PopSugar MustHave September 2014

I think I say this every time, and I will say it again. PopSugar Must Have boxes are like a Christmas stocking in a box every month. Last month my box came late in the month. So far, I have really liked almost everything in the boxes. They are filled with little things I might not purchase for myself, but that I enjoy. That's how a gift should be. This is a gift I give myself, but I don't have to do the shopping. I am always pretty excited when the box arrives. This month was no exception. I had seen reviews and spoilers already, so I was pretty excited when it arrived. The box usually comes with an information card. Not this time for my box, but that's OK ... I knew what was coming.

Tilo Scarves Scarf (Raisin): I LOVE this scarf. The colors are amazing. As the light hits, different colors are highlighted. It's very soft and feels luxurious. I think I will get a lot of use out of this. It's my favorite item n the box. ($125)

Nicole Miller Stereo Earbuds: OK, I can never have enough earbuds. I seem to scatter them to the winds and then they all come back and I find a whole bunch again in my drawer. I love the blue color. The buds are soft. I haven't listened to the sound yet, but earbuds are always a win for me. ($19.99)

Urban Remedy Almond Brownie: There were mixed reviews of these on-line. I LOVED IT!!! and ate it almost immediately. The Brownie is Raw, Vegan, Organic, and Gluten free. Very few ingredients. Of course, if you aren't used to eating raw, vegan, organic, gluten free then you might not like this. It doesn't have thick cakey texture and it's a flavor that takes getting used to. I'm so used to it that I love it. Also a $10 gift card for a future $50 purchase. I don't buy raw food in bulk, so not sure I'll use the gift card, though. ($6)

Oribe Superfine Purse Size Hairspray: Maybe I need this because this time of year, my hair is getting frizzy. Was it a hint? Maybe. The size is convenient for me because I don't use a lot of hairspray, so it would take me a while to go through a full size bottle. We'll see how much I use it. I can't tell you if I love it yet because I haven't tried it. If I don't get a lot of use, I will gift it and I know just who to give it too. ($21.50)

Letter C Designs Pencils (and sharpener): OK, a little strange to get pencils, but I guess it's back-to-school time. These are nice and I do have a need for pencils sometimes. Convenient little sharpener, too. ($5)

Rifle Paper Co. Garance Dore Assorted Girls Set: I like fancy stationary. I don't write cards often, but when I do, it's nice to have something that seems a little special. I liked the 8 cards of 4 designs. It does make me feel a little sophisticated. HMMMM ... who should I write to just to find an excuse? ($18)

 Bonus Items: Both will be gifted for different reasons.

Nike $20 Gift Card: Nike is promoting their Pro 360 Fit system of athletic bras, but this can be used on any of their products. The Gift card was wrapped very cute in an envelope with a black satin ribbon and included a tape measure. But, I don't support Nike since they re-signed Michael Vick. I do have a friend who loves Nike, so she gets this. ($20) 

Ghiradelli Milk Chocolate Sea Salt & Almond Minis: OK ... If I didn't eschew products with dairy, then this would have been eaten in an instant. I gave them to a friend and she was grateful. ($4)

I really loved the September box. There are always a few items in any box that aren't perfect for me, but you can't please everybody all the time. I think this subscription does a pretty good job and comes close.  I paid $39.95 because I haven't been canceling and joining with a discount code. I suppose I could, but that would take effort and I'm feeling a little lazy. I like a bargain and the value of the box was $219.49. I wouldn't normally purchase some of these items because I'm not really that spendy (honest, I'm not), so I feel pretty decadent when the box arrives.  I should just probably bite the bullet and do the annual subscription. Here is a link to get your own. Order today.

(This post contains affiliate links. These opinions are my own and are unsolicited. I have not received any compensation for my comments.) 

Skirt Sports 10 on 10 Virtual 10-miler

I exercise because I like to eat. ... a lot. There is no other good reason I can think of.

