Review: Perfect Match Mood Cafe Collection by LeChat

One of my favorite parts of Autumn is the change to darker hued fashion.

I'm not just talking about the "sweater weather".

It's also the time to change your nail polish to fashionably darker colors.

Fall time is all about dark blues, grays, and deeper browns or reds.

It's the time to say good bye to the hot pinks and welcome the warm colors.  Yesss, I love!

When I went for my monthly appointment at the nail salon, they had something waiting for me.

My nail tech gets excited to experiment with gel polish on me since I'm one of the few that still use it.

She said that my short nails with gel polish were absolutely perfect for this new trend.

I'm always on board to try something new so of course I said yes!

Review of Perfect Match Mood Cafe Collection by LeChat

What is Perfect Match Mood Cafe nail polish?

It's a color changing nail polish that works similar to a mood ring.

The nail polish color changes with your body temperature.

They call it Perfect Match because the gel polish comes with a matching polish for your toes.

This is a double score because I can never get the toes to match right.  Like, ever.

The deeper, darker hue appears when you're colder and the lighter, brighter hue is when you're warmer.

As an added bonus, the polish is scented.

The above polish left my nails smelling like a cinnamon latte.  Eep!

Does the color really change with temperature?

Yes!  Drastically.

Cinnamon Latte went from a gorgeous Autumn red to a pumpkin orange.

See for yourself below.

 What did you like about Perfect Match Mood Cafe?

I was absolutely intrigued with the color changing effect.

The little kid in me thought this was so cool.  I instantly showed my daughter when I got home.

Yes, she was impressed.  So either I'm the coolest mom ever or the lamest.  Who knows?!

I also am pleasantly surprised at the aroma every time my finger nails get near my face.

While all of the above was fun, there is still one factor that's most important to me.

Since I only get my nails done monthly, I like my polish to last that long.

Hence the short, stubby nails.  The shorter they are, the more room to grow that month!

If the polish chips easily or fades, I'm left unhappy with the product.

I'm happy to say that this polish lasted for a solid three and a half weeks.

It stayed on for the four weeks until my next appointment, but with some minor chipping!

What didn't you like about Perfect Match Mood Cafe?

While the color changing was fun to start, I realized that I may not be a good candidate.

For some unknown reason, some fingers appeared hot and the others appeared cold.

When this happened often I had 10 nails with about 7 different shades.

This looked a little awkward.

Do you have any tips to give before trying the color changing polish?

My only tip would be to make sure that you're equally committed to both colors.

I fell in love with the deep red, Autumn themed hue.

Unfortunately, I rarely saw it.

Apparently, I run hot!

While I didn't dislike the other color, I wasn't committed to it so I was left disappointed.

Despite the few cons, I would recommend the Perfect Match Mood Cafe collection by LeChat.

After all, the cons weren't really product specific but seem to be personal problems with body temperature.

Have you or will you try Perfect Match Mood Cafe?

List: Ten essentials for your home office.

About two years ago, I was told by management that I need to stop "favoring" my local office.

This meant more working from home and less time sitting in my formal office.

I was immediately discouraged because I don't enjoy working from home.

I like getting dressed, socializing, using a desk phone, monitors and a mouse, & did I say socializing?

Begrudgingly, I would take my lap top home a few times a week and work hunched over the kitchen table.

It was very uncomfortable and the small lap top screen gave me serious eye strain.

Last year when we decided to look for a new home, I listed "home office area" as a must have.

If I was going to be forced to work from home, I needed to be comfortable.

Higher comfort means much higher productivity.  It's science, I think.

Luckily, we found the perfect home with the most perfect space.
One step down from the dining area is a lovely little room.

It's just big enough to serve as a den and informal office.

The room has two full walls of windows and a sky light adding to its appeal.

Suddenly I don't mind working from home so much!  You can find me here often.

It's still a work in progress, but it's got all the necessities of a home office and then some.

