in a bun of its own while I shave/wash my body and the last thing I do before I get out of the shower is wash conditioner out. I always end up letting my hair air dry as well.

Stay away from permanent color!

This is kind of a no brainer - peroxide based hair colors damage hair. Long hair is sensitive and you need to be gentle with it. But I've used demi/semi permanent colors on my long hair before with no repercussions. (I prefer using brands like Manic Panic)

Be Gentle!

No seriously - have patience and be gentle. It may take up some time of your morning- but it'll be worth it in the long run!

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Florida Lifestyle: Paddlesports

Florida Lifestyle: Paddleboarding & Kayaking on the Gulf of Mexico

This past Memorial Day weekend I spend the weekend doing things I never would've thought I've done. Both Chris and I managed to attempt a new paddlesport! It was a big feat for both of us because I had never paddleboarded before and he had never been in a kayak before.

The ocean was very calm and was great for first timers like us. Paddleboarding was so easy to pick up and was SO much fun! Standing on the board in the water is a lot harder than it looks, but it is still fun. I spent most of my time sitting on the board and paddling around. Chris got a chance to finally try kayaking - and he loved it! Chris isn't the most comfortable in the water, and its been nice to see him open up to try more things and kayaking was the thing that stepped him out of his comfort zone the most.

Overall, it was a fun experience and we've talked about doing this again! We've even talked about possibly purchasing some equipment of our own in the future.

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No Makeup Challenge

No Makeup Challenge

So for my 100th post I decided I was going to challenge myself a little bit - and I decided to do the no makeup challenge! I didn't wear makeup for an entire 6 days (I went out yesterday with friends on a double date, so yes I wore makeup).

I took pictures almost everyday while I was completing this challenge. (okay so I forgot some days, my bad!) But I thought I'd let you guys know how it went, how I felt, and if any comments were made.

First things first: Walking into this I completely expected my office manger to say something about me not wearing makeup all week. She did - and I'll tell you more about it below.

To the left is the first day - and let me tell you, it was weird. I usually go to work with no makeup on, but that day I went the WHOLE day without makeup on. I didn't even have any moisturizer on - it was just me and my bare skin. It was a tad bit uncomfortable because I felt like everyone could see my lack of eyebrows and lashes but pressed forward - hoping that as the second day approached it wouldn't be too bad.

The second day came and went with very little comment from anyone - except my office manager. Who wondered "Why no makeup? Not even lipstick? You look so tired without it." Which I've heard before so I actually expected.

Things I'm Loving: Spring 2015

Things I'm Loving: Spring 2015

It's like horridly hot here in South FL already and it could probably be classified as summer. So let me tell you some items I've been using/wearing since the weather went over 80 degrees here!

Spring Retreat: Naples, FL

Spring Retreat: Naples, FL

So I pretty much have a theme this week: document everything that happened last week! On May 1st, 2015 (exactly a week ago today) I graduated Florida Atlantic University with a Bachelor's degree in Computer Engineering. There were only 15 other graduates in my field with my degree, and only 1 other female. I also pretty much live-tweeted the whole ceremony, so scroll back on my twitter to see those tweets and some pictures. (yes, pictures)

500+ Follower/Graduation Giveaway

500+ Follower/Graduation Giveaway

So - in short: Its GIVEAWAY time.

I finally hit 500 followers on twitter and I'm graduating!

Actually - as of publishing time I've graduated and if you stalk my twitter I'm sure you'll see all the pictures I posted!

Since this is seriously a monumental time in my life I thought I'd share the good vibes and host an awesome giveaway in partnership with Regal Beagle Stitchery.

What you can receive:

1 makeup bag courtesy of Regal Beagle Stitchery

$50 in LUSH products

+ a special DIY project from me

Please note: This giveaway is open internationally!
Hello Wench Graduation/500+ Follower Giveaway

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500 TWITTER FOLLOWERS

OH MY GOO I CAN'T BELIEVE IT 500 OF YOU ACTUALLY FOLLOW ME

You guys are the best - no seriously. I have to say thank you from the bottom of my heart. I never in a million years believed that I would have 2 followers let alone 500. You guys are giving me opportunities I'd never thought I'd have - and in the process are boosting up my self esteem.

No seriously.

THANK YOU to all 500 of you who make this little blog seem a little less little, and for making my voice heard.

