shopping – Life as Louise

Amazon-ing for the Holidays

January 16, 2018December 28, 2017Audrey30 Comments

Back in November I shared a post with my recent Amazon purchases. Compared to that one, this list is a monster. Ha. Many, many Christmas gifts came from the smiling box. Nothing here is an affiliated link and I have to give props to Rebecca Jo for the post idea.

Let’s do this…

B O O K S

The Complete Anti-Inflammatory Diet for Beginners: A No-Stree Meal Plan with Easy Recipes to Heal the Immune System
Purchased for my sis-in-law because she suffers from a very limiting chronic illness.

Wicked Plants: The Weed that Killed Lincoln’s Mother and Other Botanical Atrocities
Purchased for my other sis-in-law because I thought she’d like the strange and interesting stories.

The Magic of Motherhood: The Good Stuff, the Hard Stuff, and Everything In Between
Purchased for my bff because she’s a momma who enjoys a good book.

So far the only feedback I’ve received has been from Erica who is loving The Magic of Motherhood!

The Sisters Brothers
Purchased for my husband’s grandfather because he loves westerns and I loved this book (& cover).

Q&A a Day for Kids: A Three-Year Journal
Purchased for my 10 year old cousin.

The Girls’ Doodle Book
Also purchased for my 10 year old cousin (who enjoys art)!

C L O T H I N G

Sanuk Women’s Yoga Duet Sandal
Purchased for my mom because she liked mine and these don’t go through the toes.

Eddie Bauer Men’s Cloud Layer Pro 1/4-Zip Pullover, heather grey
Purchased for my dad-in-law because I thought he’d like it and most of his clothes get ruined at work. #welderlife

yige Women’s High Waisted A-line Skirt Skater Pleated Full Midi-Skirt, green
Purchased for me because I liked it… lol.

Large Trojan – Mascot Crystal Post Earrings
Purchased for my mom because she’s a school teacher at a school district with a Trojan mascot.

E L E C T R O N I C S

Pawbo Life Wi-Fi Pet Camera
Includes 720p HD video, 2-way audio, video recording, treat dispenser, & laser game…
Purchased for K (from Lylee and Enzo).

Oh my gosh, we love this thing. We haven’t used the treat dispenser or the laser game, but the video aspect is awesome.

Homeweeks 100ML Auto Off Ultrasonic diffuser LED Colorful Night-Lighting Aroma Mist Maker
Purchased for my 16 year old cousin because she’s a teen who could use some de-stressing scents in her life.

Pure Body Naturals Pure Therapeutic Grade Top 6 Essential Oil Basic Kit
Includes lavender, tea tree, eucalyptus, lemongrass, orange, and peppermint…
I gave Allie the orange and lavender scents from this kit. I kept the other 4 🙂

G A M E S

TableTopics Couples: Questions to Start Great Conversations
My brother and sis-in-law like to talk to each other (weirdos) so I got them this.

Codenames
Purchased for our niece and nephews.

Sleeping Queens
Also purchased for our niece and nephews.

O F F I C E * S U P P L I E S

Blue Skyle 2018 Laminated Erasable Wall Calendar, Double Sided, 36×24
Purchased for me at work. Ha. Super exciting.

MyLifeUNIT Fineliner Coloe Pen Set, 10 assorted colors
I got this for Amber in our blogger swap!

Bloom Daily Planners Classic Planner Sticker Sheets
I also got this for Amber!

K I T C H E N

Masterbuilt 30″ Digital Electric Smoker
Purchased for K as his “big gift.” Hopefully this means I get a few more nights off where dinner is concerned…

Star Wars Lightsaber Salt and Pepper Shakers
Purchased for my bro-in-law who also has the R2-D2 cookie jar.

Ello Cole Vacuum-Insulated Stainless Steel Travel Mugs
Purchased one for Kayla and one for Aubrey. I freakin’ love these mugs.

Fred MY TAI Unbrella Drink Markers
Purchased for Aub. (Kayla got the wiener dog ones but I didn’t buy them on Amazon.)

S U P E R * R A N D O M * G I F T S

Knock Knock Personal Library Kit
Purchased for my 19 year old college cousin because she is anal about people borrowing her books. She makes us sign them out. #perfect

Schwinn Air Center Plus Floor Pump with Gauge
My brother wanted a bike pump so I got him a bike pump.

