Kenzie Blogs Life: February 2014

A Smelly Post

12:30:00 PM

I don't know about you, but I'm one of those people who love perfume. Did you think this post was going to be about something else? Well it's not!
I'm one of those people who have to see what something smells like when I walk by, and I also really love how the bottles look too!
I have a lot of perfumes, but I obviously can't wear them all, I imagine I would smell really strong. Like bad strong. You never want to smell too strong. You'll scare people. Don't scare people.

I tried to organize them with the tall ones in the back and the smaller ones up front. Unfortunately after pulling all of these out I realized some of them are empty, maybe I've been keeping them because I like the bottles. Some of these I also use more often than others as well. It's interesting how a certain perfume can have a certain smell that makes you think of a particular time. Some of these have more wintry smells and some are more springy or summery (are those even words?). Well let's began shall we?

Before you say anything I really don't know where the cap for the one to the left is. It wasn't on the shelf anywhere so it might have been thrown out at some point. I don't really use these as much, because there's less of them and they've been stuffed in behind the bigger bottles for quite some time. The two to the left of the tallest one are the same, they're both by Clinique and both made in the US apparently. And the tallest one is called Realities and I'm not really sure who it's by, so if you know comment it.

This one is Jennifer Aniston. And if you don't know who that is, I suggest you go watch F.R.I.E.N.D.S asap. Her perfume smells elegant. The bottle is so neat too isn't it? I would hate to use it up all at once so I usually only wear it for special occasions. If you're looking to buy it, I see it at Target sometimes and I know Sephora has it and also Ulta.

Oh Taylor Swift. I love her perfumes. I haven't tried her third one yet but I think I better use up some of these other ones first. The purple one is called Wonderstruck and the red one is called Enchanted.The purple one is a more springy smell and the red one is more of a wintry smell. I've been using the red one more often lately since it's still winter. Still. Can it end soon though? I love these bottles, the charms are a really cool touch to it. These two are probably my favorite ones as I use them the most! You can find these at Ulta, sometimes Kohls, and Target and Macy's. I also have the lotion and shower gel which came with the Wonderstruck (purple bottle).

This might sound really bad, but I haven't actually worn this one yet. I can't wait to wear it though, it's just smells like summer or spring so I'm trying to hold off. It's Our Moment by One Direction. The bottle is pink. I love pink. It's a really cool design. And hey I got a free picture of the boys with it too! If you're looking to buy it, Ulta has it, otherwise I'd check the boys website! ( http://onedirection.edenparfums.com/ ) Oh, there's also a commercial that plays right away so make sure you're volume isn't all the way up. And don't look in their eyes if you're a teenage girl. You might experience heart or breathing troubles.

These two are really great smells! Love's Baby Soft smells like baby powder not like an overwhelming amount just...soft, which is probably why they call it Baby Soft. I've gone through about two bottles already so I try not to use these up so much. You can get these here http://www.danaclassics.com/ . I'm not really sure where they sell them in stores as I haven't bought these myself. I'm pretty sure these were gifts for my birthday or some holiday.

These two have slowly begun to become my new favorites, the really tall one is called Clinque Happy. And the shorter one is by Tommy Hilfiger called Tommy Girl. Someone complemented me that I smelled good while I was wearing Tommy and it was the first time I had worn it in awhile so obviously it was a success. They're almost out, as you can see. I have to get more soon! I'm not even sure if they still make these to be quite honest, I'll have to look. They were hand-me-down perfumes from my mom.