You are all seriously the best, and I love you!

We'll be back to our regular programming on Tuesday!

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Spring 2015 WalMart BeautyBox

Spring Walmart BeautyBox

The first day of spring was last week - and the official change in season means that all the dark shades of winter get replaced with the light and colorful shades of spring! It also means that its time for a new Walmart BeautyBox!

 I was pretty excited when I opened this box because I was really happy with almost all the items that were in the last one. I also usually end up using the coupons that come in the boxes, and there were a few items I wanted to try out but was holding out on because I didn't want to pay full price.

Sick Blog pt. 2

Sick Blog pt. 2

So yeah - I'm still sick. I haven't had the energy or the motivation to really do anything. I've spent the past 5 days sleeping and laying around my house. The only time I left was Monday to go to the doctors to actually find out whats wrong with me, and today when I attempted to go to work.

Lets just skim through the weekend:

I slept. 

No seriously thats it, I went to my Grandparents house and slept and watched movies (mainly westerns) all weekend. I left to pick Chris up from the airport - and then came home and went back to bed. After I slept for a bit again, ate some dinner, and drove our butts home.

I felt like absolute poo by the end of the night and just decided it was time to see a doctor - I had been sick for an entire week and had run a fever of 101 on both Saturday and Sunday. It was time to go. I made an appointment for Monday morning at 11am - that way I could go to work and not worry about being too late.

Top left: Elder Signs board game Chris & I played
Bottom left: Buster being overprotective of his Momma
Right: Me tornado'd in my blankie in our living room chair

Of course there was an event going on at the school, and I had to hunt for parking for 20 minutes. Which of course made me late for my appointment - so I missed my doc appointment and had to get squeezed in at 11:40am. Either way, I got squeezed in and met with the doctor. I told her all my symptoms: dry coughing, what was a stuffy nosed turned into a dry gross one, chills, fever, fatigue, generally just feeling weak and unwell. She listened to my lungs and told me she'd get me some medicine so I could get some sleep. She also told me that she was giving me some antibiotics so that we could make sure that I didn't having walking pneumonia, and that I should go home and take at least a day or two off so that I could get better.

Ya girl may have walking pneumonia?! Like... What?! I didn't think it would be that terrible. The worst is when I had to call my boss and let him know how sick I really was, and you could tell in his voice that he was like "Oh shit, shes really sick!" and not just saying I was sick so I could get out of a Monday.

Left: Me today - feeling better! But still not 100%
Top right: Buster and I on the chair in our living room.
Bottom right: Nene and Buster laying on me Friday night.

As you can see from most of the pictures - the dogs have been a constant since I got sick. Buster has been such a good dog since I started to feel unwell. He's taken up being a bit of an overprotective watchdog since then, and will wake me up by licking my face if he thinks I've been sleeping too long (during the day). Its cute but also very annoying if I've only been asleep an hour and am exhausted. My Grandma thinks its cute because it's like he's watching out for me just like I watch out for him. She knows he's a Mommas boy (sorry Dad!).

Either way - getting knocked on our ass like this for what I thought was a little cold is no joke. I'll probably still be out of the loop for another day! 

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Sick blog

Sick blog

Ugh, I knew I was starting to feel a little off on valentines day, but "feeling a little off" has turned into a full blown cold! I feel absolutely awful - and my life chugs on whether I'm ready for it to or not!

This cold started Valentines Day, but I didn't really think anything of it because I had stayed the night at my Mom's house and my parents smoke. So feeling a little off around chain smokers really isn't something out of the norm. It wasn't really anything, just a few more sneezes than usual and a couple coughs here and there. I didn't think anything of it... until Sunday.

On Sunday Chris was slated to leave at some ungodly hour in the morning (6am) and there was set to be a blizzard at his destination. So he set these ridiculous alarms to go off at 3am, 4am, and 5am so he could check whether his flight had been cancelled for not. Good idea in theory - until the alarms wake both of you up and you have an absolutely terrible nights sleep, AND it was cold as hell outside! Either way, after dropping him off at the airport for his not cancelled flight I went back to bed - and woke up feeling worse than before.

Valentines Day 2015

Valentines Day Weekend

I was going to write a beauty and fashion post about what I did for valentines day and the lovely makeup and outfit I wore - but reality set in quickly.

