Jewelry Candle review

I finally received my replacement candle for the broken one that was ordered before Christmas from Jewelry Candle. And I have to admit, I'm a little more impressed.
So I wrote about the previous experience. My biggest complaint was the customer service. I still think they can improve their service ratings with a little more attention to customer service skills. However, that being said, they do provide a great product. One that seems worth the money.
About the candles...
They are a rather large size with a double wick. Made from 100% natural soy and using premium quality fragrances, they offer so much more than a candle. They are natural, hand poured, and the double wick technique means they burn evenly so you aren't wasting anything. The rings are exquisite as well. You can check out others reviews and reveals on their website. So many variations! They also put in necklaces and earrings that I've seen.
My husband ordered the Freshly Picked Strawberries ring candle. He originally wanted it here by our anniversary on December 15th. When it was late, he said it would be my Christmas gift. It came just in time! December 21st, I received the first candle. It was broken inside the box despite being firmly wrapped and sealed.

They do package their candles very carefully though. Even before I opened the box, the scent coming from the package was divine! I was enjoying the rich aroma and certainly in no hurry to get the ring yet. It burned for several hours before the ring foil could be seen. And the smell of strawberries was evident throughout the entire apartment! We did manage to get the first ring out. It was really pretty.

We contacted Jewelry Candle and were answered much quicker this time around. Of course their Christmas rush was over by this time. We sent pictures of the unwrapping and damage to show proof of it and they immediately answered that they would get another candle out to replace it. We waited a couple weeks but didn't hear anything else. I finally posted on their Facebook page about it and someone answered quickly that they would have the new candle in the mail the next day. True to their word, they did. And in a couple days following, our candle arrived at our door.

Opening this box, I didn't smell the candle as strongly as I did before.

Its not as overwhelming as that first one. However, it still smells amazing and the scent travels down the halls around the apartment. It burned a little weaker this time as well. A couple times the wicks snuffed themselves out. It burned about a third of the way down before the ring foil was seen.

My husband was impatient though and decided to try tugging it out as soon as it would budge a little. Its perfect!

It came the month of my birthday and was a garnet (my birthstone) ring. There are tiny green (peridot?), pink, and purple stones on the sides as well. I love it! He wants to order another one maybe in a month or so and I already have a few ideas of which one I might like to try... Just remember to order BEFORE the Christmas rush. Like August or September maybe? They have Ring Candles as well as Jewelry Candles. I also like that they have Greeting Candles. Want to add a message such as congratulations, your love for soldiers, new baby, etc.? They have so many to choose from. They also have Jewelry Tarts, Soaps, Wax Roses, and host Giveaways. You can also become a consultant. So check them out and let me know what your thoughts about them are.

My son and the F bomb...

Today my son definitely said THE F word. Three times. No doubt about it. And the result? I told him it's a bad word and I never want to hear it coming from his mouth again. I feel guilty. I know growing up, my parents would've smacked the tar outta me for saying that. I wasn't even allowed to say "what the hell". I remember the first time that phrase slipped my lips in the presence of my mom. 

So where is this coming from? Not me. I don't curse around my kids. I try to not swear at all. And my husband is deaf so unless he signs it, he doesn't say it either. What other options? TV? My kids don't watch anything that I don't approve of. They have minds like sponges that can soak up and splash out everything imaginable. Radio? I only listen to Christian, their CDs, and the occasional flipping through channels and stopping on good songs that I know aren't going to come back and bite me. What does that leave me? 

Games. Yep, we are all gamers here. Even the kiddos. But I make sure to turn the volume down. I know what the content of my Black Ops and Halo might be. So I mute them when I play. I've also warned my husband. But there have been occasions when he forgets and I catch him. I remind him and shut off the sound. Not like he needs it anyhow, right? I've also warned my brother though he seems to hate turning the sound off. He hasn't learned to make his own noises in the game and hasn't learned the fun of yelling "Die!!!" as he slices and dices the living dead Nazi's. 

That's another thing... I've been faced with the question of whether the children should see us playing such a game. I've banned them from watching my husband play Grand Theft Auto. I dread the day my son asks me why Bryan's character is going into a house filled with naked women on poles. Or tells me he can't wait to steal a car and shoot back at the police. Bad enough I came home from work and he told me "On daddy's game, the guy took his shirt off and drove fast cars. Then he took his pants off and the cops shot him!" *insert head slap here* Followed by, "Bryan!" 

We have had talks about this. I know how poisonous the games can be to young minds. Today makes that point very real. 

And if the game doesn't come with a foul mouthed character, you can bet there's going to be some hot shot 8 year old spouting off profanities that would make a sailor blush. I cannot tell you how many times I've been asked personal questions because some kid found out he was playing with a "girl"! What I'm wearing has no bearing on how well I do against you. Cursing a bloody storm worth of words won't make you play better and definitely won't impress the intelligent opposition. 

I can't erase what has been done. But I'm going to be even more cautious of what they are exposed to from now on. My husband and brother too, better watch out. 

That Awkward Moment movie

This movie is ADULT content and even the trailer is rated R. I like the premise though, all those awkward moments you have in the dating arena. I know I had mine. How many of you plan on seeing this one? Its about 3 guy friends who find themselves in shifting relationships. Reactions are quite comical.
http://www.thatawkwardmomentmovie.com/

Inspiration for losing weight

2 weeks after giving birth to baby #3.

A friend of mine has recently reached the milestone of losing 88lbs! After gaining 75-80lbs during her pregnancy with her third child, mostly in fluid retention, she took to seriously working the weight off. She recently told me about it. "After Edward was born I thought I was going to lose weight fast. I was wrong. I lost about 20lbs fast and then I lost another 10lbs by Christmas. I didn't do anything special because I was breastfeeding Edward. I was hoping to lose more after Christmas but I didn't really  lose any weight. I was very depressed and told Avery's mom (my daughters friends mother) I needed to lose more. She suggested that I should talk to Jenny, Emma's old teachers aide. She owns a Body by Vi business. She said I should drink the milkshake with protein power from Body by Vi. It worked great and I lost other 25 lbs for about 2.5 months... And then my doctor said I should join the MyFitnessPal program. From there I read that I should eat up to 1200 calories per a day. When Ash Wednesday came around I decided to give up all sweet foods like candy, cake, etc. and no snacks. It was extremely hard for me but I did it! I lost another 20lbs in 40 days. I started eating more healthy foods like fruits and vegetables... I cut back on meats... no bread. I started drinking a lot more water and less diet Coke. From then until now, I have been watching what I eat. I'm planning to lose another 15 to 20lbs before I'm done. I'm much more happier then I was before.
Eating healthier helped me to lose the weight slowly. Doing so allowed me to lose the 88 pounds in the past year. My doctor thought I wouldn't lose weight like this, and I'm going to show him just how wrong he was at my next appointment on January 29th when I take Edward to his check up appointment.
Another thing I did to lose weight was drink Silk Pure Almond unsweetened with vanilla in my Body by Vi protein powder shake. It helped me to feel full. I only had to drink it twice a day."

2 weeks after her baby delivery on the left, a couple weeks ago on the right!
She's done an amazing job. And she's a wonderful mom. Love hanging out with her and hearing about her success! Thanks for sharing Alisa. 

 The right side is the most recent showing her loss of 88lbs.