Redhead Loves Coffee

I’ve been receiving Ipsy bags for a year now and I love getting that surprise in the mail every month. It’s also affordable and a great way to try different brands I might have never considered. My little sister is a member also and we always compare our bags.

Yesterday I received my February bag {nice Valentine’s Day surprise!} and was excited to try all the products so I could share my reviews with you. {You also earn points for every product you review from your bag which help you earn free products}. First off, the bag design this month is adorable and perfect for February.

My Reviews:

DOUCCE FIERCE AND FINE GRAPHIC PEN: 

I got this eyeliner in black but would’ve been fine with brown, too. I actually really liked how pointy the tip is. It makes it easier to get a thin OR thicker line. I don’t like how most other brands I’ve tried only allow me to have a thick line. I’m not the greatest at putting on eyeliner so this brand is great for me. I gave it 5 stars.

FEEL RENEWED PUMPKIN WALNUT FACIAL CLEANSER: 

I have been needing a new face wash and was waiting for my bag to arrive so I could try this brand. I’m definitely a fan. I used it last night to take off my makeup and it even gently removed my eye makeup. It has a warm smell that reminds me of fall. The winter weather has not been nice to my skin {it’s been super dry and flaky} and this stuff helped. I still felt some dryness on my cheeks after, unfortunately. I will continue to use this but I gave it 4 stars.

MAC STUDIO FIX POWDER FOUNDATION: 

Where has this been all my life?!?! I never splurge on MAC makeup so I was excited when I learned I’d be getting this foundation in my bag. They picked the shade that matches my skin tone perfectly, which is not easy to do. It feels so lightweight and the sponge made it easy to put on without a mess. I don’t wear foundation on a regular basis but I might start after trying this. I gave this 5 stars but would give it 10 if I could!

MEECH AND MIA PRESSED EYE SHADOW: 

I’ve never tried this brand before but I like this eyeshadow. The shade I got is called “Caramel.” Browns and golds are my favorite colors when choosing eyeshadows. This one was pretty subtle whereas I usually prefer a more obvious shade. I think pairing it with a darker shade on the corners of my eyes will make it better. I still gave it 5 stars.

SUR.MEDIC+ SHEET MASK DUO: AGE CONTROL MULTI-VITAL AND VITAL-COLLAGEN: 

I used the Age Control Multi-Vital after using the pumpkin cleanser. It felt VERY cold when putting it on my face and I think my daughter was a little scared of me, ha! After leaving it on for 10 minutes, I removed it then patted the excess gel onto my face and let it soak in while I laid in bed watching a movie. When I woke up this morning my skin felt soft, which was a nice change. I think tonight I’ll be using the Vital-Collagen. I gave this 4 stars mainly because I’m not a big fan of sheet masks.

If you’re interested in trying Ipsy, you can click this link and get started! IPSY BAG

 

My kids have A LOT of books, but the current favorite is “Go Away Big Green Monster.” I first heard of the book over a decade ago when I was teaching at a daycare. It was a very popular book. Once I started teaching preschool, I bought myself a copy and it was such a hit. I’m so happy I now get to read and enjoy it with my own kids.

I thought it would be fun to have them make their own “big green monsters.” I couldn’t find any pattern online so I used the book pages to trace my own.

Right now, Target is having a “Buy 2 Get 1 Free” sale on books. I highly recommend you get yourself a copy of this book for your own kids or classroom.

Go Away Big Green Monster

 

 

I can’t believe it took me this long to write a post that includes coffee {being that “coffee” is in my blog title. Oops!}

I know most people focus on Valentine’s Day pband for the evening, but what about the morning?? Or even lunchtime??

If you stop by your favorite coffee shop on the 14th, you’ll be likely to find a cute drink or treat in honor of the holiday. Starbucks has released their Cherry Mocha again {I honestly wasn’t a fan when I tried a few years ago but I am also not a fan of fruit flavors in my coffee}. They also have a selection of mochas if you wake up craving chocolate. What a cuter breakfast to have on the day than coffee with pink sprinkles and that adorable cake pop??

A coffee place that is popular in my home is Dutch Bros. My husband has his select favorites, my kids LOVE their strawberry smoothies, and I love just about everything else. They also have a cherry coffee if that’s your jam. I know this isn’t coffee, but they also have an amazing cherry cream soda if you decide to go anytime after breakfast.