Wisdom Panel 3.0 Breed Identification DNA Test Kit
…obviously purchased for Ly and Enzo. Turns out A LOT of people took advantage of this sale on Amazon. I’ll share the results when we get them 😉

Funko POP! Marvel: Dancing Groot Bobble Action Figure
My dad loves Groot and he’s a child so I figured he’d love this bobble head. I was right.

Seeing all the money I spent (through Amazon alone) is quite shocking. Maybe these recaps are a bad idea… hahaha. Fortunately, everyone seemed to really love their stuff (and truthfully I really love gifting people).

What’d you get from Amazon this holiday season??

Amazoning

November 9, 2017November 8, 2017Audrey30 Comments

I’ve posted about my Amazon purchases before, but it seems like they always appear a week or so after Christmas. I wanted to share my pre-Christmas purchases this time. Maybe I’ll do a follow-up after the holidays 😉 Thank you Rebecca Jo for the post inspiration!

Lately I’ve bought…

Desert Essence Whitening Plus Toothpaste & Mouthwash Bundle

I’m always on the hunt for c.f. tooth-care that can stand up to my coffee and tea addiction. I have a tough time getting K on board with some of my stuff but we both really like this! We’ve already seen results and I think that the tea tree oil is super effective.

American Crafts Pink Paislee Spellcast 36 Sheet 6×6 Paper Pad

Alexandra turned me on to this company. Unfortunately, I was paying attention to the price- not the size- when I ordered this. That doesn’t matter though. It’s gorgeous paper with fun prints- I’ll definitely use it all up in my scrapbooks!

SimpleHouseware Heavy-Duty 3 Bag Laundry Sorter Rolling Cart- bronze

The new laundry room in our house is pretty damn tiny. I love doing laundry but I love having space to do laundry. I’m adjusting to the new normal (which includes a laundry chute!!) and this little contraption helps SO MUCH. I seriously love it. I funnel the chute laundry into these three bins (white, black/dark, color) and then the bags lift OFF of the cart and I can dump them in the washer. Love it 🙂

Marvel Comics X-Men Logo Men’s Charcoal Grey T-Shirt and Wolverine Men’s Crew Socks 2 Pair Pack

We were in a wedding and the guys had to pick a superhero for their outfits. I picked Wolverine for Kyle 🙂 This shirt is SO soft. Even if he never wears it again (I think he will), I’ll totally wear it around the house. K also loves quirky socks so he’s a fan of these.

AOMEI Wedding A Line Tulle Tutu Jupe Knee Length Prom Party Skirt Black

I wanted a tulle skirt for my Halloween outfit. This one fit well and had a zipper and elastic waist with a cute bow. Perfect!

I also sent along some “needed items” to a dog rescue in Texas after the hurricane and I made a gift basket for a bridal shower with these items ordered from Amazon:

water bowl | donut | nylabone | treats | blanket

In other news…

I got one, two, three pairs of shoes from Target. Also this Halloween sweatshirt.

We ordered these bookshelves from Overstock.

We got 2 of these chairs from Big Lots.

And we got this large mirror from Lowes!

What online store has been sucking your wallet dry lately?

The Birthday Month

October 5, 2016November 7, 2016Audrey25 Comments

Yesterday we celebrated my sweet baby Enzo’s 3rd birthday! Call us crazy, but we don’t have any human-kids and the furry ones have our hearts. Puppy birthdays mean a dollop of whipped cream on their kibble and some new accessories. Now puppy brother has bowls to match Lylee (which she got for her b-day in June)! We go through Nylabones quickly so E got a new dinosaur (to share with his sis), too.

Enzo celebrates his date of birth on the 4th while I have to wait until the 17th. I don’t mind- it gives me more time to put together a list of “wants” for family and friends! (Keep in mind, I could received nothing for my birthday and be the happiest lark. This list is for people who ask me for suggestions each year. Also, I love to see what other people are wanting and loving- maybe someone out there is like me!)