This year we hope to get a home for my printer and do something to hide the wires.

Despite being incomplete, it checks off all the necessities on the below list.

Ten necessities for your functional home office.

1.  A desk with storage space.

It was important for me to find a desk with storage because I use a lot of office supplies.

To have post its, envelope sealer, printer ink, a stapler, and more without a home would kill my OCD.

Tip - Measure the shelves and fill them with decorative baskets to fully conceal office supplies.

2.  Accessible outlets.

To properly run a home office, it requires the use of electricity and electrical outlets.

It's important to have these outlets in convenient locations with extension outlets.

You need several for your computer, monitor, printer, and phone charger.

3.  A pushpin board.

Post its are great for quick reminders, but a pushpin board is great to hang permanent references.

Please ignore that mine is currently filled with art projects and school photos.

4.  A variety of writing utensils.

My desk is stocked high with pencils, pens, highlighters, sharpies, and even a calligraphy pen!

You never know what you're going to need for a specific task, so keep them handy.

5.  Cans of compressed air.

There is nothing more irritating then the dust lingering in the hard to reach places of a computer.

Compressed air makes cleaning out the dust quick and easy!  bleh, gag, barf

6.  A soft throw blanket.

Not to be confused with the one pictured.  That ones exclusively for show.

In my formal office at work, I have a space heater to keep my toes nice and cozy warm.

In my home office, I snuggle with a comfortable to throw blanket.  You can't work with a chill!

7.  Amazon Alexa or a virtual assistant.

These days an assistant is just not cost effective, so I have my Alexa.

I've become so spoiled that I don't know how I'd get my work done without her.

Just this past hour I've asked her to play music, tell me what county a town was is, and to do multiplication.

8.  A desk calendar.

While I could use my computer or Alexa to manage a calendar, I reference my desk one often.

It's very practical, especially when on a call.  

"Alexa, tell me the date of next Thursday."  Trust me, noone wants to hear that.

9.  A small notebook in arms reach.

Taking notes on a call, jotting down ideas, a to do list, or making sense of an invoice, all require a notebook.

As much as I love my keyboard, there's nothing like a notebook to jot down quick items.

It's not uncommon for me to reference my notebook as I'm working in the computer also.

10.  A lemon tree within view.

Every home office needs a real lemon tree.

...or something that makes them smile when they look at it.

What are your home office essentials?

Life: Friday Ramblings

I was clearly misunderstood when...

...I asked my hubby to bring my pretty pink flowers inside.

I meant for them to be potted so that they could thrive over the Winter in my sunny room.

Instead, he cut them, placed them in a vase with water, and sentenced them to death.

I'm beyond disgusted at...

...the dust, grime, and living things we found living in the radiators.

We do our spring cleaning every November, but this is the first time we saw such filth!

I was skeeved at the first spider we found, but lost sleep over the discovery of the fourth.

I swear that we aren't dirty people and we certainly do not purposely house bugs.  Bleh gag barf...

I am absolutely, completely in love with...

...my new, violet colored hair!  I recently got my hair done and decided to be adventurous.

The base color is a little darker than normal, but it has a gorgeous violet hue.

That hue turns into a vibrant color in direct light and it is  f a b u l o u s  !!

We are all jumping up and down with excitement because...

...we officially purchased our park tickets for the trip to Disney World in May!

While we had the resort booked, it just didn't feel official without the nonrefundable park tickets.

Yes, I totally am five years old at heart.  I'm all about an action packed vacation away from the beach.

I'm can't stop giggling at...

...the exchange between my boss and I during my time off request.

He asked what I would be doing and I said "We will be seeing Baby Shark Live."

To which he responded, "Are you sure you don't want me to decline the request?"

Of course not!  I mean, my baby boy is all ready with his baby shark outfit and all!

I'm secretly stressed about...

...all the traveling that my job is requiring over the next couple of months.

I'm used to the typical travel, but to be out of state so many times in one month is horrible.

