Our historical field trip

Being a homeschooler, one of the best things we get to do are frequent field trips! Most recently we went to the Castillo de San Marcos castle during national park week.

No, it's not a fort as I was used to calling it. One of the living history actors corrected me on that one.

It's a castle because it has a moat and drawbridge. It's a very unique and special shape too. With the diamond corners it provides a perfectly clear view of every angle.
We were there for the cannon firing which happens daily and at certain times.

They have Rangers who give short condensed history lessons. From one of those lessons, we learned all the following facts:

The Castillo de San Marcos was used as a prison by Americans to hold Indians who were being removed from their lands and taken to reservations. Most notably were Apache and also the wives and children of Geronimo.

For over 300 years it was held strong by the Spanish. They finally gave it up in a trading deal to the English to get Cuba back. The English tried and consistently failed to capture the Castillo but never did. And when they did, they tried to hold double its capacity which required renovations and made their soldiers miserable during the summer months.

Prior to the Castillo, there were approximately nine other forts built around town. They were mostly destroyed by termites, fire and sieges though.

The Castillo is built from a special mixture that includes coquina which is a type of tiny shell here. It could actually absorb a cannon ball instead of being totally damaged. However, it had to be cut in over 40,000 blocks, dried over days-years and then built. It took many years to complete it.

The moat never held water. During sieges, it kept livestock and prevented anyone from storming the walls.
The cannons were strategically placed to cover every part of the surrounding areas. The smaller ones could hit up to a mile away which is about where the St. Augustine lighthouse is now. The larger one can go up to three miles. It certainly kept ships far away.

The bathroom pipes were "flushed" by the tides....
If you ever have the chance to be in town and want a special but fun learning adventure - I suggest a trip to the Castillo de San Marcos!

Star Looks review and promotion information

Mother's Day is drawing near. Less than 2 weeks left to find that perfect gift. I found a great cosmetics gift idea. The StarLooks beauty box.

It's a monthly subscription box that will mail a box of cosmetic goodies for her to try out before purchasing items from online.

Each box contains 3-4 full sized products and you only pay a flat rate of $15 per month.

You can get 1 subscriptions for yourself or for someone else as a gift. StarLooks sent me the April Star Box to try out. April was a "Neutral" theme with products for all skin tones, retailing $50. It contained Tendergloss Lipstick (retail $11), "Mint" SPF Lip Balm (retail $5), "Translucent/Nude" Mineralized Powder (retail $19), and Sensation Mascara Primer (retail $15).
The mineralized powder was great! It matched my skin and looked natural unlike most foundations that can look caked on. It didn't cause any itchy feelings or irritate my face either. Really does great at keeping that "shiny" look your face gets when it's oily, away. It wasn't a powdery feeling like my old foundation. My nose wasn't twitching all day (like it normally does). This was my absolute favorite!

The mascara primer is a bit odd for me. It is supposed to protect and moisturize your lashes. I wasn't really into that. I had little pieces of white in my lashes at first. It did, however, make a difference in my lashes. They looked fuller.

The Lip Balm, I like. It has SPF in it. Living in sunny Florida we need the extra protection. It is really smooth and feels refreshing on my lips. I love the smell also.
The Tendergloss Lipstick gives your lips a fuller, glossy look. This is amazing! Makes my lips feel moisturized but doesn't have that sticky feeling that you get with most glosses and lipsticks.
I decided to show you a full look, so below is a glimpse of what these fine products have to offer!

So what else is there to know about StarLooks? Let's say you do buy a month subscription box. Perhaps there is something that you fall in love with. You can then go online to see all their products and make a purchase based on what you have tried and know for sure you love! Just that easy. Star Looks products are cruelty free. They do not test their products on animals. They are also lead and emollient free. Why else should you be interested in their products?

• FREE shipping on all Domestic orders under 10 pounds!
• Starlooks has a generous Points Program: 1 point for every dollar you spend in their online store.
• They have a large selection of pro-quality make-up to choose from.

And here's another reason, they have a Special Offer going on if you refer your friends - you can get up to 3 months of free shipping. Refer a friend and have them use the phrase "give it back to" with your name in there on the referral section on the checkout page. Then you get a refund for 1 months shipping up to 3 new subscribers! So let's say you guys decide to buy based on reading my review... When you get to the checkout, find the referral box, enter "give back to Emily Vinyard". Then when you get friends who start asking how you look so amazing, refer them and have them do the same for you! Make the world a little more beautiful with a lot more happy women ;-)

Leave me a comment and tell me what you think! Also happy Mother's Day shopping!

it Factor hair products review

I have naturally thick, coarse hair. And frequently I like to grow it out to a point that I have enough to cut it and donate to Locks of Love. In the meantime, however, I have to deal with a rough horses mane for hair. It's unruly, plain, and not as soft as I'd like.

Before....

At least until now. I was given the chance to try out some it Factor™ products that have had me saying Wow! for the past couple days now.

Shampoo, Conditioner, and Smoothing Lotion - all with the Quick Blowdry formula and VaporBoost System™. One washing and a couple dabs of the smoothing lotion had me ready for a night with the girls! I let my hair air dry since blow dryers can be so damaging and take so long with the amount of layers I have to go through. it Factor™ has a quick drying formula that enables your hair to dry faster. It also keeps your hair smooth and soft. I've always wanted hair like the commercials and this is the closest I've come yet!

After!

I also love how it doesn't have all those unhealthy added chemicals such as: sulfates, parabens, or sodium chloride. I was able to wear it down all night and not once be tempted to pull it into a pony tail which has had me breaking at the top.

The scent is really light. It's not like the name brands that are overwhelming but don't last. I think this is great also for those like my mom who have allergies to string scents. I can't even spray much perfume on when I go to visit or she starts sneezing like crazy. Have a lighter scent in my hair means I don't have to forfeit a hug to save her nose! The Shampoo leaves your hair clean and shiny. The Conditioner gives it the soft, bouncy, smooth and shiny effect. And the Smoothing Lotion also helps keep your hair smooth and shiny while helping to keep your hair detangled and frizz-free.

All three products are safe for colored and chemically straightened hair. Overall, I'm absolutely thrilled with them. I was a Dove™ only user, but this has changed my tune. Compared to it Factor™, Dove™ seems dull. Check them out and let me know what you think about them! They have products for coarse and fine hair. You can purchase them online here.

Mediterranean Snacks contest open to everyone!

I wrote a post about a delicious and healthy snack  company. that my whole family enjoyed - http://foreveranerdmom.blogspot.com/2012/11/mediterranean-snacks-review-and-giveaway.html. Now I'm here to tell you about a promotion they are holding that could win you over $300 in prizes! They have a contest going on which you can read the guide lines on here. Grab a back of Mediterranean Snacks, snap a picture of you with them then post it to any of their many social media outlets! You will be entered to win automatically. Each place you post on earns you another entry!
The contest lasts from now until December 20th of this year.
Guide Lines are as follows:
Rules and Guidelines:
Our Snack & Snap Sweepstakes starts now until December 20, 2013 with three (3) lucky winners selected at random.
First winner will be announced on: June 3, 2013, second winner on September 3, 2013, and third winner on December 20, 2013!
What MUST be included in your post:

• 1. Use hashtag: #LiveSnactive™
• 2. Name the store (or event) and location (city,state) of where you purchased/received our snacks.
• 3. Be sure to TAG us in your posts! NOTE: In order for us to see your post, you must be connected to us on the social platforms and the tag is active.

Good luck to everyone! Let me know if you post or even if you win!