-| Books:

To be honest, I like to browse bookstores by myself & select books that catch my eye. I also like to borrow from the library. These are books that I am 100% sure I want to own 🙂

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets -illustrated version
This book was released yesterday! My mother-in-law gifted me The Sorcerer’s Stone for Christmas last year and I think she might have called dibs on this book for birthday gifting… (Or at least I hope so 😉 )

~~Winter & Fairest (by Marissa Meyer)~~
I’m just about to wrap up Cress. I’ve been collecting the Lunar Chronicles as I’ve read them because I love them so much! I’d like to find a paperback copy of Winter, but it might not exist… Either way, these two books would complete my collection!

-| Clothes:

These workout shirts (all large)…

link | link | link — ~~link~~ | link | link

-| Miscellaneous Stuff:

A coffee maker
We have a Keurig but I hate it. I just want a normal coffee pot that I can schedule ahead of time. Like this one. Or this one. I’m going to be honest here… I like my kitchen accessories colorful. I have a purple toaster and a red mixer- a black coffee pot just won’t do.

~~An electric griddle~~
This was on our wedding registry and I’ve been crying about not having one ever since. I’m not picky anymore. It needs to be big enough to make +6 pancakes and I’d like a drip tray.

Cookie Sheets
…or baking sheets or whatever you call them. My flat cookie sheets are cheap and burn my cookies. (Honestly, I thought it was me, but after speaking with others we’ve decided the pans are just cheap.) So I’d like some new, quality cookie sheets. #adultlife

A bag for my yoga mat
I’ve been browsing Amazon but haven’t found anything yet. I don’t want anything huge, but it needs to hold my mat cover, too. I’ve actually been eyeing up the bags in the boutique at my local studio (hint-hint, Kyle).

X-Men: Apocalypse
I’ve heard that this movie isn’t great, but I love the X-Men franchise so I’m willing to overlook that. Actually, I don’t think I own one X-Men movie, so I’ll take any of ’em.

~~Anything from these two talent artists!~~
I love Julie’s art work and I’ll be needing some cozy accessories from Rebecca Jo before I know it!

As always, gift cards from Books-A-Million, Marshalls, Old Navy, and Home Goods are always accepted 😉

I think that about covers it… Ha! What have you had your eye on lately? Christmas is right around the corner!

Monday Morning Gratitude

January 25, 2016January 24, 2016Audrey20 Comments

Last week I took a personality test that revealed my introverted tendencies. I use the word “revealed” loosely, since I’m already well aware of this trait. My head table consists of a husband, two best friends, and a very small handful of good friends. This weekend I was fortunate enough to spend my time with one of those best friends.

After work I kissed K goodbye and headed south to spend a girls’ night with my friend Kayla. We’ve known each other for a long time and frequented the same halls in high school, but our friendship solidified while we were in college. (Yay for mutual friends!) I love visiting Kayla because she’s one of those people that I can be 100% real with. We sing Justin Bieber (NO JUDGEMENT!) at the top of our lungs, waste hours in Target, and joke about the side-effects of our Indian food dinner. (TMI?) Not to mention her fur baby Ernie get so excited when I visit!

Saturday she made me breakfast and, since I don’t have a huge shopping center in my town, we took advantage of H&M, Lush, and The Disney Store. I always feel so refreshed after a weekend of girl time- it’s nice to unwind and relax with someone that’s totally ok with my weird, quirky personality.

I hope you did something fun this weekend! Tell me about it! ❤︎

December Amazon Purchases 2015

January 6, 2016January 6, 2016Audrey20 Comments

This isn’t sponsored and I’m not being coerced. (However, if Amazon wants to give me a free year of Prime I won’t argue…) A while back I discovered that Rebecca Jo from Knit by God’s Hand frequently blogs about her Amazon purchases. (Here’s her most recent!) I think this is a crazy awesome idea!

Since Christmas is over I can finally share my recent December purchases!

Evelots Fleece Pet Blanket (grey)

This was a Christmas gift for Lylee. I’m really bad about A) looking at dimensions and B) visualizing the dimensions once I know them. That said, the blanket is a little small, but I only needed it to cover the one couch cushion Ly-Bear frequents- and it does the job just fine! It’s fleece but it’s durable. Also, it’s was 3x’s less $$$ than a pet blanket from the stores!

. . .

T-fal Ultimate Hard Anodized Durable Nonstick Cookware

My brother & I (and our partners) decided to gift my mom new pots for Christmas. I had my heart set on Calphalon, but when I read the reviews I was really disappointed. After some research, I decided this T-fal set was the way to go. It says they are dishwasher safe, but I’ve firmly instructed my mom to hand-wash her pots. She’s been cooking with them and is quite pleased!