I love Bath and Body Works. It's one of those "must go in" places at every mall. They're always having some sort of sale. Unfortunatley I find somethings to be kind of pricey but sometimes you can find a good deal! My absolute favorite thing they have ever done is make the Frozen Daiquiri scents. I had the lotion at one point, it's now long gone and I've had the spray. After I found out they didn't make it anymore I was really sad so I decided to use it sparingly. I also had the lipgloss as well. I also really like Midnight Pomegranate. It has a wintery smell on it. Obviously shown off by the snowflake. They usually always have it in stores so I just spray it on after a shower or right before I leave. The Citrus Punch Body Splash(with moisturizing aloe vera ) is a good one too. It's more of a summery smell. And my Pink Chiffon is the newest, as it's the fullest out of the selection. I haven't really had a lot of time to use it but I do like the way it smells! The one in the middle with the bow around it is called Honey. It's from the Sweetheart collection that Bath and Body Works did and it's one of my favorites. It's easy to travel with too as it's not glass and it's less likely to break. That being said, I use it the most and it's such a good smell. Like summer but I wear it in the winter anyway. You can see their products here bathandbodyworks.com

An essential in any handbag is a portable perfume tube. I love these as I can put them on basically anywhere to smell fresh. And I don't even have to lug around a big bottle of perfume! Who does that?

These are the only three I have, The littlest one is Viva La Juicy by Juicy Couture (which I just opened before writing this blog ) , you can get that at Victoria's secret as well as the one to the far right which is Heavenly. Heavenly is my favorite smell. Which sadly mine is almost out, I'm running on bare minimum. The one in the middle is also a new one for me it's called Me by Aeropastle. It smells very nice too! I've used it a few times.

I need to learn how to travel with these things. It's easier to travel with the ones that are plastic like the Bath and Body Works Honey perfume which I just stick in a glove and tuck away in my bag, but sometimes gloves can't fit everything so I tend to just whip out some kleenex and pair-less gloves and put them in one of my makeup bags. There has to be a better system right?

Also, little heads up..I added a new page to my blog if you haven't seen it! It's the "Get in Touch" page at the top! It has my twitter, instagram and email so if you have questions or suggestions then you can just email me or follow me and see what I'm up to. Also if you just need anyone to talk to you can always send me an email saying hello. I like to meet new people and I don't bite, I promise. I also would love it if you sent me your blog links if you have one so I can follow you!

Hope you have a great day!

Adventures

A Minty Experience

11:30:00 AM

I've always had one or two favorite restaurants that sit in my mind and I love going to them, I'm sure you're the same way. I also love places that make you feel as if you've gone back in time. I also love finding places like this close to home, it's like a little suprise!
There's a restaurant in my town called The Mint, I've always heard about it and never tried it until last year. Immediately I fell in love with the food and the atmosphere.
Set among the old buildings downtown, and across from the park, or 400 block, is The Mint. It doesn't have anything exciting on the outside, but when you go in it's like taking a step back in time.The ceiling is the coolest part! I apologize for not taking a picture of it so you'll just have to take my word for it. The front of the cafe is something I picture kids from the 50's pulling up a seat to the bar and asking for a milkshake. Obviously it's been around for awhile and they haven't tried to change the place which makes it so cute and lovely. Some people from tv have also been for a visit like the guys from American Pickers, which I think is really cool because I love the show! Somewhere hanging up on the wall is a menu they have signed.There's also pictures of what the downtown area used to look like, and also a menu of what the prices use to be like like .65 cents for milk? The waiters and waitresses are really nice, even the people that eat there are really nice as well! Once a lady came up to me and some friends and told us how neat she thought it was that we were making it a tradition to go there whenever we all were in town from college and told us her son did the same thing with his friends when he comes to town.

I love their grilled cheese, with either cottage cheese or potato salad as a side.. I haven't really tried different things on the menu and I'm not really sure why? I like trying different foods, but I'm told they're all delicious! I also get their raspberry iced tea. It's just a great combination. You can see the menu here if you're ever planning a trip ( http://www.mintcafewausau.com/ )
I don't go to The Mint a lot but when I do it's perfect and probably one of my favorite places to eat in town since I try not to do fast food places. After going this time, the ice sculptures were still up and without the caution tape that keeps kids away, so I obviously had to take a few more pictures!

Adventures

Puppy Cuddles

11:00:00 AM

Did you know that a dog is the only animal on earth that loves you more than it loves itself?