Chris is supposed to be leaving on Sunday morning to go to NYC to see his family again after moving down here. Which is very exciting - but it meant we had to turn our house inside out to get him packed for winter in NYC and get a suitcase ready for him. (which he didn't do until last minute) So on Friday we packed him up for NYC, packed up a bag for myself for the weekend at my parents/grandparents, and packed the dog up with us. We had a delicious dinner that my brother cooked for us (with my Moms help) and spent the night with them. The boys (Chris and my brother) played Magic: The Gathering until past 1AM. At which point I was exhausted and made them vacate the bedroom so I could catch some much needed sleep.

OOTD: Casual Work Dress

OOTD: Casual Work Dress

Lets cut right to the chase, some people don't always have seriously formal business offices. My office is probably the most casual of them all - we can show up in jeans and a t-shirt. (Perks of being an online based business) But my lovely office manager always seems to make comments to me (and only me) about how I dress in the workplace. I think she likes to believe that shes looking out for me, but commenting on my weight or how large my breasts look is very inappropriate. But no one says anything to her about her constant track suit/capri style.

Either way, I've had to develop a seriously conservative wardrobe with her prying eyes around. Considering even a v-neck tee shows "just a little too much". Busty girl problems, am I right? This OOTD is office manager approved for the shoe choice, no cleavage, and dress length. Its seriously /boring/ but can jazzed up with just a few cute accessories.

Work OOTD by xwenchqueen

Yeah, its another Polyvore. I wanted to snap a picture of todays outfit (which is ridiculously similar except for the amazingly cute cat bag) but by the time I had gotten home from work the sun had set and the lighting in my house is terrible. Either way, the dress I had on was a comfortable but appropriate 3/4 roll-up sleeve t-shirt dress with a string tie in the center to give it some shape. I wore Black flats with a large black bow on them, and accessorized with a chunky necklace from Target, some simple sunglasses and a cute hair bow to go with my messy topknot. I kept the makeup super simple with just a small wing for my eyeliner and a nude color Milani lipstick.

This outfit and many more like it have started becoming my go-to for work. What are your go-to outfits for school or work? Does your job/school have a strict dress code? Let me know in the comments!

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January Hits & Misses

January Hits & Misses

Always a little late on the hits & misses train. 

But oh well! These were my January Hits & Misses!

Hits:

I have been in love with these lipsticks this month! I find myself wearing one or the other - and pretty much nothing else! The first one is an elf Matte Lip Color in Rich Red. It definitely is matte, doesn't dry my lips, and has a good staying power! I put it on in the morning and only need a few touch ups during the day. (usually after I eat, but thats not really surprising)
The second lipstick was my after Christmas splurge - I have wanted this Lipstick for months and I finally caved after I got some gift cards for Ulta. In case you don't know what this little tube of jesus is - its the Too Faced Melted Liquid Lipstick in Melted Berry. And, I, Love It. It smells so good, it applies liquid and dries matte, and has amazing staying power. Also the color - to die for. I love this shade of berry. Did I tell you I had been lusting after it for months?

Life is crazy sometimes...

Lifes course can change in one moment

So this isn't going to be a happy-go-lucky feel good post. I had a "What's in my school bag - last semester" queued up - but I felt like this was a much more important topic to post about. You'll get the other post on Tuesday though - no worries.

So yesterday (and yes Alex - if you're reading, I'm talking about this) my friend and A.O.E. (Axis of Evil) sister had her biological sister get into a car accident. Around 2pm my time I get a call and its her saying "----- got into an accident. I... don't know what to do...?"

The thing is - what do you tell someone in that instance? I feel so terrible for the person who had to call my Mom and tell her that I had been hit by a car. It also brings everything - mortality especially - into a serious focus. I've driven/rode across that road so many times in my life - and its all gone by without consequence.

The headlines were the worst of everything - One Dead, Three injured in Alligator Alley Crash

Yeah - someone died in this accident. And she was probably doing nothing but coming home from a good vacation at the beach. In the process - she changed the lives of three individuals forever. Two of whom may never have the same mobility they had before the crash. 

My point is - cherish each moment you have. When I got home I hugged my pup a little tighter, and when I picked Chris up I kissed him for a few seconds longer. When we got home - we cuddled on the couch for a little bit longer than usual. After chatting about it with him we realized that everything can be gone in a moment, and that while we are glad it wasn't us, it could've easily been.