I don't like running. I know it's hard to believe, because I've been doing more of it, but that's true. It's a fact. I hated the 1-mile run for the Presidential Fitness Challenge in elementary school. I have always said there are only 2 reasons to run:

Something is chasing you

You are chasing something

I reached a maximum weight in 2007 and realized that I had to do something because I was going the wrong direction. What I was doing wasn’t working. So, I decided to do something I hated … run. Part of why I hated running was the clothes. I hated the way I looked in running shorts … too short. I hated the way my thighs rubbed together in those short shorts. The alternative wasn’t much better … longer bike-style running shorts. My chubby thighs bulged out the bottom of the tight compression. Capris were too tight in the back of my knees. Then I discovered running skirts. Skirt Sports had lengths I could wrap my head around. Not too short. No chub rub. The capris were breezy and didn’t bunch in my knee pits. The compression shorts under the skirts weren’t too tight. Chub rub was eliminated. Unsightly thigh bulges were covered by a skirt. And, they were cute. I had an excuse to not hate … even if I didn’t love … running. I have no fashion sense and that's fine, I wear a uniform every day. I violate the rule of not being to "matchy" when running ... but I don't care. I'm geeky that way. Running in cute outfits makes me feel like maybe I have a wee, tiny bit of fashion sense. 

So, when Skirt Sports offered a virtual 10-miler (or 10K) to celebrate their 10th Anniversary, I was on-board. I have gone through a lot of their products over the years and changed sizes ... Yea. This is what my current collection looks like: 

I didn't know how I would do if I were running on my own, so lucky for me, I am running with a training group. We were scheduled for 8-miles, but I decided to go 10 to get in my race distance.

The week before the race, my swag arrived. Depending on what "level" of race you signed up for, you got a gift certificate for different values. My gift certificate was the same value as the cost of my virtual run, so I figured, I scored. Look at all the stuff I bought!!!

Most people were running the weekend of the anniversary. Sunday was perfect, but my legs were tired from  yesterday's bike ride. I met my training group and took the obligatory "pre-race" pictures. These are some really great people and we have an amazing coach. She's really smart and motivational and encouraging for all of us ... no matter our pace. She supports us on good days and not so good days. And off we went.

We are lucky enough to have a beautiful place to run along the San Antonio Riverwalk. There was a clean bathroom ... very important for a race. And we had a water stop set up around mile 3 (and 7 on the way back). I turned around at the 5-mile marker and within a half mile, I saw a bobbing pony tail. Was that Helen? She was only supposed to do 8 miles. Last week was her longest run ever at 7.5 miles. "What are you doing?" "I didn't want you to be out here by yourself." I almost cried. We had great conversation the whole way back. She sampled her first ever snot (I mean energy gel) and I sampled her my favorite run nutrition--which isn't a gel. And told her about my favorite gel flavors. 

I have lost 70 pounds and gone through multiple sizes of skirts in the past seven years. Some people might think I have a problem with the size of my SkirtSports collection. I think the only problem is that there is always room in my closet for one more skirt. Oh, and I got one ... my finisher Marathon Skirt ...

Oh, I found a third reason to run:

Cute running clothes

La Vernia Wild West Hammerfest 2014

In Triathlon, I have heard that you should train your weakness. Mine is the bike. I have a beautiful bike. She needs a better motor. I admit, I’m afraid of riding on the roads … cars will always win in an accident. I don’t have great bike handling skills. Because I’m intimidated on the roads, I don’t ride as often as I should.

When I was in 8^th grade, I did a ride across Kansas … 50-80 miles per day for about a week. It was hot. And don’t be fooled, Southeast Kansas is NOT FLAT!!! on a bicycle. And in the heat, the tar on the road gets sticky. After that, it was years before I got on a bike again.  A few years ago, I did a few Olympic distance triathlons … those 2 races were the ONLY times I have ridden 20-miles (or more) since the bike across Kansas.  A few months ago, I was feeling brave and did a 20-mile ride with Shakira on the road. It was actually fun. But, that’s it.

I keep saying that I need to get out on the road. When I heard about La Vernia Wild West Hammerfest, I had the perfect excuse.  This small community hosts an annual ride of multiple distances 34, 53, 65 miles and a 10-mile family ride. The ride supports the La Vernia Veterans Memorial Project … great reason to support an event.  I chose 34-miles. They have a military/veteran rate, so I signed up on-line. The temperature dropped on Friday and we were blessed with rain.  There was threat of rain for the ride, so the Musician worried about me …he knows my fear of bikes and lack of skill. Friday night, the Musician aired up my tires and loaded Vaderette on the car. Saturday morning, I took the shopping tag off my bike shorts (yes, never been worn) and grabbed a rain jacket. Headed to the park and picked up my packet. I didn’t know how to wear the bib. I pinned it to the front of my bike jersey and zipped up my rain jacket. Seems most people pinned it to the back of their jersey.