I miss my babies, my routine, my home, my husband, and the security of knowing where I am!

What are your Friday Ramblings?

Ideas: Pumpkin Painting & S'mores Party

My daughter met her BFF & boyfriend at the age of 3 months old.

This trio have been absolutely inseparable ever since.

Luckily their parents and siblings are awesome so it's an all around good time!

Since they don't get to see each other as often, we plan monthly play dates.

These play dates are usually the kids making a mess of the house and us drinking an alcoholic beverage.

To keep the destruction to a minimum, we like to be prepared with activities.

This month was my turn to host.

I decided to be festive and fun all while remaining on a budget.

We had a pumpkin painting and s'mores party.

It's the perfect time to display their artwork and to sit around a fire.

The kids had an absolute blast and we kept our budget!

The first step was to gather all the things we would need.

I got a few tubes of Crayola project paint, paint brushes, pumpkin stickers, and stencils.

For the s'mores all we needed was graham crackers, chocolate, marshmallows, and firewood.

To stay festive we made Pilsbury pumpkin sugar cookies and got some spooky rings!

Unfortunately, it rained and we couldn't use the fire pit for the S'mores.

My phone was listening and randomly suggested a recipe to make s'more in the oven.  Creepy much?

If it didn't rain, we would have sat around the fire, making s'mores, and telling spooky stories!

To ease the disappointment, we jumped right into pumpkin painting.

We also ordered a pizza, because pizza fixes everything!

To start we protected my table with oversized, heavy duty garbage bags.

We then gave the children choices of stickers, stencils, and paint to begin their craft.

My daughter used the bat sticker and painted flowers all around the pumpkin.

Her friends used spookier stickers and chose red glittery paint to represent blood.

My son just decided to eat the blue paint.  See what happens without s'mores?!

Our babies big kids had an absolute blast.

They told spooky stories, ate way too many carbs, and made pumpkin masterpieces.

Does Crayola paint count as a carb?  I hope not...

It was a complete success and cost under $35!

What festive activities have you done this season?

List: Ten lessons learned from watching Forensic Files.

Last month, my husband got played  by a 10 year old.
 My daughter came home holding hands with a neighborhood friend that we never saw before.  She asked for permission to play in this friend's backyard.  While my husband repeatedly said "no", this little girl managed to somehow twist the answer to a "yes".  As the little girl started to walk down the steps, she turned around and looked my husband in his eye.  "What is your name anyway?"  Obviously shook, he replied with his name and then shut the door.  Immediately, I shot questions out like bullets.

Who is this girl and why have we never seen her before?
Which house does she live in?  Why is she so much older than Mushy?
What is HER name since she grilled you for yours?

That's when the light bulb lit up above his head.
He threw open the door, raced down the sidewalk, and brought our baby girl safely back home.

After lecturing both of them for a solid 30 minutes on stranger danger,
I sentenced both of them to a week of watching Forensic Files.
Let's just say, I don't think it will ever happen again.

Note-  We later found out that this is a real neighbor that lives just a few houses past us.

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Ten lessons learned from watching Forensic Files.

1.  Don't ever change your baby's diaper in the car.

...unless you have a watchful eye and some muscle standing behind you.

One episode showed a woman abducted and murdered while she was changing her kid's diaper.

She was in a compromised position and unaware of her surroundings making the crime easy to commit.

2.  Always trust your gut.

This is one common theme in almost any episode I've seen.

There are countless interviews from victims and witnesses stating that they wished they acted on their gut.

If you feel unsafe or something's got you uneasy, then get safe, get help, or call the police.

3.  Don't trust anyone.

There are many episodes where the victims simply got played by strangers and lost with their lives.

There are even more episodes where their spouses or family members violently turned on them.

Moral of the story:  Be mindful of the company you keep, including strangers or your BFF.

4.  Always be aware of your surroundings.

The survivors are always the ones that could tell you every detail of the attack.