If you're a dog lover like I am, then you know the happy feeling you get when you come home after a day away, or maybe even a few hours, to your loving pet.
I love coming home to my dog. She's a Shih Tzu and her name is Sadie. She was born in May 2001, and we welcomed her into our lives in July 2001! (One time I wished on a star when I was little and I wished for a puppy and ta-da!) I could tell you a million funny things she's done, maybe that's for another post ;)
She'll be 13 in May, and she loves sleeping. She does take awhile to warm up to certain people. I believe that she can sense whether you're good enough or not.

She's also quite photogenic. See?

She was an awful listener as a puppy but now she's pretty good..sometimes. She liked to do the whole let's see if you can catch me thing.

She loves her green rabbit toy, if you tell her to get her baby then she'll know that's the one. She licks it and protects it like a child and occasionally, it'll be used as a pillow! She really can't go anywhere without it.

We both love going out for walks mostly in the spring(after the snow melts), summer and fall. And I'm happy to have her with me as I check out the scenery. Though sometimes she does like to stop in the middle of the road and just look at you.

She's a complete lap dog and it doesn't even matter whether or not you're comfortable as long as she's comfy that's what's important, she'll look up at you with those big brown eyes just begging to be petted. She also now knows where we keep her soft food and sits in front of the refrigerator when she wants some. And if you don't give her any because she's had some the day before she'll probably sulk away, which she also knows that I'll fall for it and give her some in the end.

Everyday after class, I come home, eat lunch and she quickly jumps onto the chair with me and takes a nap, or lazily waits on the couch slowly wagging her tail until I come and pet her then get lunch ready and sit down. Cuddling with Sadie makes my day brighter, even though sometimes she growls because it's as if she's saying "ugh why do keep petting me I just want to sleep". She also sticks her tongue out a little when she sleeps SO cute!

She doesn't really mind getting her picture taken, as long as their isn't a flash!

I love going on little adventures with her, and I can't wait for our next one when the snow melts or it warms up enough to be outside longer than an hour.

Someone on my facebook also posted this article http://www.dogheirs.com/dogsarefamily/posts/5106-20-essential-facts-dog-lovers-must-always-remember-the-last-one-comes-with-a-tissue-alert which definitely made me tear up and want to go squish my dog.

dinner

Reliving NYC

4:28:00 PM

This past summer I was lucky enough to go on a trip for my graduation present. I could choose any place in the states, and I chose to visit New York City. I hadn't been there for 5 years and I loved it! So I thought why not go back! And as of now I'm looking for another opportunity to go back but that might be another 5 years ha.

While I was in New York, I made some pretty nice friends! One of them recommended a restaurant one night and I had no idea how obsessed I would become with an appetizer.

At Hurley's in NYC, right off of Times Square (you can check out their menu and address here: ( hurleysnyc.com), they have these delectable Irish Cheese Fries! I'm not normally someone who chooses fries with a meal but there was bacon and cheese on top, and I like trying new foods anyway so I gave them a chance! They also give you the choice to dip the fries in gravy! What?! I know sounds weird right? But trust me you'd be very surprised at how fantastic they taste! The place is set up to look somewhat in a different era almost, it had a really classy feel and it wasn't too pricey either!

We don't have anything like them in Wisconsin so as soon as I got home I started missing them terribly!

So, recently I thought..how difficult could it be to remake them? Not very.

I looked on Hurley's menu online and saw the ingredients, cheddar jack cheese,bacon,scallions and of course fries! I didn't use any scallions on the fries I made but if you do I'm sure it'll taste great! They didn't have a recipe but I also compared a few of the recipes from allrecipes.com

I also used turkey gravy because I wasn't too sure which one would taste the best with them, so I encourage you to experiment a bit!

The next step was baking the french fries, preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit, and put the fries on a pan and bake for about 20 minutes. Then, spread the cheese( I used Mild Cheddar) over the fries, you can use as much as you want and then top it with the bacon bits, again using as much as you want! Put the pan back into the oven under broil.

While that's going, warm up the gravy in a bowl in the microwave. I put it in for about 2 minutes.

Then pull the fries out of the oven and the gravy from the microwave. Sit down and Enjoy!

