Movie Review: Life as We Know it

Holly Berenson (Katherine Heigl) is an up-and-coming caterer and Eric Messer (Josh Duhamel) is a promising network sports director. After a disastrous first date, the only thing they have in common is their dislike for each other and their love for their goddaughter, Sophie. But when they suddenly become all Sophie has in the world, Holly and Messer are forced to put their differences aside. Juggling career ambitions and competing social calendars, they’ll have to find some common ground while living under one roof.  - Synopsis from Fandango.com


Last weekend, my family and I wanted to see a movie when we had the chance.  This was one of only two movies available, and the other one wasn't an option, so we saw this.  It's rated pg-13, and for good reason.  There were certainly some things that could have been left out, and the idea of the story was a little far-fetched.  I do have to say, though, Katherine Heigl and Josh Duhamel have great on-screen chemistry, and the baby is as cute as can be!  


The story was peppered with humor, though there were some parts that made me cry.  It was a relatively good movie, though it was, like any other romantic comedy, formulaic.


Pros:

• It was very funny at times
• Katherine Heigl, though not my favorite actress, hit the nail on the head in the playing of a shell-shocked new mother.
• Josh Duhamel was excellent with his humor and his complete lack of knowledge in regards to being a father.
• The baby was cute, and provided a good break from the drama at times.
• It was a good movie for just sort of checking out for two hours.
• Josh and Katherine had great on-screen chemistry

Cons:

• There were a few inappropriate moments that could have certainly been left out!
• The story line was a bit unrealistic at times.

I'd give it 3 1-2 waffle stacks!  I, being part of the target audience I'm sure, really enjoyed the move overall.

Product Review: Sea Breeze Sensitive Skin Toner

For someone who highly appreciates clear, smooth skin, I'm lazy when it comes to washing my face every night. It takes so long, and it gets water everywhere!  So, when I'm just too tired to wash my face properly, I turn to the next best thing:  toner.

This is the second toner I've tried, and it works very well.  Toner is usually used after washing the face to remove excess sebum, makeup, and dirt that was left behind.  But actually, toner can be used on its own in a pinch.

If I don't cleanse my face every night, I get acne.  Without fail.  So, I can't go to bed without cleaning it up!  If I don't feel like doing a full-on wash, I'll just use toner, and Sea Breeze works fantastically for me.  The smell is harsh and not so great, but I can see the grime that it picks up off my face.

Pros:

• Removes all the necessary grime to prevent acne
• Doesn't dry out my skin
• Doesn't irritate my skin
• Helps get rid of my blackheads, little by little.

Cons:

• The smell is pretty strong!
• The packaging is a bit on the generic side

Overall, I will give Sea Breeze Sensitive Skin Toner four and a half out of five waffle stacks!

Product Review: Caress Whipped Souffle Ultra Silkening Body Wash

I was looking for a new body wash, because I wasn't happy with the smell of the my Dove body wash.  Also, it dried my skin out more than I though it should.  And my skin is already dry enough!  So, when we went to the commissary on Sunday, I picked up a bottle of this Caress Whipped Soufflé body wash, because I had heard some really great things about it.  Here's what I think about it:

Pros:

• The packaging is really attractive, and the pink color of the wash is cute.
• The smell is pretty nice straight out of the bottle.
• It leaves my skin really soft after I use it.
• It doesn't foam up a lot, so I can tell it doesn't have any parabens or harsh chemicals like that.

Cons:

• The smell doesn't last at all.  Once your rub it into your skin, it gets and odd after-smell (?) that is a bit reminiscent of bath salts.
• The product isn't well concentrated, so you have to use a lot of it.
• It's a little bit slimy in texture, and it takes a minute to wash the slimy feeling away.

So overall, it's not a bad product, because it does moisturize my skin and that's what I need.  So yes, I would buy it again.  But, there are a lot of things I don't like about it that I'll just have to deal with to get the moisture I need.  So overall, I'll get it a 3 1/2 out of 5 waffle stacks.

Product Review: Illy Brand Coffee

Click here to go to the Illy website.

I have loved coffee since I was, I think, ten years old.  I love the smell, the taste, and all the different things you can do with it!  So, suffice it to say, Italy has been wonderful.  

I practically wept when I heard there are no Starbucks Locations in Italy, but it's truly been ok.  Every once in a while I crave my venti no classic breve iced coffee, but I'm sure it will make our reuniting ever sweeter.  

For now, I am loving the way Italians drink coffee, and one of their favorite brands is Illy.  I found out that, though it's more expensive, it actually sells in the states!  So you can have a little taste of Italy, too.

We have a can of the Illy espresso powder, and it's very good.  The best place to drink Illy is in a cafe where someone else (a professional) makes it for you.  In that regard, Illy is truly delicious.  The home espresso, though, is still phenomenal.  It has a perfect level of strength and vibrancy (oh look who's fancy now), but it doesn't have any bitter aftertastes.

Cons?  I'd say that if it's even slightly overcooked, it does tend to get a strange aftertaste, but it's not too pronounced.  Also, again, the stuff from cafe's is way better.  I think I'll be giving Illy Brand Coffee 4 out of 5 waffle stacks, and I definitely think you should try it!

Carolina Pad Weekly/Monthly Planner

When my mom was in the states a few weeks ago, she went to Target.  She knew I needed a planner for school, and so she picked up one that she thought I would like.  And boy, was she ever right!  (And no, neither of us noticed it was "Carolina" pad brand.  I just noticed as I was researching it for the review. A little coweenkeedink.)

This is the planner that I have.

It is my favorite planner.  I've had several in my 11 years of schooling, but this is by far, the best.

First, I love the pattern.  It's cute, girly, fun, and very "me."  Not to mention, every month is a different color!  On the inside, there is plenty of room for writing down events in the calender section, and several pages in which to write notes, in more detail, about each day's events.

The size is great!  Whenever I go anywhere where I might need a planner, it generally fits in my bag, most of the time.

Cons?  Well, there are pretty cheesy "helpful hints" at the top of each calender page, and I'm pretty sure I could live without those.  Also, I think the squares on the calender should be just a wee bit bigger.

Overall, then, I would give the Carolina Pad Hot Chocolate planner a 4 1/2 out of 5 waffle stacks!

Welcome!

Hello, everyone!  This is my reviews blog, where I will give you my opinion on everything from shampoos to cleaning products to recipes.  I ask that you comment on my posts if you've used the product before, and give me your opinion, too; I'd love to hear it!

Thanks so much for reading, everybody.