This includes a description of the attacker, potential travels, the environment, and everything else!

This show preaches that every little detail is a potential clue.

5.  Never leave the door unlocked.

This one constantly amazes me.  I mean, how you do not lock your door?

I've seen many episodes where the crimes begins with an unlocked front, back, or side door.

I don't care if you're too hot, looking for ventilation, live in a safe area, or just crazy.  Always lock up!

6.  Many criminals take a trophy.

Several attackers were caught because of an item they stole from their victim.

There were some episodes where the trophy was identified and led to the criminal's arrest.

Talk about adding insult to injury.  People are sick!

7.  Criminals are usually repeat offenders.

Perform a background check on the company you keep, because history almost always repeats itself.

Don't fool yourself into believing a crazy story was an accident without serious proof.

Whether you're a serial rapist or a serial man who pushes wives down the stairs, it never happens once.

8.  Track who took insurance claims out on you.

I was shocked to learn how many murders were attempted with money as a motivator.

Being someone's beneficiary is sometimes the main motive and other times the decision maker.

Either way, the common joke about life insurance policies is no longer funny to me.

9.  Never sleep with the window open.

Many episodes find the point of entry to be a cut window screen.

This allows for a practically noiseless entry into your home during your most vulnerable time.

Keep all entryways secured and locked, especially while you're sleeping and especially basement windows!

10.  Above all else, never mess with a crime scene.

Everything right down to a drop of blood or the position of the body means something.

If you clean up, put something out of place, or move the body, you could be removing clues!

...and if you do get the urge to clean the crime scene, you're probably guilty.

What have you learned from Forensic Files or other crime shows?

Life: Friday Ramblings

I love seeing my daughter's face every time...

...she gets booed!  The older kids in the neighborhood love to boo the younger ones.

They leave a spooky note that says "You've been booed!" and a little bag filled with goodies.

Did I mention that I love our new neighborhood?  Oh, about 100 times?  But, I do!

I'm feeling real stressed watching...

...my baby boy struggle to breathe while he's suffering with bronchitis.

He gets this about once every six weeks and I'm starting to get concerned.

The doctor either blames allergies or the day care, but has yet to refer us to a specialist.

I hope that he doesn't have a chronic condition and that he feels better soon.

I really, really hate...

...kinetic sand and the mess it leaves behind!

I don't want my baby to grow up, but can't she just grow past this toy?!

We decided to move up...

...the work in the den/office area of the house!

In case the lung infections are stemming from allergies, we should rip up the carpet.

The previous owners had a cat and that dander loves to linger.

Hello, beautiful floors to match the rest of the house and good bye, allergies!  I hope...

I discovered the...

...the prequel to Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly and let's just say that I'm obsessed!

I may even venture to say that it's better than the original story, but I'll wait until I'm finished to commit.

The prequel is called Lost Roses and so far it really is a great read!

I'm partial to the fact that it takes place in NY and Long Island.  I love being able to relate!

I keep getting made fun of for...

...walking around with my composition notebook.

I've always had one with all my notes and to do lists.  It keeps me level headed and organized.

I'm meticulous with placing tabs for quick reference and I even glue calendar print outs for important dates.

I'm waiting to hear a deep dark secret because...

...my husband asked me to go on an impromptu date night.

We typically go out twice a year, but tonight he surprised me with plans to go out.

He got a sitter, picked the place, and made an entire plan!

Maybe I'm being paranoid but deep dark secret is written all over this.

What are your Friday Ramblings?

Life: A real life Halloween scare!

In the past, I've celebrated Halloween on R&W with some spooky ghost stories.

I was going to continue with the tradition because I got lots of spooky stories and do the same today.

Instead, I decided to share with you one of the creepiest things I've seen in a while.

It all started a few months back when my son started cheering every time I put on The Incredibles.

His face lights up whenever he sees his Jack-Jack doll.

He hugs and gives really wet, slobbery kisses to his stuffed raccoon.

