Friday Fives: Back to School

Hi friends!  I hope that you are doing well!  We are ok.  School started this week for my boys.  We are on a system called year round which has the children in school for 3 months and then off for 1 month rather than the traditional in for 9 months off for 3 months.  This is our first year with year round and I hope that we like it.  And since school is on my brain, I made a list of the things I cannot go without for school.

1. Backpacks and lunch boxes from Toys R Us.  I mostly just care about the backpacks.  Toys R Us has the best character backpacks when it comes to quality.  My kids really only like character backpacks.  I'm sure when they get older, we can just get plain backpacks but I'm ok with this for now.  I've tried buying backpacks at Target, Walmart, and Amazon and none of them work.  At all.  Last year, I returned 2 backpacks to Target within 1 week of purchasing each of them.  The second time, I said forget it and drove across town to Toys R Us.  My kids backpacks last all year long.  That's all I really ask.  They would probably last longer but I allow them to get a new backpack each year as their tastes change.  Toys R Us runs a special every summer where when you buy a backpack ($12.99 or more) you can get a FREE lunchpail.  Their lunch boxes work fine but I've never had an issue with a lunch box from any other store.  I just love that they are FREE!

2.  Ice packs from the Target Dollar Spot.  Sorry for the crappy photo of these!  I meant to snap one during the day in the package but that didn't work out.  I really love these $1 ice packs for lunch boxes.  They are pretty durable and nontoxic (in case they do leak.)  They keep the lunch cold until after school.  I like these a lot more than the really hard plastic ones because I feel like these stay colder longer.  I bought 6 of them this year and I wish I had grabbed more just in case they get lost or thrown away by mistake.  Freeze these flat and they'll last longer.  We actually still have a couple from last year.  Just get them early or your poor little boys will have to carry flower ones to school all year like mine did last year.

3.  Thermos Funtainer 12oz bottle.  This is one of my favorite baby items too so you might have seen it on my blog before.  I'm a HUGE fan of Thermos!  I love to drink icy cold water and do not like warm water.  These keep things cold for up to 12 hours.  My kids start school when it is still very hot so it's important to me that they have nice, cold water so they don't dehydrate or get heat stroke.  These bottles are great.  I put ice and water in them in the morning and they keep it cold even passed after school activities.  They also come in cute designs.  (I actually have the 18oz bottle for myself and take it with me everywhere.)

4.  Ticonderoga Pencils.  Every teacher the kids have ever had asks for these pencils.  They are easier to sharpen and last a lot longer than novelty pencils.  The eraser ACTUALLY erases things.  They also make a thicker pencil for smaller kids who are learning to write and I get those too.

5. Travel sized Purell with jelly wrap.  I hang these on the outside of my kids's backpacks.  They are to use them if they sneeze and can't wash their hands or before they eat.  My kids don't usually finish all their food at lunch time since they want to play.  They usually start pulling food out of their backpacks right after school so I ask them to use hand sanitizer before eating since they touch a lot of school supplies that other children touch all day long.

What are your back to school must haves?  (I forgot to add wine!)  ;)  Please leave me a comment if you find these lists helpful.  I feel like I'm just writing them for myself.

* This post contains some affiliate links.  If you purchase an item using my link, I get a very small commission.  Thank you to anyone who chooses to support my blog in that way!  

Friday Fives: YouTube Beauty Gurus

Hi friends!  I hope you're doing well!  We are ok.  My boys are going to start on year round school next week.  :(  Year round is where they go to school for three months and then are off for one month instead of having three months off for summer.  It's our first year in this kind of school and I'm a bit nervous.

Today, for my Friday Fives, I'm sharing my top 5 favorite YouTube Beauty Gurus.  I love makeup but I'm not the most creative at applying it nor do I often venture out to try new products.  That is why I count on YouTube to help me out.  I LOVE watching beauty videos!  These are 5 of my favorites though I do have many many more ladies that I watch.

1. Beauty Broadcast with Emilynoel83.  Emily is adorable!  I love her personality and her style!  She was the very first beauty guru I subscribed to on YouTube and she remains my favorite!  She loves drug store makeup which is a plus for me because I don't like to spend a lot of money on products.  She also has great looks with a lot of different colors but are very wearable.  She is clear and concise. She's genuine.  You can tell that she gives her HONEST opinion on products and that's important.

