I decided to gift myself with a beauty box subscription. It is a way to pamper and give myself a monthly treat (with a fee). I actually researched a bit about the beauty boxes available here in Canada and decided to try the Luxe Box first based on the items received by past subscribers.
I did the 3 month subscription and crossed my fingers that I will like what my box when it arrives.
What happens is that after subscribing ($12/month, $36/quarterly or $120/yearly) , you will be asked to fill up the beauty profile so that they will be able to customize a sample beauty box that would fit your needs.
It is like getting a present monthly and what is nice is that what is inside is a bit of a surprise and will probably let you try on beauty products that you will not normally choose for yourself.
* Customized right to the sticker... see my name? Aaw nice!
* What's inside?
* The Luxe Box Bath and Body
Gilette Venus & Olay
Olay Regenerist- Wrinkle Revolution Complex- 7ml
Full Size 15ml- $60
* Peek a Boo!
Cargo- Glitter Top Coat- Full Size (yey!
Full Size- $18
Olay Regenerist- Wrinkle Revolution Complex- 7ml
(I have been looking at Regenerist as a gift for my mom, but haven't bought them. Finding myself with a sample and for a wrinkle one (eep!) makes me feel...mature?)
Full Size 15ml- $60
Kerastase-Masque Crema Riche- 30 ml
Full Size 200ml- $57
Loose Button- My Scent- Sample Size
CK Shock for Her
Full Size 50ml- $40
Calvin Klein Sheer Beauty
Full Size 50ml- $78
Marc Jacob Oh Lola!
Full Size 50ml $79
I`d say that the Cargo (full size) product in itself pays for the box and more, bonus would be if this is a great product as well.
I will definitely try and see if these products work for me.
How about you. What did you got in your Luxe Box? Was it a hit or a miss?
One of the great things here in B.C. is that you don't need to drive long or ride a plane to find a nice place for a family weekend bonding.
Such a place is Queen Elizabeth Park. It's less than an hour drive from us and is a good place to enjoy the beauty of nature and to let the kids run around as well.
My brother in law finally arrived from Washington D.C. (work-related) with a whole luggage of papers. He's visiting and made himself comfortable in the big dining table- to work.
Weekday came and Kendrick finally got to take a breather and joined us for a stroll in the mall.
We went for our regular grocery at Metrotown with the kids when we passed by a small set up ground floor near TnT Supermarket. There were young adults with catchy signs such as "I need a man" and thought that it might be a dating related organization.
* One Match Poster
It took a moment for me to realize that it was an event about stem cell and fighting blood cancers. What you do to get involved is to get yourself registered and swabbed for samples, they send it to a lab and you will be a part of a list of donors. A simple procedure, which might make a difference in somebody's life.
I decided to give 5 minutes of my time to take part by registering.
* A Little Pamphlet of information
After getting swabbed, I was given a thank you card and on one side, some details of how stem cell has helped a mom (being Mother's Day) to overcome their fight against blood cancer.
I love the School's Annual Mother's Day Tea Party.
Aside from being the guest of honor, I just look forward to being there to see Kimi perform and build her confidence as she sings her songs and the kids served the mommies for a change. :)
* Flowers as centerpiece for each tables
The mommies shuffled inside the classroom and took a seat. Each one finding a place to sit on that would get them to take the best angle possible of their kids.
Kimi was right at the center of the group. She sat calmly as if this was just an everyday thing for her. No butterflies in the stomach. Atta Girl!
* Kimi waiting patiently for the show to start
* Showtime!
The first song was actually a repeat from the previous presentation...
It was Kimi who presented the song
* Five Pretty Mommies
Five pretty mommies I once knew,
Fat ones, skinny ones, tall ones, too,
But the one in the middle that belongs to me...
I love her and she loves me!
Down to the grocery we did go,
Wibble - wobble, wibble - wobble, to and fro,
But the one in the middle that belongs to me,
I love her and she loves me!
* Mother's Day, Mother's Day
( To the tune of Jingle Bells...)
Mother's Day Mother's Day
It is almost here
It's the time when we say
Thank you mother dear
Mother's Day Mother's Day
it is almost here
Hugs and kisses to my mom
I love you mother dear
* Skidamarink Song
Skidamarink a dink a dink,
Skidamarink a doo,
I love you.
Skidamarink a dink a dink,
Skidamarink a doo,
I love you.
I love you in the morning
And in the afternoon,
I love you in the evening
And underneath the moon;
Oh, Skidamarink a dink a dink,
Skidamarink a doo,
I love you!
* Bushel and a Peck
I love you, a bushel and a peck!
A bushel and a peck, and a hug around the neck!