So when you go home today - whether you're alone or with someone else - hug them a little bit longer before you sleep. Tell them you love them just one more time. Even if you're hugging your cat/dog/pet/fish tank. I know I did.

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The rest is under a cut because an image of the accident is attached. If you don't want to see, thats okay.

Holiday Decorating & Cookie Baking

Holiday Decorating & Cookie Baking

Lets be honest, the Holidays are expensive enough with all the gifts your buying and whatnot. I want my house to look festive and expensive without actually being expensive!

Since I just moved into my apartment this past year, I had NO holiday decorations. So of course the first thing I did once December rolled around was figure out what I was going to do for Christmas decorations! The first thing that needed to be picked up was a Christmas tree. I've never had a real tree before, and honestly my apartment is wayyy too small for a 6ft Christmas tree. So I opted for the fake 4ft tall kind that you can buy from Target on sale for $75. Next: Baubles. I opted for the classic red and gold theme for the tree, although I really wanted to do an all white theme. $1 store, here we come. I bought all of our tree baubles AND the star for the tree at our local Dollar store. And honestly, I think it turned out pretty nice.

 

I have to admit though, some of the ornaments were not from the dollar store. My Grandma loves the Christmas store, and when she went there she bought a ton of absolutely adorable ornaments. And she even got one to commemorate our first Christmas actually living together.

Comfy Winter Look & Holiday Music!

Comfy Winter Look & Holiday Music!

Today I thought I'd give you a look into my version of a comfy "winter" outfit. 

This outfit is actually something I made at the start of Fall, but it was so hot here I completely forgot all about it because it didn't feel like Fall to me. But finally the weather has given up and has decided to get a bit colder. So I pulled this outfit back from the depths of polyvore and decided to share it with you guys.

I love myself a cute, fuzzy, warm, white sweater (I own two). And I love to pair them with either A) Dark wash skinny jeans or B) Distressed boyfriend jeans with a cute cuff. I decided on the boyfriend jeans for this look with some pretty neutral accessories. I've been loving beige/nudes for the Fall/Winter so I kept with that. A simple nude colored scarf and some nude ballet flats. I love the idea of a cute standout purse with such a neutral outfit to give it a little flair, and then adding some cute heart earrings, a gold bangle, and a cute little ring. I kept the makeup seriously basic with a nude lip and mascara for a simple but polished look.

I feel like this outfit would be perfect for visiting a friend and lounging on their couch while you drink delicious hot chocolate and listen to some holiday music.

Speaking of music This Holiday...

I was in a wedding!

Remember that wedding I went to back on Nov 1st?

Well here are the pictures and the post you guys have been waiting for.

So back on October 31st I had to skip classes and fly out to Maryland for my amazing cousins wedding. She was getting married November 1st and I was so happy to be asked to be in her bridal party. Originally Chris was going to join me on this adventure, but he ended up not being able to take off work and I spent Halloween running through airports.

One thing you guys probably don't know is that I get miserably motion sick. Like miserably, so I knew that the flight from Florida to Georgia and then from Georgia to Maryland were going to feel like the longest plane rides in the history of my life. They weren't actually the longest I've ever had, but my motion sickness didn't set in until I was about 19-20.

Nevertheless, if you've ever landed in the Atlanta, GA airport it is absolutely HUGE. And of course I only had an hour long layover so if my first flight didn't go right on time it was practically guaranteed that I wouldn't make my second flight.

But no worries, my flight out of Ft. Lauderdale went off without a hitch and the only problem in Atlanta is that my next terminal was literally across the entire airport. Even the stewardess on the airplane wished me good luck as I ran through the airport. Atlanta has a tram though, and I still only made it with 5 minutes to spare!

EITHER WAY: The moral of my story is not about airports or travelling, its about these lovely ladies right here and LOVE. Plain and simple.

Rehearsal time!

When I landed my Grandparents scooped me up from the airport and we went straight to the hotel and the wedding rehearsal. And thank goodness its a tiny airport because I don't know if I could have handled another large airport that day. I got to meet most of the bridesmaids that were going to be there and I finally got to see my cousin! It feels like forever since I've seen her, its so funny because we can spend years apart and then we get together and we always click and its like its been no time at all.