. . .

Just Add Color: Mid-Century Modern Patterns & Mid-Century Modern Animals

These were a gift for my brother-in-law and his wife! They’re actually both artists, so I was afraid coloring books might offended them, but they were pleased! The designs are a little larger than some of the teeny tiny floral books and pattern books I’ve seen, but that means you can do your own patterns in the larger shapes!

. . .

Super Power Supply AC/DC Adapter Charger Cord Replacement for B&N Nook

I couldn’t find my nook charger and I needed a way to read in bed when K wanted the lights off… I rarely use my Nook (obviously), but I decided it’s my best bet so I ordered a new charging cord. It’s a good replacement, though my original cord had an “n” on it that lit up when it was charging… I miss that. I guess that’s what I get for ~~losing~~ misplacing it.

. . .

And those were my Amazon purchases for the month of December! I probably won’t do another post like this any time soon because I don’t shop frequently in spring/summer.

Did you order anything off Amazon for Christmas? Are you a prime member? I do love my free 2-day shipping!

** Off topic but… did you guys catch the (American) season premier of Downton Abbey??? Does anyone want to talk about it? Hahaha!

I Love Sundays

February 23, 2015October 4, 2016Audrey6 Comments

This Sunday was such a perfect day. I love Sundays because of their lazy nature. I usually start the day with church & a family breakfast, but this weekend my husband took the day off and we played hooky from all responsibility. It was fantastic.

Our dogs let us sleep in later than usual so I didn’t even roll out of bed until 9:45! I let K sleep in a little later while I let the pups out to potty, fed them breakfast, and surface-cleaned the first floor. I was scrolling through blogs and snacking on a blueberry muffin & some tea when K came downstairs.

We decided we needed a humidifier in our house (it’s like an electricity factory up in here) so I convinced K to drive up north with me to a larger city so we could browse Target (and get Starbucks). He agreed to go (WHICH NEVER HAPPENS) so we got dressed and left for “the big city” around 11:30.

Shopping with K is like shopping with a 7 year old.
“Will you buy me this?”
“Can I just get one more thing?”
“I don’t wanna stand in line.”
“No! Don’t leave me with the cart!”
He’s so ornery. Despite his immaturity, I love shopping with him. We found the humidifiers and picked one out. They had some nice, mature models, but we liked the frog one, so we went with that. Maybe we both turn into 7 year olds….

So we came to Target for one inexpensive thing and ended up spending $150. How does that always happen??! We did find some neat artwork for the bathroom and the dining room, so I’m not upset about it. Also, we grabbed some snacks for the NASCAR race (which we missed the start of because I lost track of time).

Another plus to the afternoon? I got my last star at Starbucks and I am now a GOLD CARD MEMBER! Yessssss!

My excitement level is embarrassingly high.

We headed home and turned on the Daytona 500 to find we’d only missed 7 laps! Woo! As I mentioned recently (25 Facts About Me), I am a huge NASCAR fan. It’s the only sport my hubby & I watch regularly. The race was sooo good (except the final lap- stupid caution)!

The race ended just in time for K to head to his church meeting. I put the cuddly pups away and drove to my grandparent’s house for Sunday Supper. (It’s a weekly thing.) When dinner was finished I scrolled through Facebook and saw friends of ours lost their dog. My mom and I decided we’d drive out to their property and make a few passes calling for the pup. We didn’t have any luck, but we’re all still holding out she finds her way home.**

K and I arrived home at the same time so he went downstairs to his office to do some work because I flipped on the Oscars. (I’ll catch up with Downton Abbey tonight!) I love, love, love that Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel won so many awards! He’s one of my favorite directors!!

I was tweeting about the Oscars and about Downton Abbey. PetSmart favorite-d AND replied to my #PetParents tweet and DA re-posted my tweet! That’s never happened! I was/am pretty excited!!

We ended the day by going to bed at the same time and drifting off to the end of the award show. It was a simple day, but it was a happy day!

What’s your favorite day of the week? Do you like lazy days or do you prefer the busier ones?

-Louise

**The lost dog has been found & is now safe and warm at home!