I met Shakira and her friend Christina and we decided to ride together. This was Christina’s first long-ride, too. Said “hello” to some other friends who were going out at different rates and paces. And Let, who was on crutches and couldn’t ride, but proved to be a great cheerleader. We went to the start line, said a prayer, said the national anthem. The 65-milers left, then the 53-milers. Then us. We stayed toward the back, but it was still tough getting going. I’m not the only person who is unsteady with bike mounting and handling. We pedaled leisurely and found a comfortable pace and got out of a crowd. Each section of the route was completely different.

Start to Rest-Stop #1. The weather was comfortable. The cold front was great. Temperatures were comfortable. Slightly windy. Shakira’s toes got cold, but my mountain bike shoes provided good protection. The road had some really rough and bumpy areas. The hills were gentle rollers. If this were a race, it would be described as flat … not “rolling hills” that race organizers euphemistacly call steep climbs. Sometimes they were tough when the wind was against us. I had so much fun. This was great. I didn’t feel the pressure of a race. We got to the rest stop and I had an orange wedge and was thinking I could go like this all day. Christina didn’t want to stop for fear she might not get back on the bike.

Rest-Stop to Rest-Stop. Shakira and I re-mounted and turned the corner to be met with a wall of hard wind. I swear the wind was enough to stop the bike. Same rolling hills for the next 13 miles, but with wind that was rough. Cross-winds that made me clutch the handle bars and pray that Vaderette wouldn’t fall over. Head-winds that required grinding in low gears to keep going downhill. Sudden gusts that almost brought me to dead halt. Is it my imagination or did the wind pick up when there were uphill climbs? We caught up to Christina. At one point, I was leading the threesome and Shakira told me to go on ahead. I was ready to be done. My girlie parts started to talk to me … and then yell at me … I wasn’t having as much fun anymore. I spent some time in my own head and kind of liked my conversations, though. I was good company. I was relieved to find Rest-Stop #2. I hung out and waited a few minutes for my partners. Ate some Gu chomps. I should note that I had set out nutrition for myself the night before and left it sitting on the kitchen counter. After chomps, I felt better. I guess I needed calories.  Christina decided not to stop. I think her words were “let’s just get this finished.”

Rest-Stop #2 to Finish: We got started again and turned a corner. The road got really smooth. The wind died down, or at least felt better. My girlie bits stopped talking … I think because they gave up telling me I was not being nice to them. I decided I liked being in my own zone and went off on my own to the finish. At 30-miles, there was a marker on the ground for the 34-milers to turn and the others to keep going straight. I shouted (OK ... screamed with joy) at the volunteers because I was happy to be heading home. I got barn happy. At the finish, I waited a few minutes to see Christina and Shakira come through. They had to head home quickly. I headed to lunch with friends who had ridden 34-miles, much faster than me, though. I wasn’t concerned about my pace because this was a ride, not training, not racing … just getting to like my bike again … sort of.

This was a great ride for the 439 riders who signed up. I never felt unsafe on the roads. The support and volunteers were really incredible. The countryside was absolutely beautiful. We were lucky to avoid rain, but the temperature was grand. The community was really supportive with lots of police support at intersections. The car traffic never felt scary. I will do it again. But, I was tired and would enjoy the rest of the day on a couch. 

PopSugar Must Have Fall 2014 Style Box

I consider myself new to the subscription box community and was excited and nervous when I discovered them. I especially wasn't sure about purchasing extra, and more expensive, special edition boxes. Then I discovered  PopSugar Must Have.  I have been so happy with the monthly boxes, that I decided to spend the $100 for the seasonal Fall Style Box. There was a spoiler about cashmere and wool by Joie and I was curious. Some people received their boxes a day or two before mine and I admit, I did read reviews. It's true, I used to sneak peaks under the Christmas tree, too. I love surprises, but I also love to find out what surprises I will get. I was really looking forward to my box and was happy to see it on the porch when I got home today. The box was inspired by Fashion Week and I love it. 

