5 Reasons to Try Atlas Coffee Club

Note: I was provided a bag of  coffee from Atlas Coffee Club in exchange for my honest review. As always, these are my own opinions. If I didn't like something, I wouldn't take time out of my day to write about it. I'm not into wasting my time or yours.

You know when you wake up and you just know it's going to be a good day? You can feel it deep down in every fiber? That's how I feel when I know I have delicious coffee ready to brew. Likewise, a cup of bad coffee can ruin a day like nothing else. All the worst days start with bad coffee, or what I call water-coffee. Like cheap hotel coffee brewed with chlorine laden water. Yuck.

Now where was I going with that?

Right! To remind you of all the reasons you need to step up your coffee game. Good coffee = good days. Life is too short to drink bad coffee. I have mentioned maybe half a dozen times here that I really want to live in a tiny house on the side of a mountain. I really don't need to own anything except a French press and a stockpile of dark roast coffee. It's the little things that really matter.

So why Atlas Coffee Club?

1. It comes to your door. No forgetting to grab (bad) coffee at the grocery store.

2. No taking extra time (and money) out of your day to stop for coffee on the way to work.

3. It's delicious. Like, really good.

4. It's not one of those hit or miss subscriptions. The Atlas subscription provides coffee that is its own brand. You know what you're getting. Not that I'm naming any names, but it's unlike those beauty box subscriptions that give you Chanel quality one month, and CVS the next, all for the same lovely price. With Atlas, you know you're getting great coffee every time.

5. Variety. With 12 different varieties (three of which are subscription exclusive), you have plenty of options without having the same thing every single morning.

Although, I have to say I could definitely go with the Midnight Blend every morning. Don't be fooled--this isn't decaf. It's a dark roast with dark chocolate and caramel notes, which can be confirmed if you grab a magnifying glass and look at the yellow part of the label below. (Or you can be totally non-hipster about it and just zoom in with your computer.)

Tom has recently gotten into brewing his own beer and we're going to use this blend for a coffee stout. I see delicious things in our future. Have you tried it? Get it here. Or follow them on Instagram, it's a particularly good account.

I almost hit a tree and PINCHme review

So we all know how I love to get mail, right? Not junk mail. I hate that. It makes me want to go on strike like Kramer and just never collect my mail again. But packages are totally different.

So Carter was safely buckled into his car seat, I had my seat belt on, I put the car into reverse and (thankfully) *inched* backward down our driveway while backing into our turnaround. You know the whole diagonal reverse thing? When suddenly, a package...a package(!) caught my eye as it rested on the stone wall.

Unbeknownst to me, as I was busy rejoicing at the package lying in wait, my foot had not positioned itself correctly on the brake pedal and we were still inching backward into our turnaround, when I heard squeaking on the side of the car. Panicked, I slammed on the brakes and shot my eyes into the back window where I was greeted by a tree, not but two inches away, seemingly ESPing to me, well that was close!!

So we didn't hit the tree. The squeaky branches alerted me and saved us (well I don't know "saved us" is the correct phrase. We were probably driving at exactly 1 mile per hour, so backing into the tree wouldn't exactly have been catastrophic). But, darn you packages, for being so exciting.

So what was this package, you ask? Well it was a PINCHme box of course, filled with delightful samples of every kind. This box was a success because there was a good mix of things I like (nail polish and popcorn, particularly) and things for Carter (Elmo sensitive shampoo, the popcorn--we'll fight over that later).

So the fun-ness of PINCHme is that it's a free sample box that comes to your door for your mail receiving pleasure. And what do they want in return? After you receive your box, you fill out a short survey with your thoughts on the products. So if you like getting packages and you have thoughts in your brain, PINCHme is for you.

If you do not like getting packages and/or you do not have opinions about anything, skip it.

And here was Carter being super strong and lifting the box. We opened it in the pre-school drop-off line because what else is there to do at drop-off?

