June 2018

Everything I Used in June

Everything I Used In June 2018 | Writing Between Pauses

I definitely didn't go through as much stuff in June as I did in May. But I think it's important for me, as a consumer, to keep up on my empties posts so I can chronicle what I use and hopefully that will help me reducing my spending (and plastic use) in 2019. 

I apologize right now for these photos. I have a maybe 2 hour window to take photos and sometimes I don't have the best light. Not proud of them, but they're what I've got! C'est la vie and all day. I don't usually use stock photos for posts like this, but in this case, I felt I needed to, as these photos required so much editing to make them not look dark brown... it was honestly like I went back into a 1970s photograph, honestly. 

Anyway, let's jump in! 

June 2018 Empties 2
empties June 2018

1. Biobelle #UnicornGlow Mask

I got this Biobelle mask in my June ipsy bag, and I quite like it! It didn't smell as sweet as I thought it would, as I mentioned, but it did leave my skin very soft. I have one more of it to use, then I'll have to decide how much I really love them. 

2. Mickey Mouse Charcoal Face Mask

I kind of impulse bought two of these Mickey Mouse masks from Target a few weeks ago and decided to use this charcoal one first. I was pretty disappointed. This mask is quite dry, first of all, and the mask itself was very small and oddly shaped. It did make my skin feel quite soft, but given the price and the dryness of the mask, it definitely wasn't worth $3. 

3. Purlisse Coconut Oil & Coffee Body Scrub

If you remember, I received this in my April ipsy bag. I originally liked it quite a bit, but found myself never reaching for it as I found it quite messy to use in the shower! However, it was really nice to use after I use fake tan, as it helps get any orange bits off my ankles or knees. 

4. Tony Moly Painting Therapy Pack 

I received this tube of mask in my May ipsy bag and, ugh, it's one of my favorite masks I've ever received! It also had a ton of uses in this little tube, which is probably why I like it so much--more bang for my buck! I was sad to use up the last little bit, but I'm trying to have less teeny tiny tubes floating around. 

5. Clear Skin Nose Strip (from TJ Maxx) 

Listen: I know these aren't good for my skin. However, I have found that if I do a pore strip on my chin about 2 weeks before my cycle starts, I get less breakouts. I've been experimenting with how to help my face get less congested, especially throughout my cycle, and this is one step that surprised me, but also made total sense. I'll have a post on this later, but for now: these aren't very good for your skin, but I've found a place for them in my routine. 

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June 2018 Wrap Up: Summer's Here!

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June 2018 Wrap Up | Writing Between Pauses

Tomorrow is the last day of June. I can't believe I'm writing that sentence to be perfectly honest. It doesn't feel like we should be here yet. Danny is on summer break (teacher life) and I'm trying to work while he gets to relax with Forrest (it's fine, I'm not jealous). The weather is great. 

We're prepping for our big vacation of the summer (we're just going to Idaho), but there are a few things I wanted to write about on this post. I love writing these wrap ups because it's nice to look at the month and really talk about how it was. 

1. My 5-year wedding anniversary

My anniversary is June 23. It feels so strange that 2013 was only 5 years--and also, 5 years ago. 5 years is a long time. It's also weird to think that Forrest is almost 3. At the time when I got pregnant, it felt like we had waited a long time to get pregnant after getting married. But not really! I've learned a lot about relationships over the past 5 years. Sometimes, things are really good; and sometimes, things are really difficult. It's not always perfect and I don't think there is any value at pretending otherwise. Marriages don't have to be constant drama to be good, but they also don't have to be perfect 24/7 to be good either. 

2. A month with no surprises

Can I tell you guys something great? In June, we didn't have any major expenses. I wrote before about how from January to May, we had a major expense almost every single month, rarely under $500. It was rough. That's a lot of money, y'all! It felt like we were really drowning for a while and it was very stressful. But thank goodness, nothing happened in June and, fingers crossed, July will be the same. I'd love another month without me crying over a checkbook, thanks. 

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3. Promising more adventures

Danny and I are homebodies, by nature, but in the past few weeks, we decided that we didn't want Forrest to be bored all summer. We drove to the coast spontaneously the day before our anniversary. And we have a few other day trips planned for this summer. I'm a planner by nature, so it's hard for me to let go and not plan everything down to every single minute detail. But it was really fun to just explore, drive, and talk as a family. 

4. Potty training success

We've been potty training for exactly a year now that it's June. And finally, finally, Forrest has it. In February, I thought we might be successful in watching the Elmo potty training DVD around the clock and talking about potties nonstop--but no dice. At the beginning of June, I told Forrest he couldn't go to preschool if he didn't start wearing underpants and using the potty. And guess what? A few days later, he started wearing underpants and going in the potty almost every time. I mean, seriously. That's all it took? Preschool?