I liked the packaging with the polka dot tissue paper and each item was individually wrapped with tissue paper. It really was like opening presents. 

Machesa Voyage for Shopstyle Printed Scarf: OK...when I pulled this out of the box, I was surprised when my husband said "That's really pretty." What? He noticed? That's saying a lot. It is light and soft. It won't be a warm scarf, but it has great dark fall color and will be a very nice accessory. ($140)

Make Silk Cream Lipstick in Radicchio: I don't wear a lot of make-up, but I do sometimes and I like to have color alternatives. This is silky and creamy and pretty red. I am on the fence, not because of the product, but because of my style. ($25)

Capsule Parfums Byway Eau de Parfum: I LIKE IT. it's light and fresh and a little sweet but not heavy. I love small sizes to put in my bag. My husband liked it too, so it's a win. ($38)




Indie Lee Brightening Cleanser: One of the things I love about this subscription is that they find items that I wouldn't have purchased, but that I like trying. This is one of them that I may just buy now that I've tried it. And honestly, I can't get enough cleansers and moisturizers...not yet, anyway. I love trying new brands and products. ($32)

Joie Zarina Knit Hat: Yep, soft and warm and roomy enough if I want to tuck up all my hair. I like beanie caps in winter and this one will keep me warm. I really like the cream color. It is the wool and cashmere item in the box that was hinted. I'm happy with it. ($98)

SugarPova Chic Gummy Candy: OK, these are cute gummies shaped like shoes and handbags. But, they are gummies made with gelatin and I don't eat gelatin containing products. I will gift them, but I'm a little jealous because they are really cute. ($5.99)

So, this was my first venture with a special edition box and I'm really happy with it. It feels special. The value was amazing. For $100, the box was filled with $338.99 worth of products. I do really like that it's filled with products I wouldn't have picked out for myself, but that I definitely love. Isn't that what surprises and gifts are supposed to be? This is a great gift for myself. 

(This post contains affiliate links. These opinions are my own and are unsolicited. I have not received any compensation for my comments.)

Escape Monthly Anniversary Box

Escape Monthly is a destination-inspired monthly delivery of luxury products to help you relax, renew and escape! Indulge in experiences inspired by luxurious spas, tropical getaways, cultures of the world and more! - See more at: http://escapemonthly.com. If I can't take a real vacation every month, at least I can pretend with a vacation in a box. One monthly box includes a trip to the destination. If you just can't live without any extras of items in the box, you can buy them at escapemonthly.com/offers for a discount. 

This month, they celebrated their first anniversary with a special edition box featuring favorite from each of the past 12 months. I joined only a few months ago and wanted to see what the other boxes were like. And for $49.99 for 12 items, I figured it was probably also a pretty good deal. I was anxious to open the box, so let's see what was in there. I do really like the Chevron stripes and I love the "You Deserve It" motto. 



India-Tao of Tea 500 Mile Chai Tea: I received this in my India Special Edition Box. I feel the same way now as I did then. Like. The black leaves smell incredible. I don't have a tea pot and strainer, but I have a good friend who does. She can share with me. We can relax and sip after adding some plant-based milk and sugar. Of course, I could just smell it all night and feel pretty relaxed. I found a 4-oz tin or you could purchase by the ounce on-line for $2.25/ounce. The 2-ounce tin, which will brew 30-35 cups, is valued at $4.50. 


Las Vegas-Jackpot Poker Chip Magnets: The Las Vegas Box had a variety of different souvenir items. I didn't receive the poker chip magnets in my box, so it was nice to have something different in the Anniversary Box. I have some Mardi Gras coin magnets that I like. They don't really work on my stainless steel refrigerator, but I like them as a little light decoration on the freezer in the garage. Found them on-line for $7.99. 


