1. lightweight jackets – In the summer months, it’s so uncomfortable wearing heavy jackets but I still needed something to keep me warm in air-conditioned areas. Literally the day I decided to look for a new jacket, I happened upon the blue on at Kohl’s! It was pretty much exactly the kind I had in mind – this sort of super thin and lightweight material that had a lot of texture on the inside to trap more heat. Perfect. Then I headed over to Target and discovered the purple one, which is the same sort of cloth but with a hoodie. It was on sale for a good price so I decided to get it as well. Now I can choose between hooded or not!
2. Ipsy bags – Over the months I have acquired quite a few Ipsy bags and I am still thinking of uses for them all. I plan on putting one or two in the car and using some in my purse once I start carrying a larger one again. They are perfect for organizing small items like foil samples, hair ties, and lip balms. I think I might also use one for receipts since they always get so mangled in my purse. I enjoy all the different patterns, textures, and shapes that Ipsy comes up with. Certainly keeps things fresh!
3. JCPenney clothing – The last time I shopped at JCPenney must have been in high school and that was to buy a purse. For the longest time, I never gave their clothing a chance, thinking the quality and style choices might not be suitable. Panda convinced me to swing by though when I needed something to wear to an interview and I’m so glad he did! I found this dress, which was just the kind of thing I wanted – a dress with pencil skirt bottom and blouse-like top. I don’t have to worry about matching and I only have one article to put on. 🙂 We got it for such a steal too! In the future, I will keep them in mind for my clothing needs.
4. Olay eyelash serum – I got this as a sample from VocalPoint awhile back and then I lost it. Ever since, I’d been searching for it at a good price (most stores offered the eyelash serum and eye cream set for around $30-35). Then I came across it at Costco at such a deal!! I forgot the exact price, but it was like $25 for two sets of the eyelash serum and eye cream duo. Oh, that was another thing – I only wanted the eyelash serum, not the eye cream, but Olay doesn’t sell them separately! Anyway, I got them for a price I was happy with and I probably remember to use it about once a week. I really do feel like my eyelashes have gotten better since I started using it and I’m not sure if it’s my imagination or just that I didn’t notice what my lashes looked like before. Whatever the case, I’m happy to use this as long as I see results!
5. Nongshim instant udon – We discovered this at Costco as well and I pounced on it. Instant udon?! I don’t really see that around and I love udon noodles. I wasn’t sure how the quality would be and while it’s certainly not healthy for me, I sure do love the taste. This is such a fun and easy meal to have when I don’t want frozen food or leftovers or instant ramen. I try to limit how much I eat since it is priiiicey (about $2/bowl compared to like maybe a quarter for ramen) and very salty. I’m not trying to kill myself with over-consumption of salt here. This is a new staple in the house and I expect it will stay that way as long as they are sold in our area.
6. Gogobot bags – I received this super cool canvas tote bag from Gogobot when I became a Pro. Ever since, it’s been my go-to travel bag. The UK trip and that Panda and I took was no exception, which this bag and my suitcases carrying all my stuff. I also love the toiletry bag I got for writing a certain number of reviews on Gogobot. I can’t seem to find a picture of it and I’m too lazy to get one for you but it’s quite a large bag, with various compartments for all your toiletries. I love it and keep it on the counter at home as well so I can (somewhat) organize my various products. Both of these bags were essential for my travels and I’m so glad I have them.
7. Basin products – I’ve been using the pink grapefruit solid shampoo and conditioner for my showering needs. They smell fabulous and I love how well the shampoo foams up. These bars will last me months and months. I even brought them with me on the trip so I wouldn’t have to worry about liquids. Unfortunately I didn’t realize how abused my checked luggage would get on the way home, because I decided to throw them in the checked bag and now my shampoo bar is one crushed mess. I will need to find a container for it! I’ve also been using the charcoal face wash, which smells nicely of something sweet and makes the skin on my face feel calmer.
8a. & 8b. American Eagle sales -I mentioned Hukkster about a month ago when I got these skinny jeans and dress from American Eagle. If it wasn’t for that service, I never would have known the amazingly cheap jeans I could have gotten! I ordered three pairs of pants and then just a few days later was browsing their site again when I found some cute dresses. This one was on sale for one of the lowest prices so I decided to get it too. I love AE free shipping! Now I am the happy owner and wearer of these articles, three of which made it to the UK with me!
9. Secret Passages game – For some reason when I tried to open this picture in Picasa to add it to my collage, it wouldn’t work, so here it is shown separately. This is a game I’ve been playing a lot lately, where you basically search for items in a picture. It’s designed so you can’t play more than four searches in a row so I have to put it down a lot. While that made me frustrated at first, I kind of like that since it forces me to do other things in my life. Sometimes I can get into games with no end and play for hours!
Most people in the world like to travel to some extent. Some are adventurous and seek wild journeys off the beaten path; others stick to the road well traveled and visit major tourist destinations. Some may like to stay closer to home while others get as far away as possible. Whatever your style or preferences, you’ve probably been a few places and seen a few things. For me, international travel has been rather normal since my family is in China but I grew up in the US. As soon as I got the chance, I went off to Europe and then Southeast Asia to explore dozens of countries. I’ve yet to get to South American or African countries though. All in due time! On the other hand, our UK trip was the first time Panda had ever left the country (which leaves me incredulous since he lived only a 2-3 hour drive from the Mexican border his whole life). For the longest time, his travel had consisted of various places around Southern California and the occasional Vegas outing. More recently he racked up a bunch of other states through opportunities with school and work. I loved to see the wonder and freshness of his perspective when we traveled abroad. I was so used to customs and tourist attractions and cultural differences that I’d grown immune to many of those things. It was so nice to share all of that with him and remember some of how I felt the first time I encountered these things! I think travel is important not only because it’s fun, but because of all that you learn about how different things can be yet what similarities you share nonetheless. It’s a great eye-opening experience that everyone should try.