He screams "YEA YEA YEA" when Jack-Jack beats up the raccoon on TV.

It's blatantly obvious that my 1 year old is a hardcore fangirlboy!

My daughter wanted to get in on the action so she devised a plan.

For Halloween we would all be The Incredibles.

She would be Violet.

Daddy would be Mr. Incredible.

I would be Elastigirl.

Thor would be Dash.

Nanny would be Edna.

...and, of course...

My son would be Jack-Jack.

I happily obliged and purchased the costumes the second I found a decent sale.

The costumes came quickly so we decided to try them on.

This all cute so far, right?  Be patient, the creepiness is about to start.

My daughter went first and instantly transformed into Violet.

She loved the outfit, the mask, and the cool sound effects!

Next up was my son, except he didn't transform into Jack-Jack as expected.

He turned into some terrifying, horrifying, creepy, baby monster!!!!

...and then crawled away while making some freaky giggle....

My daughter screeched and took off to her room.

My husband chuckled.  It was an "I'm scared" chuckle.

Our dog even freaked out.  He barked and ran away to hide!

After gaining courage, I finally scooped him back up.

I ripped off that horrifying costume and put it back in the bag.

It has since been returned and will never, ever come back into our house again!

We had to implement plan B.

My son is going to be Dash.

...and his Jack-Jack doll can be Jack-Jack...

H a p p y  H a l l o w e e n  ! ! !

What are your plans this Halloween?

List: Ten things that are scarier than Halloween.

When I became too cool to wear a costume to school, Madre bought me a graphic tee.

I know, I know.  I'm so old that graphic tees didn't exist back then.  Whatever!

The shirt said "I'm like so scared" and it couldn't have been more perfect.

Even way back then, I was full of anxiety and was always nervous.

...and I may have overused the word like, like all the time...

In honor of Halloween...

...and one of the world's first graphic t-shirts, 

here's a list of things that make me say "I'm like so scared".

Ten things that are scarier than Halloween in my opinion.

1.  Large bodies of water

One thing I can't stand are large bodies of water whether salted, fresh, or chlorinated.

I really hate when it's so dark that you can't even see what living creatures are in it.

I fear the ocean, lakes, ponds, rivers, swamps, canals, lagoons, streams, springs, and mildly large puddles.

2.  Spiders, bees, crickets, spickets, mosquitoes, & any other bug

Want to see me scream and yell?  Put a bug in my vicinity. 

I would rather take my chances with a real life vampire than with certain bugs.

FYI - Spider + Cricket = spicket & yes, it does exist.

3.  Elevators

Years and years ago I was stuck in an elevator during the unbearable heat.

The fear of suffocating or the elevator falling had me shaking, screaming, and climbing on Nanny's head.

Ever since, I have had a fear of elevators.  I avoid them whenever possible and hold my breathe when it's not.

4.  Death

I'm constantly wondering if there's life after death or if it just ends.

The thought of death and the fear of it happening has consumed my mind while awake and asleep.

It's so bad that I watch something and think about how much of my life passed since it happened!

5.  Vending machines

To be clear, I'm not afraid of the machine itself.  I don't think it's alive and will attack me.

I am petrified of sticking my hand into the bottom of the machine and retrieving my item.

I mean, who knows what's even in there waiting to touch my fingers!

6.  A terminal illness

While this is similar to #4, it deserves it's own category.

I'm always afraid that I, or a loved one, will contract a sickness that will lead to our untimely death.

With the help of Google and self help medical test results, I'm constantly diagnosing myself.

7.  Geese

Geese are not only evil, vicious creatures, but they are downright scary!

There are days I get stuck at work because the geese block the exits.

Oh, shh.  I lost a shoe to a goose once.  The threat is real!

8.  Choking

While I never wanted it to happen, this was never a fear of mine until recently.

My friend's son choked in my home and we couldn't dislodge it.  It was a very scary day.