California-San Franola: Also received this in my California Box. I gifted it because of the dairy and will gift again. My friend liked it before, I'm sure she will like it again. Unless you eat plant-based. I was disappointed to see that they have added whey protein. Not sure why you need to add processed product (especially dairy) to granola to make it tasty. Will also be gifting. It looked very tasty and I was looking forward to trying it, but alas . . .Retail $1.99

Mexico-Vero Mango Chili Lollipops: This was not an item in my Mexico Box, but Mexican Candy was included. I am a little nervous about sampling this and may gift it to some of my friends who hail from Mexico. The Mexico Box candy was valued at $4.00 and had 4 items, so I'm guessing about $1.00. UPDATE: Someone looked this up on-line and found a much lower value, closer to $0.15. 

New York-I love New York Sticker: I wasn't subscribing to Escape Monthly when the New York Box came out. I know that the symbol is iconic for New York, but have to admit, I don't have much value for a sticker. It seems there were some really cool items, lots of food, that could have been included. This was the bonus item in the box with listed retail $1.49. 


Ireland-Garden of Ireland Linen Wrapped Soaps: Ireland was my first box. Another item I was happy to receive because it was one of the variety of items that wasn't included in my original Ireland Box. I like pretty smelling soaps and I like the packaging. The scent I received is Heather & Moss and it smells great. From the box reviews that received this item, Retail $7.50. 

Colorado-Mountain Mist Lotion: It's true, I'm a sucker for pretty smelling hand and body lotions. This 2 ounce bottle is Lavendar scented--one of my favorites. The travel size will fit nicely in my handbag and off I go. Retail $5.20.

Italy-La Civetta Extra Virgin Olive Oil: I use a lot of olive oil in my cooking and I know this brand and like it. Cold pressed is definitely the way to go and the flavor is light so good for salads, too. 60 mL bottle/2 ounces, so won't last long. Retail $2.50.

Vermont-Lake Champlain Vermont Chocolates: Again, who doesn't like chocolate. I'm sure this 4-piece sampler is tasty, but with the dairy, I'll be gifting it. I have read reviews of folks who loved it. Retail $6.00.


Hawaii-Honey Girl Organic Beauty Creams: I like receiving beauty creams to try different brands. This was an 87% organic eye cream and a tiny sample night cream. I will give the night cream a try tonight-it's thick and creamy the way I like it. The eye cream will also be used, but it's a little thinner and oilier than I'm used to. It does feel soft and smooth, though. The Honey Girl Website lists their 1.75 ounce Face & Eye cream at $30.99. This bottle doesn't have a weight on it, but I'm guessing that's about the right size, so this is the highest value item in my box at $30.99 and maybe $5 for the Night Creme Sample.  UPDATE: I compared the size of the eye cream to another bottle I have. It's probably closer to 1/3 the size of the full size bottle sold on the website, so probably closer to $10.00 value.

Oregon-Beeswax Cinnamon Roll Candle: Yes, it smells like a cinnamon roll. And yes, it looks like one too. I really like candles almost as much as I like skin care products. It is cute votive size so it will get used. I would almost eat it, though. Retail $4.00

Napa Valley-Sparkling White Grape Tea: I really should either get a tea kettle or spend some time with my friend who has all the supplies for really enjoying slow-brewed high-quality tea leaves. I think Napa may have been the first month. I think it's cool to have a nice combination of white tea with red currants and grapes. I think I could really enjoy sipping. This package makes 15-25 cups. I like strong, so probalby 15. Retail $7.99




The value of this box was $86.15 and much was due to the single "bit ticket" item $55.16. Lower than my earlier estimate because of the overestimate on the eye cream. Not a bad value for the $49.99 price tag, The value was just a bit more than the $49.99 price tag, and I admit I was a little disappointed with things like a sticker and a piece of candy with little value.  I really want to love this subscription because I really love the concept of a vacation in a box every month. I would like to be carried away to exotic lands. I like the subscription, but I'm just not feeling  the "wow factor." My husband watches me unpack the boxes and he says this one seems like cheap souvenirs to him and he likes my other boxes better. I do like trying new things, but I have not found a lot in these boxes that I would go out and purchase again because I love them so much. I guess that I would like to see higher value as my other boxes are valued at double (or more) than their price point making me feel like I got a bargain. But, I haven't cancelled yet, so that means I still like it enough to keep going. 

(This post contains affiliate links. These opinions are my own and are unsolicited. I have not received any compensation for my comments.)