A hug around the neck, and a barrel and a heap
A barrel and a heap, and I'm talkin' in my sleep.
About you.
About you!
'Cause I love you, a bushel and a peck
You bet your pretty neck I do!
Doodle, oodle, oodle.
Doodle, oodle, oodle.
Doodle oodle oodle oo.
* I love my mom mom mom mom
(To the tune of I've got Joy, Joy, Joy)
I love my mom mom mom mom down in my heart (where!)
down in my heart down in my heart
I love my mom mom mom mom down in my heart (where!)
down in my heart down in my heart
and I`m so happy
so very happy
I love my mom and she loves me so much
and I`m so happy
so very happy
I love my mom and she loves me so much
* * * * *
After the song numbers, it was time to present the mom with their works. I especially loved the readings of the kids who are in the school for 3 years (it was a new addition this year). They made a dedication which they have written and read it out loud for all the mommies to hear. I hope they do that next year when Kimi reaches her third year in Montessori as I was teary eyed as the kids read their letter which really touched my heart.
* Artworks for Mom
* Handprints as flowers
I especially loved the dedication at the back.
M-O-T-H-E-R
"M' is for the million things she gave me,
"O" means only that she's growing old,
"T" is for the tears she shed to save me,
"H" is for her heart of purest gold,
"E" is for her eyes, with love-light shining,
"R" means right, and right she'll always be,
Put them all together, they spell "MOTHER",
A word that means the world to me.
- Howard Johnson (c. 1915)
* * * * *
I thought that there were only 2 artworks being distributed but then the teacher start taking off the flower decors on the wall. Turns out that the kids also made those and it was nice that they were incorporated as a part of the wall that makes up the backdrop of their stage.
* Flower Tissues for our dearest moms
* Kimi with her flower- smile?
* There :)
* Kimi's work of arts
* Kimi with Teacher Doreen, Teacher Su, and Teacher Tanya
* Kimi gets sweet with Olivia
A loving and careful mother both recognizes
and even protects her daughter's autonomy
and also helps her dance out confidently on to a wider stage.
I was surprised to get an invitation for a Monday, but it made sense when I read that it was just around the corner from school so I guess it was quite practical in a way.
* Kimi ready for her day party
It was a fun and casual party at home with more than half of their classmates in attendance.
The main attraction was the...
* Trampoline
...at least it was, until someone made a surprise appearance...
* Shekinah! Former classmate
and everyone was soooo happy to see her
It was my first time to witness a birthday tradition from a different country, and what I've noticed is that they light an extra candle (age 5, candles lighted was 6) and the elders in the family feed the birthday boy a bit of cake with a kiss on the cheek.
We never spent a night before in Whistler, it was always a daytrip until I got a deal I couldn't passed up.
It was an overnight with three course dinner for 2 at good price of $199 at Travelzoo. The overnight stay itself costs $270++ regularly and with a 3 course dinner for 2 thrown in with the package, it was just a no brainer :)
We had this planned for months with a lot of weekdays in the promo, we reserved the first weekend that was included so...
* The Aubergine Grille
Reservation was at 6 pm...
* Karl and Stone
* Twins and Mel
It was a nice surprise that we got to choose an individual 3 course meal, no shared appetizer or dessert in this promo. Then, we got (2) 3 course meal for the kids which was another bonus. The best part was that it was free and that the selection was way over my expectation. Wherein some restaurants offer the normal fare like Macaroni and cheese or chicken strips with fries for the kids. Not Aubergine, the free entree included was from a simple spaghetti (which we ordered) to Angus Beef steak and Sockeye Salmon. They got their own appetizer as well, with nice selections to boot and a really good dessert selections for each kid. The presentation for the kid's meal was just as nice. <blown away>
* Our Appetizer/ Entree Selections
The bottom right is the kid's entree complete with plating :).
The appetizer was great. Beef Carpaccio was sliced a bit too thin but the oyster for mine was really fresh and the Dungeness Crab Spring Roll was really yummy with crabs you can really taste plus the great sauce that accompanied it.
The Lobster and Steak was done really well as well and we were full by the time we finished our entrees.
* Dessert Selections
I chose the Sorbet and Rainbow Ice Cream for the kid's dessert which we shared. I especially loved the strawberry and vanilla ice cream with it's creaminess and loved the peach sorbet that comes with the trio sorbet. Stone chose the Flourless Chocolate cake that was really good while the Maple Creme Brulee was okay. The Best Creme Brulee I had was from Bistro Sakana, I loved all the food from Bistro but the food took way too long to be served. The Aubergine Grille got everything right, good food, nice ambiance, impeccable service, food arrived just in time and kids got three course meal with an adult's 3 course meal for free.