Our Mini Vaca Stay at the Beach

We stayed in the cutest, quint-est cottage on the beach with my parents. They're still there (lucky them) and we're back home lounging by the pool (not too shabby either). And by lounging by the pool I mean catching Carter while he does dangerous things and trying to convince him not to jump or run, or do anything too dangerous. There isn't really actual "lounging" involved--what is that?

Well Carter definitely had his attention held at the beach. He got to know a little starfish, held many a hermit crab and touched a horseshoe crab. There were also some fiddler and spider crabs viewed from a distance (they're kind of creepy looking). Basically, there were a lot of crabs (and snails--but those aren't that exciting).

 I am really excited about my "Ame" shirt from ChicNova.com

Totally appropriate, don't you think? Who doesn't love a shirt with their nickname on it?

(hat and shirt c/o Chic Nova)

Also, I have the best cocktail recipe. Are you ready? Get yourself a glass. Fill it halfway with a lime-a-rita and halfway with a Corona. Add lime. You're welcome. Lime-a-ritas (to me, at least) are a little too sweet; add more beer and you have perfection!

Have you gone on vacation this summer? Where?

You're Welcome in Advance: A Lipstick Post

I need to introduce you guys to Red Apple Lipstick. If you've been following this blog for any length of time, you know I'm somewhat neurotic about natural ingredients--especially when it comes to things you eat. And let's face it, you're eating the lipstick and lip gloss you wear. I have been afraid for a while to try any new lipsticks and lip glosses because sesame (Carter's allergy) is actually a common ingredient in a lot of them and doesn't have to be listed on the packaging. 

Red Apple Lipstick products are allergen and gluten free. Hello answer to my prayers, thanks for existing. 

I've had another issue with other natural products, though. They don't last! Not true with these products and I did a little test-o-la to show you. The following three photos are swatches, me washing my hand with soap and water, and the swatches after scrubbing (literally scrubbed) my hand.

1. Honey Badger mint gloss

2. Metropolis lip gloss

3. Summer Sands lipstick

4. Sugar, Sugar lipstick (my favorite!)

5. Foxy lipstick

washing, washing

Ta-da! Sugar, Sugar and Foxy hold up exceptionally well. I wore Sugar, Sugar with just a lip liner one Friday night and it lasted at least 6 hours. The color had faded a bit by that point, but it was still very pink. It is such a pretty color, I've been wearing it almost every day. Bright lipstick is completely necessary for summer days (as was confirmed in my recent Mac Pro class! I knew I was lipstick genius).

Foxy lipstick layered with Honey Badger mint gloss

RedAppleLipstick.com had a few other favorites of mine.

Say hello to my little friend:

If I used the term "bomb" I would use it about this exfoliator stick. Because that's what it is. Do you see those tiny little magic beads? They're heaven in a tube. I am basically queen of dry lips (sad, I know, and it doesn't matter how much water I drink) and this baby is my life saver. I've used it several times and it is the only lip scrub that isn't too harsh for me (other brands and homemade versions tend to just make the whole situation worse).

from left to right: Summer Sands, Sugar Sugar, Foxy 

And they come in cool black tubes with little apples on top. Sign me up.

Girls, you gotta believe me on these. I'm one of those chapstick wearers who (used to) have a hard time liking any gloss or lipstick. These are not heavy, do not have a chemical smell, are all natural, vegan, allergen free, the glosses aren't sticky (hooray)! The people at Red Apple Lipstick know what the heck they are doing so believe me and go check them out.

I am off to a little mini vaca. I hope Carter has a fun time playing at the bay side. We are on a mission for hermit crabs.

Catch ya on the flip side.

Red Apple Lipstick supplied these products for review. All opinions are honest, ya hear? I wasn't compensated to tell you that these products are awesome. I did it because I believe it.

Carter Sleeps: GoodNites Bed Mats

This shop is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group™ and GoodNites, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #BetterNights  http://cmp.ly/3/8vNxcO

So my Carter-Man has been a star potty-trainer so far. We've been dabbling in the whole thing since 5-8 months (have you heard of elimination communication or early start potty training? You'll probably want to read about it--it's awesome).

