Weekly Workout Challenge 3.29-4.4

After taking last week off due to lack on internet while camping, I'm back and more motivated than ever! I just had a great workout and look forward to another weekly challenge! After tonight's workout my thighs and arms are on fire! Let me know which videos you love and what body parts you'd like to work on. We're all in this together! This week there are a few routines I want us to do everyday (or twice a day) with one or two routines changing day to day at the beginning of the workout.

Tuesday -- 3.29

Extreme Abs 3

Call Me Maybe Mighty Squat Challenge

Relax With Me Stretch Routine

3 Minute Toned Arms Workout (x2)

3 Minute Butt Shaper (x2)

25 Minute Jog/Run

Wednesday -- 3.30

Perfect Legs Workout

Lower Belly Flattener

Call Me Maybe Mighty Squat Challenge

Relax With Me Stretch Routine

3 Minute Toned Arms Workout (x2)

3 Minute Butt Shaper (x2)

Thursday -- 3.31

Food Baby HIIT Workout

Call Me Maybe Mighty Squat Challenge

Relax With Me Stretch Routine

3 Minute Toned Arms Workout (x2)

3 Minute Butt Shaper (x2)

25 Minute Jog/Run

Friday -- 4.1

Spring Fling 1: Toning Workout

Spring Fling 2: Fat Loss Cardio Workout

Call Me Maybe Mighty Squat Challenge

Relax With Me Stretch Routine

3 Minute Toned Arms Workout (x2)

3 Minute Butt Shaper (x2)

25 Minute Jog/Run

Saturday -- 4.2

Inner Thigh Insanity

Call Me Maybe Mighty Squat Challenge

Relax With Me Stretch Routine

3 Minute Toned Arms Workout (x2)

3 Minute Butt Shaper (x2)

Sunday -- 4.3

Bodacious Back + Sleek Shoulders

Perfect 10 Abs

Call Me Maybe Mighty Squat Challenge

Relax With Me Stretch Routine

3 Minute Toned Arms Workout (x2)

3 Minute Butt Shaper (x2)

25 Minute Jog/Run

Monday -- 4.4

The Ultimate Hot Body Workout

Call Me Maybe Mighty Squat Challenge

Relax With Me Stretch Routine

3 Minute Toned Arms Workout (x2)

3 Minute Butt Shaper (x2)

25 Minute Jog/Run

Easter Weekend Camping

 I finally got a chance to unplug this past weekend and I have to say that it's so refreshing to not have internet or a phone signal. My boyfriend and I drove up to Manchester Beach on Thursday where we met up with my sister, niece, mom, step-dad, and a couple family friends. My sister and niece got there the day before everyone else so when Andrew & I got there we had several hours of wine and games with my sister before everyone else arrived. My mom recently bought a cooking oven and made everyone lasagna, which was DELICIOUS! After dinner we went out to the hot tub and then topped off the evening with s'mores. 

A video posted by Lindsey (@lindsey.sparkles) on Mar 27, 2016 at 10:07am PDT

The next day we had an amazing breakfast and then headed out for a hike to the beach. Unfortunately, after hiking a mile and a half we found of that the beach was closed for the day because the water was too high. We had an awesome clam chowder for lunch that was made by an amazing family friend, Melinda. Andrew and I spent more time at the hot tub and then were put in charge of dinner for that evening. We barbecued some steak and chicken kabobs with rice, which surprisingly turned out well! 

I keep trying to figure out where all of our time went while we were camping, but I really have no clue what we did most of the time. On Saturday we were finally successful and making it to the beach. Andrew's legs and face got sunburned and part of my face got sunburned...oops! I'm not as good at remembering to apply SPF everyday as I should be. We obviously had even more s'mores on Saturday and even ended up singing a little karaoke. I sang a little Spice Girls with my mom, Michelle, and Eliza. It's always funny when the words scrolling across the screen are WAY off from what the words actually are. "Sell your body down and party all around" are definitely not the words. 