You might also enjoy these with any other dressing, such as ranch too!

They were excellent, and I'm so glad I tried the recipe!

I can't wait to make some more! :)

Adventures

Wiinterfest

2:49:00 PM

It's been so cold lately that there hasn't really been much to do and I sometimes feel like it's a nice break to have something happening in town.
This weekend, was Winter Fest, I went last year just for a little bit and got some amazing mittens.
It was a nice break from sitting inside by the fireplace.

They had amazing ice sculptures which were really cool! How can someone carve something so carefully out of ice?

This face one looked amazing when I walked by and the light reflected all of the parts of it.

There were also horse drawn carriages! Which I didn't take but they looked like fun!

After wandering for awhile, I had to go into my favorite sweets shop and grab some of my favorite lolly pops! Since I don't get downtown often, it was the perfect opportunity.

They have an amazing assortment of candies, from little peanut butter cups to licorice bites, they also serve ice cream in the summer.

Since it's almost Valentine's Day they have cute little "Love Bugs". They make different kinds for different holidays too.

I love being downtown because of the old buildings, definitely makes me think of a little British town somewhere.

The weather was great, I'm so glad the sun was out long enough to keep everything not as cold! Even though I could have done without the cold wind!

accesories

Winter Favorites

12:00:00 PM

Since Winter is almost over (hopefully) I thought I'd share some of my favorite things that I've been loving!

First, is this owl mug. I love drinking tea or apple cider especially when it's below zero and I'm obsessed with owls! It's a happy combination for the not-so-happy weather!

Second, is this gold nail polish by Maurices and a sparkly over-coat called "Holiday Rebel" from Target. I used these two colors for the holiday season because they made me feel more christmassy!

This also makes me really want Tanya Burr's new nail polish I really need to try it! If you have it what color is your favorite??

This is Big Ben. It's also a pencil sharpener but I don't want to make it dirty so I like to have it on my desk. Since my goal is to get to London and see this (and many other things) in real life! It's a nice little reminder that I can get there! ..hopefully sooner than later.

Okay now for clothes and accessories! This is my scarf bin. I have a lot, and I've gotten a lot of them for presents so I'm not really sure where all of them have come from!

The scarves below are all my infinity scarves, I love these for the winter especially when it gets really cold! I usually grab the red one because it matches a lot of the shirts I have and the others I usually wear with a plain colored shirt!

Aside from the infinity scarves I also wear these regular scarves! The one in the middle is the biggest as it's bunched up, it's from H&M one of my favorite stores!

Some of my favorite necklaces are my animal necklaces! These first three are owls!

This one was given to me by my Great Aunt and I love it! I wear it a lot!

This is the newest of my collection, I love wearing him because he has a little clock inside! I haven't set it yet though (That's why there's an orange tag at the side)

And this one I wear the most, if I need some good luck I like to have this one on me!

These are my only elephant necklaces but I like how they're both unique!

This last one is my ultimate favorite. I got it in Greece when I went in 2012. They called it the 'Eye of Medusa' and it means good luck! And since I like good luck I like to wear it a lot!

Now for everyone's favorite, my favorite shirts!

Since my college is really cold inside I love wearing sweaters!

This one is from Old Navy. It's really nice and warm and I love foxes it's so cute!

This one is amazing I literally cannot tell you how much I adore it! I wear it with the scarf or I can wear it plain! It's by JawBreaking (shopjawbreaking.com) It's made in America and the material is SO soft. It makes me wish it was socially acceptable to wear something 7 days a week.

This pink one is also really pretty! It's got stripes on the back and a nice design on the sleeve. My favorite color is pink so you might find out my closet is 80% pink.

On the left, is a really warm blue-ish/green color that i've recently been obsessed with. And the one on the right is just a simple stripe top which I really like for lounge wear and I do wear it a lot. I believe both of these are from Target, I'm 95% sure since I shop there quite a bit.

Annnnnnd last but never least, my favorite any season is my dog (see I told you I take a lot of pictures of her but really how could I not?!)