Nighttime is a whole different story though. He has never been the type to wake up to use the potty, and we're in the process of switching to pull-ups/trainers at night. With the switch comes lots of leaks and accidents. So HELLO Target GoodNites Bed Mats. Total lifesaver. 

The genius who came up with the peel and stick back has my heart forever. I didn't realize before I got them that they would adhere to the sheet, and I wondered how the heck they'd stay put in the midst of Carter's flips and twirls (he's an active sleeper--basically he does gymnastics in the middle of the night). 

Carter sleeps in our bed with us (yaayy co-sleeping!!) so these mats are SO essential. Do you know how hard it is to change a King sized sheet in the middle of the night? It got to the point where I'd say forget it and just put a towel down wherever the leak happened (gross). These disposable mats are a MUCH better alternative to washing our sheets every other day (ain't nobody got time fo' dat)--that YouTube clip will never get old.

Whenever the boy springs a leak in the middle of the night, it's always at the bottom of his shirt/top of his pants, so the mat is large enough no matter which direction he decides to spin in.

If you want to try these out (why wouldn't you??) grab this coupon for $1.50 off at Target: http://coupons.target.com/goodnites-coupons It works for the GoodNites Bed Mats or the GoodNites Bedtime Underwear.

Mia Mariu Review + Giveaway!

I'm excited to share Mia Mariu's anti-aging products with you. You might be thinking: Amy, you're 25, what are you doing with anti-aging products? PREVENTION! I swear I already have wrinkles (pretty sure Carter gives them to me). What can you do? He's worth it.

These skincare products are my new favorite. The foaming gel cleanser smells SO good. The serum is light and won't sweat off in the heat of the summer. And the eye cream? Amazing. I have sensitive eyes and a lot of eye creams make my eyes sting, but this one is perfectly gentle.

I've been using these products daily. We went to my parents house for the weekend when we had Carter's party for his second birthday, and I left the foaming cleanser there. I had a minor heart attack until my sister told me she could bring it to me in a few days. Whew!

The cleanser comes out of the bottle in a gel form, but quickly turns into a foam. It feels so smooth and soft. Score. I really like this face wash because it doesn't dry out my skin at all. I hate that tight, dry feeling some cleansers give me.

Right about now you're probably wishing you had these in your bathroom, am I right? Well, you're welcome. Mia Mariu is giving away one set of anti-aging products (one foaming cleanser, one serum and one eye cream) to one winner! It's an $87 value! (Open to US/CAN only).


a Rafflecopter giveaway

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be of interest to my readers.

Our 4th Anniversary + Datevitation Giveaway

Hello friends! It's been such a busy week over here. We had a bridal consultation tonight, we have five prom girls tomorrow and two more on Saturday! I'm so excited about all this makeup though. Do you know what the best part is about my makeup artist venture? I get to buy tons of makeup without feeling bad about it! It's literally a dream come true. I went to Ulta last night, went a little nuts, and Tom had nothing but good things to say about my spending. That feels good.

You know what else he has good things to say about? Datevitation. Datevitation makes love coupon books that you can personalize for friends, siblings, or spouses; so of course I had to make Tom one seeing as our 4th anniversary is NEXT WEEK! Do you know what else is next week? A little someone's SECOND BIRTHDAY. AH! But back to Datevitation. You can customize the coupons  (type of date, text, etc) and there are over 350 dates to choose from.

(obviously I had to include one about cooking since home cooked meals aren't something I freely give away).

The books don't have to be romantically themed. There are tons of options to choose form, and I think it would make a great Father's Day gift! You know those hikes your dad always wants to go on, but you politely refuse? Coupon it! I think a hike is a pretty freaking good Father's Day gift. It's a whole experience. If you want to order by Father's Day, just make sure to get your order in by June 6th. Also, use code POSITIVELYAMY to get $10 off of your book in May or June (which means it will only cost $10. Boo yeah!)