Not a coffee lover? You’re still a donut lover…..right? Dunkin and Krispy Kreme have the most adorable Valentine’s Day donuts. If you haven’t tried raspberry-filled, you’re missing out. Whether you want to enjoy one {or two…or four} with your kids, your office, or even just yourself, you’ll want these! They’ll be a hit. You could also sneak out of the house early if you want to surprise your spouse with a lovey dovey breakfast you don’t have to prepare. Don’t forget the coffee!!

Whenever I’m trying to plan Valentine’s Day, my first thought is usually what to do for dinner that evening. I lost a bet with my husband last week so I’m responsible for planning Valentine’s Day. I still haven’t decided but I think we agree it’ll be better to stay home and cook or get takeout to avoid the crowds. Before even thinking of the meal, I started brainstorming what the dessert should be. The problem is, my sweet tooth is much bigger than my husband’s. When I think of Valentine’s Day desserts, I think of cheesecake, chocolate strawberries, red velvet cake, etc. He’s not a fan of any of those 3. Crazy, I know. I’m still trying to decide but while I was brainstorming, I remembered this STRAWBERRY PIE I tried a couple of years ago thanks to my mother-in-law. Want to know something funny? I have made this pie probably a good 5 times and my husband has never tried it. That’s because this pie is lucky to last 24 hours. I would eat this pie for breakfast, afternoon snack, and dessert. It’s irresistible. And I like that it’s not heavy at all like a lot of pies out there. My all-time favorite pie flavor is apple, but this one is a close second. It’s especially good for a spring/summer dessert but also perfect for Valentine’s Day. You could even drizzle some melted chocolate, use a chocolate crust,  or heart sprinkles over it to make it more festive.

Even if I don’t make this for the 14th, I see myself making it in the near future!

INGREDIENTS:

•2 pints of fresh strawberries

•1 ready-made graham cracker crust

•1 box strawberry jello mix

•2 tablespoons corn starch

•1-2 tablespoons sugar

•1 1/2 cups cold water

•Whipped cream for garnish

Rinse and slice strawberries and set aside. In a large saucepan, combine corn starch with water until smooth. Bring to a boil and stir mixture for at least 2 minutes or until thickened.

Remove from heat then add gelatin and sugar until completely dissolved. {You can also use sugar-free jello mix and add 3 tablespoons  of sugar}. Gently in strawberries. Once all of the strawberries are covered in gelatin mixture, pour into the crust. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. Garnish each serving with whipped cream and enjoy!!

One of my favorite things about Valentine’s Day is the arts and crafts. I loved decorating bulletin boards and all the red and pink glitter when making crafts. I love that I can still do fun crafts but with my OWN kids now {minus the glitter, ha!} Hand & footprint ones are my favorite. There are so many ideas and, let’s face it, they’re priceless.

My kids aren’t always the most cooperative when it comes to painting their hands and feet. Sometimes I’ve had to resort to just tracing or waiting until they’re napping. I’m hoping that’ll change as they get older.

The other day I painted their feet like ladybugs and called them “love bugs” and made penguins with cut & paste {don’t worry, I did the cutting}. I didn’t use any stencil for the penguins but the body was a black oval, folded white paper in half to cut a heart, and the feet and nose were smaller orange hearts. Googly eyes were the final touch.

I went to Target looking for Valentines for my husband and kids. I had a hard time finding a card that the kids could give to Dad. I decided the better option was to have the kids give him homemade cards. Cuter and more personal!

For my son’s, we used his purple thumbprints to make grapes and says “Dad, I think you’re “Grape!” My daughter’s is her yellow thumbprints that were turned into bees and says “Dad, Will you “Bee” my Valentine?” So much better than store-bought! The hard part is not wanting to give them to him early!

Hey there! I’m glad I peaked your interest enough to click on my blog link!

I titled this “Not My First Blog” because, well, it’s not. I’ve been a blogger ever since I was a teenager. I used to make my own from scratch before they came out with more outlines to use. I’ve blogged about school, everyday life, health & fitness, recipes, etc. I even started a blog 6 months ago to use as an outlet for my anxiety. I felt like I wanted to create one that I could use to talk about more positive things in life and could get excited about.

A little bit about little ol’ me…..

~I’m 31. I have red hair {may or may not be all natural. It’s changed since childhood}. I married my kindergarten sweetheart. We have 2 beautiful kids together. I was a preschool teacher for over 7 years. I became a SAHM after I had my son. I was born and raised in Arizona but currently live in Colorado. Some of my passions are cooking/baking, photography, writing, and drinking coffee.~

I hope you enjoy my blog and keep coming back to read it. I look forward to sharing ideas, recipes, conversation, etc!!