New Year, New Habits

I've never been one for New Year Resolutions. But, as I've gotten older, I've started to appreciate the chance to start fresh and do something new that makes me a better person. So, I'm working on some resolutions for 2013. There are going to be the usual things about losing weight and being better about finances because, truth be told, those things need to change. I also want to make sure there are one or two things in the mix that are a bit more fun to carry out.

One of the things that I think that I have decided on is to have friends over for dinner at least once a month. I'm also going to start a list of all the new recipes I want to try in 2013. This all started when I was reading the latest Food and Wine magazine and loved a ton of recipes in it. I realized that I never remember the recipes I want to try so I started a list of them. I'm keeping track of the recipe and where I find it so that I can find it again. I started doing this list and then realized that it's going to be way too much food for myself. Hence, I will have friends over for dinner once a month. I figured that once a month wasn't too much but it gives me a chance to be a bit fancy and try out new things. It's also a chance to get to know some people a bit better.

I'll have to solidify all resolutions in the near future and I'll keep you posted on things. Stay tuned for a recap of the first dinner sometime in January!

December Birchbox

I realize that I never reviewed my November box but I've already put things away (or thrown them away) and I didn't take pictures so it will have to remain a mystery. I won't fail you on the December box though. It's a pretty good box. Here it is.
Frownies Eye Gels. These are supposed to fight puffy dark circles under my eyes. There are two patches in here and they should each last a couple of days when sprayed with some tonic that is not included. So, we'll see if I get more than one use out of each of these. Haven't tried them yet but I like them in theory.

ModelCo SHINE Ultra Lip Gloss. This is from Australia so it must be fancy. I'm a fan. This particular one really has no color to it but it adds a nice shine. It's not sticky like some and it lasts pretty well. Plus, it has a slight taste of strawberries that is kind of nice. This is my favorite of the box.

Cartier Baiser Vole Eau de Parfume. This is an award-winning scent with a single-not composition of pure lily. It's actually kind of nice. It's a little strong for me for daytime but would be lovely for a night out.

Juice Beauty Stem Cellular Repair CC Cream. The lightweight cream naturally improves skin tone with vitamin C and grape-derived resveratrol. We'll see. Again, I haven't tried this one yet but the tube is so small, I'm guessing I won't see much results before it runs out.

Nick Chavez Beverly Hills Advanced Volume Shampoo. It's purple. According to the description, it's also buzz-worthy. I mostly just like that it's a nice travel size. I'll be sticking this in my stash of things to take on trips with me. I'll let you know if it's anything special after my next trip. UPDATE: I used this while I was home for Christmas and it's pretty good. It gave my hair good body even in the winter when my hair usually goes flat. It's unlikely I'll hunt down a full size bottle and/or order it online but if you happen to run into some, give it a try.

And then, just to rub salt in the wound, they included this lovely present for the Birchbox man in my life. Again, they forgot to also include the man. It's a nice little scent. I'd appreciate it if a man smelled like this. I accidentally sprayed some on my chair so I keep getting a whiff of it and I don't mind.

There you have it. That's the excitement for December! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!