Oh, what's that? You'd rather just have a free one? Well, okay then. Enter below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I'm off to get some beauty sleep so that I can be ready to beautify (others) in the morning. And after that I'll probably start stressing about Carter's party and the stuff that still needs to be done. I gotta say though, this girl did not go Pinterest crazy. It's too much work and sucks the fun (and the life) out of me. 

Datevitation sent this coupon book for me to review. All opinions are honest and are my own. 

Smile Brilliant! (+ giveaway!)

I have to confess something. I have a slight obsession with whitening my teeth. It's been going on for some time, but I took a long break while I was pregnant and nursing Carter. You know what that meant? I had some catching up to do (unfortunately). However, there was this little gem that brought my teeth back up to par in basically one day. I thought it would be selfish to withhold such magic from you, so I thought, why not a giveaway?

Tom has started making fun of me because I literally use this stuff every day. It's just like professional whitening, but you can do it at home without sitting in one of those awkward dentist chairs. Personally, I like to whiten while I blog, it's a good time. Oh, and funny story. Since I've been using this I thought I needed to get some Crest 3D White toothpaste to keep it up. The regular toothpaste claims to remove 80% of stains, and it came with this little sample that says it (superiorly) removes 90% of stains (whoa! 10 freaking % more?!) I literally hid the 90% one on Tom so I could use it all myself...he said I was selfish. And then I offered to get him his own Smile Brilliant set and he couldn't really argue with that. So there you go, endorsed by Tom too (he's a tough one to win over, that doubting Thomas).

The other day I was playing around with some dramatic makeup, but you can see my teeth in the picture (post whitening). This was the least awkward picture of my teeth I could come up with...I'm not about to give you a close up teeth and gums shot, sorry to disappoint...

What you'll get:

one whitening pen

one set of trays

one LED light

open to US/CAN

enter below

a Rafflecopter giveaway

P.S. Are you a blogger? If you'd like to review a set of your own, click here to apply.

Smile Brilliant provided this product for review. All opinions are honest and are my own.

an outfit post, gasp!

I know I don't do these all too often, but they're so much fun! Why don't I do them, you ask? 1. my personal photographer is a bit busy at work and only sees the light of day on Sundays (April, come NOW) and 2. I don't trust Carter with my camera. Maybe in a few years, haha. 

I'm ridiculously excited about my new dress from eshakti! Based on yesterday's post and this one right now, it's kind of been a nautical themed week around here. Can you tell I'm ready for spring and summer?! Enough of this cold drizzly not quite rain, not quite snow weather. I'm done.

You can find a similar skirt here.  You can get everything at eshakti custom fit to your measurements. Dresses also come without or without embroidery, strapless, without straps, you name it. The dress I'm wearing even has pockets! Who doesn't love a dress with pockets?

They even have bridesmaid dresses now! How convenient would it be for all of your bridesmaids to just order their dresses to their measurements? No searching through hundreds of dresses to find one that looks good on everybody and announcing your size in front of a crowd. 

I was going to get all in depth and tell you some momentous stories today, but I'm nearing figurative death as we speak. We had a mother of a meltdown at the grocery store today, and there's a nice large smattering of regurgitated refried beans, banana applesauce, and hot dogs waiting for me in the bathroom. Catch ya on the flip side. (wish me luck).

You're Going to Want This | Sentimental

Helloooo friends. Cute bag, right? I need to introduce you to Sweet Spot Bags aka my new obsession. There are a few reasons why you are going to love these: 1. they're adorable (so that one was obvious, I know) 2. they are printed with the coordinates of your favorite place! (hello all you sentimentals out there--I'm one of 'em) 3. CUSTOM. Custom colors, custom coordinates, everyone loves a custom purchase, am I right? 4. They're printed with the SUN. The sun! How cool is that? 

The coordinates up there ^^ are for the place we stayed in St. Thomas on our honeymoon! I knew instantly those were the coordinates that I wanted because thinking about that vacation immediately puts me into a good mood. It was two weeks, which is the longest vacation I've ever been on, and it was so relaxing because all of the wedding planning was OVER! No more calendar notes, no more appointments, fittings, and decisions. DONE-ZO. Plus Tom and I snorkeled every day, swam with sea turtles, and pet sharks, and you can't beat that (especially if you know how much I love/hat sharks all at the same time).