Ever since then I've had this unshakable fear of choking every time my children or I eat.

9.  Flying in airplanes or helicopters

I really don't like the idea of flying and being hundreds of miles into the sky.

Booking a flight keeps me up at night and will give me nightmares for days months!

This is where we thanks scientists everywhere for creating pills to get us through things.

10.  Driving where deer are

The idea of driving down a road and a deer jumping in front of the car freaks me out.

I envision the deer smashing through the windshield and the legs kicking furiously at my face!

...or worse yet, a moose!  I've seen moose crossing signs and that's when I turn around.

What makes you like so scared?

Life: Friday Ramblings

Friday Ramblings

This time of year I really miss...

...my cousin and my God son since they moved.

We grew up like sisters and her son is my other baby.

All the festivities and holidays make me really miss my baby boy.

The festivities are also a lot less fun without my partner in crime by my side!

I'm really annoyed that...

...one of the skylights in my kitchen is leaking.

It's causing the ceiling to buckle at the end of the slope.

The roofer came and will fix it for a reasonable price, but he had bad news.

He thinks the entire roof needs to be replaced which costs about the same amount as my house.

Obviously I am exaggerating, but it's seriously expensive!

I got way too exited to learn...

...that by holding down the space bar on your iPhone, your keyboard turns into a mouse.

You have no idea how much time I've wasted retyping whole words for apparently no reason!

I got the life scared out of me when...
...my daughter didn't get off the school bus one day this week!
Her teacher "messed up" and sent her to aftercare.
Well, accidentally sending her to aftercare may give me a fright, but at least she is safe.
What if she accidentally sends her on the bus and there's no one on the bus stop to get her?  sigh

We are stocking up with...

...massive amounts of Halloween candy!

It's been years since I've seen more than a handful of trick or treaters.

We moved to a neighbor full of children and word is that is all about to change.

Our neighbors tell us that kids come through our neighborhood from all over town.

My daughter is definitely looking forward to it since in the past she was the only kid in the streets!

While I'm looking forward to seeing the kiddies, I hope this doesn't mean we get egged or something...

We are being a little extra this Halloween by...

...putting our little dog in a costume parade dressed up after his namesake.

We'll be introducing him as - Thor, the Puppy of Thunder!!

I mean, who else would he be named for?

What are your Friday Ramblings?

Let's Discss: Ghosting

With Halloween lurking nearby, I thought it would be appropriate to bring up the topic of ghosting.

Calm yourself!  I'm not talking about spooky ghosts like I've discussed here...

What is ghosting?

Ghosting is a relatively new term that refers to someone disappearing from your life without explanation.  While this can be used in reference to anyone, it's typically reserved for dates and/or relationships.

Why do people ghost?

I don't believe anyone fully knows the answer to this question.

My guess is that people ghost because they are insecure, afraid of confrontation, looking for an easy way out, or just plain inconsiderate.  To tell someone that you don't want to be in their life anymore isn't an easy thing to do but it's the right thing to do.  It's bad enough to be rejected, but it's worse to wait and wonder.

What is a real life example?

A good friend of mine recently got ghosted.

She was dating this guy for years when one day he just vanished into thin air.  He deleted her from all social media accounts, wouldn't answer calls, and he ignored all of the text messages.  A few months later he reappeared stating that he was depressed.  He decided to cut off contact to avoid bringing her down with him.  She gave him the benefit of the doubt to only be ghosted a second time.  Once again she's blocked from any means of communication and with zero warning.

Depression or a jerk?  Please put your input in the comments!

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In my twenties, I've told countless fibs to get out of dates.

I've made up limitless excuses to turn down men I wasn't interested in.

I even had big girl conversations to break up with two different exes I outgrew.

...but I never, ever just ghosted on someone.

I couldn't. It would  h a u n t  me.

See what I did there?  hehe

Have you ever ghosted somebody or been ghosted?  If yes, why?