2. Making up the Midwest with Bailey B.  Bailey is a lot like Emily.  She is honest and to the point.  I like that.  She doesn't spend a lot of time rambling which makes me feel like she respects my time.  I don't often have 45 minutes to watch a YouTube video and I think Bailey knows that so she keeps her videos short and on point.  She speaks with a lot of authority but she's still young and fun.

3. Glam Life Guru with Tati.  I like this girl!  She's a little sassy and a little sarcastic like me.  She doesn't seem to take herself too seriously which I like.  She gives great information and tips.  She constantly creating a lot of new content.

4. Allison Anderson.  I really like Allison's subdued style both in personality and in makeup.  She seems like a calm, sweet friend that would be nice to spend the afternoon with.  She just has this girl next door sweetness that draws you in.  I like that her looks are very wearable and elegant.

5. Xteener.  Christine is a combination of fun, edgy, and very authoritative.  I think it's important to speak with authority when you are trying to teach people things.  I think Christine's looks are a bit trendier but she gives great information and she tells ways to tone it down if you don't want to look so bold.

Who are your favorite YouTube beauty gurus?  Let me know in the comments!  Have a great day, friends!  

Friday Fives: Current TV Sitcoms

Hi friends!  I hope you're doing well!  We are ok.  I'm very slowly getting better.  My mom just left after spending 3 weeks here to help me out and we'll see how the next week goes.  Wish us luck!

While I was doing the Sunday Bests for the last week, I just had a thought that there were so many things that I like that I've never shared on my blog.  I've decided to do a weekly top 5 list.  There are so many things that I want to share like my favorite tv shows, my favorite beauty YouTube gurus, my makeup favorites,  books that I like to read over and over, things I like to drink, and just everything.  I think I will keep up the Sunday Bests as those are a weekly favorite of what I like right at that moment whereas Friday Fives will be all different things and who knows what will happen as it progresses.

Since TV is on hiatus for the summer, I thought I'd share 5 of my favorite sitcoms that are still running.  If they sound interesting to you, you could binge watch them and be caught up for the fall season!

1. Undateable.  This is such a funny ensemble cast!  The premise is that there's a group of friends who are all quirky, awkward, and undateable.  You get to watch as they fumble their way in and out of dating relationships.  The show is ridiculous and funny.

2. Brooklyn Nine-Nine.  I've mentioned this show before in a Sunday Best but I still love it.  It was probably my absolute favorite show of 2014.  Andy Samberg is the main character and he's so funny! This show also has a great ensemble cast.  It deals with the humorous side of being police officers and the relationships that they form.  This is one of the first shows in a very long time that I have re-watched.  I've seen every episode at least twice.

3. Big Bang Theory.  I'm sure you all already watch this show.  It's about a group of geeky guys and their neighbor who lives across the hall who is trying to become an actress.  The show has progressed beyond that as the characters have grown up a bit and gotten into relationships.  This is the show that most closely relates to my life as my husband and his friends are very much into video games, sci-fi, gadgets, etc... whereas myself and my friends tend to go more towards pop culture.

4. Fresh off the Boat.  I wrote a whole blog post about this show.  As a daughter of Asian immigrant parents, this show makes me laugh my butt off!  Some of the things that happen are SO ridiculous but they really did happen to me!  Like when the mom won't let the kids turn on the air conditioner in the summer because it costs too much money.  I guess that isn't THAT ridiculous but it strikes a cord with me.  I think this show just shows a culture that people might not know a lot about but they show it in such a funny way.

5. The Middle.  This show is about a family with three kids, two boys and one girl.  (Sound familiar?)  And while that's about all we have in common with this family, the struggle and hilarity in being a family just carries through every family.  It's a hard working stoic dad, a chatty mom that tries to bring her family together but doesn't always do it in the right way, a teenage son that's too cool for everyone, a sweet teenage daughter who strives to be something, anything, and an awkward younger son who has a lot of quirks.  I enjoy the dynamics and how REAL family life is portrayed on this show.