The little detail of the charm on the zipper was one of my favorite things. I love little sweet details. Just in case you get more than one of these (I wouldn't blame you), there is a little tag on the inside that has the location written out so you can remember which bag is for which location.

These bags are perfect little clutches for going out (love the nautical look of this one--I would use it with a summery outfit!), and they're also the perfect size to use as a cosmetic or toiletry bag on trips. I love how unique these bags are. They're definitely a conversation starter, for sure.

Need some ideas for coordinates for your own bag? The location of your wedding, where you grew up, the city your baby was born in, where you were proposed to, maybe where you met your best friend! It would make a fantastic gift for a girlfriend!

If you love Sweet Spot Bags as much as I do, go favorite them on Etsy and like them on Facebook!

What place would you choose for your coordinates? I want to know!

This is a sponsored post. Sweet Spot Bags provided this bag for review. All opinions are my own.

new fave hair products: a review

I'm excited to tell you guys about my experience with nuNAAT  keratin products because I was having a winter hair issue and it's since been cured. Am I the only one that gets the worst static hair of all time? Just looking at my winter jacket would make my hair stand on end. Not pretty.

And then came nuNAAT. We've all (I think?) heard of keratin before, am I right? Well it makes your hair smooth. Super smooth. Like you want to rub your hands all over it, smooth. Tom and I have this contest (we have for 7 years) about who has the softest hair. Well...winning!! (boo yeah, sorry Tom).

I also have to tell you, this stuff smells amazing. I am really sensitive to scents so I can't stand to use anything that smells less than delicious (or just smells too strong). You can smell it when you're putting it on, but you don't feel like you wreak of your hair products for the rest of the day either. 

If you had to limit yourself to just one of these products I would say go for the mask. It smells the best (they all smell fab though), and it works REALLY well. I even used it on dry hair one day before taking a shower and it made a hugely noticeable difference in just one use. It's also a very good sized container so you could easily get 20ish applications out of it with medium length hair. 

I also really like the reconstructor because it makes me feel good knowing I'm protecting my hair from my blow dryer and my flat/curling irons. It's also light enough where it doesn't weigh my hair down or make it feel greasy by the end of the day. Score.                   

If you've got the static issue like me, or if you have dyed/chemically treated hair (I'll admit to this too), or if you just use your blow dryer and irons frequently, then say hello to your new best friend. 

Check it out:

Smooth, right? Can I say that about my own hair? To be fair, if you look at the top right of the picture, I still have some lovely spikes going on from my unfortunate hair loss after having the C-Man. You'd think the repercussions would be over by now, wouldn't you? Nope, the spikes live on.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

I Like Big Glasses and I Cannot Lie

Oh, glasses. Don't you love them? I had the same pair of glasses for seven years and grew to hate, no, loathe them. I decided it was time for a change. And wouldn't you know that at the exact moment that I decided to get new glasses, I got an email from Firmoo asking if i'd like to try out a pair? It was a sign. So I took it. And I'm so happy I did.

I chose a pair of  tortoise shell glasses. Technically, they're unisex, so Tom can wear them too--just kidding--I'm basically blind and he has perfect vision. Although, I should  point out that Firmoo carries non-prescription glasses as well--basically a win for everyone.

These glasses are super comfortable. I ordered glasses from another online retailer as well, and these are by far more comfortable. If I got another pair of glasses, the only thing I would change is the color. I think I'd feel more comfortable with a lighter tortoise shell color, just because my hair is light, but I love these! They do carry lighter colors as well, I just wanted to try out a dark pair without going black (not the best with blonde hair, in my opinion).

Want to try some for yourself? Might as well be daring because you get your first pair free! You only have to pay shipping so go grab a pair you wouldn't normally try--I think you're going to love them!

Firmoo provided these glasses for review. All opinions are honest and are my own.

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