Sunday came too quickly and next thing I knew we were on the road and headed back. Andrew's mom was staying in Bodega Bay for the weekend, so we made a pit stop and had dinner with her and her friends. I had a really lovely time.

Now, I'm finally back to reality. I'm back on my laptop answering dozens of emails, writing blog posts, and getting ready for events. We got the sad news that our family friend Melinda, who was generous enough to send us with the amazing chowder for our trip, suddenly passed away last night. Please keep her family and friends in your prayers. It's always tough when someone passes away unexpectedly. I hope you all had an amazing Easter and had some time to unwind this weekend.

Evonlae Day Lotion Review

I received a jar of day lotion from Evonlae to review for all of you on the blog. I'm a sucker for anything that is made in a home kitchen and made with all organic and natural ingredients. Evonlae doesn't use GMOs or chemical fragrance. There aren't any synthetic ingredients, which is AMAZING. Like I've mentioned before, I have extremely sensitive skin and am always somewhat reluctant to try new skincare products. While camping this weekend I my nose and forehead got sunburned and this product worked miracles! My dry, hot, bright red skin is now back to its pale healthy self in less than 48 hours. My skin loves this and it absorbs well without making my skin feel sticky or oily. 

The day lotion retails for $29.00 and works as well as some $150+ products I have tried. They also sell a night cream, which I suspect works just as well. You can buy a gift set with both products for $59 or they will customize your lotions for your skin for $45. This is brand that I'm surprised I hadn't heard about before. I can see Whole Foods and Pharmaca carrying this brand in the near future. Doctor Ying Lu is the founder and is great about answering emails. She's extremely knowledgeable and can easily answer any questions you may possibly have about the products. You can view more information and purchase any of the products (and get a skin analysis!) by going to: evonlaeskincare.com

Scentbird Review -- March 2016

This was my first month trying out the subscription for Scentbird. For $14.95 a month you get to try a .27 ounces of the perfume of your choice. The site boasts over 450 fragrances from over 75 brands to choose from. The fact that I got to choose my own scent was a big plus for me.

I started out by filling out their online quiz to check out their recommendations based on scents I like. I was looking for a floral scent for springtime and it gave me a lot of really great choices.

I ended up going with Baiser Volé by Cartier. It's a gorgeous powdery lily scent and is perfect for what I was looking for. Sephora normally sells the same size spray for $29. It's currently sold out PLUS $14.95 is obviously a much better deal.

The perfume came in a black case, but you can trade out the vile for other perfumes from the site, as well. I've been really good about keeping this in the velvet pouch it came in. I was very impressed with their customer service team and their recommendations on the site. I may end up making a video about this after my trip, as well, since I'm really impressed with this service. 

You can checkout and join Scentbird by clicking on my referral link (here)

You can even take the recommendation quiz without signing up!

Next month I'm debating between Parisienne by YSL or 18 La Lune by Dolce & Gabbana. Let me know your thoughts if you've tried either of them or if there's another scent you think I HAVE to try.

Lindsey's OOTD -- 3.21.16

The other day I took pictures of Andrew's outfit and he decided to take photos of mine. I think it's safe to say he takes some of the most unflattering photos of me ever, so it was quite difficult finding a few that were somewhat suitable to post. I absolutely love this dress too, so it's quite a shame. 

Eliza J Floral Faille Fit & Flare Dress -- $178 (now on sale for $106!)

Stella & Dot Nolita Medium Crossbody -- $89

Stella & Dot Maylee Ring -- $29

Steve Madden Lecrew -- $69.95

I bought the shoes in store at Gap for $34.99, but can't seem to find them online anywhere. This pair from Steve Madden is the most similar pair I could find.

Andrew's OOTD -- 3.21.16

Guess what's new to the blog?! I'll now be posting outfits of the day several times a week. Sometimes the post will feature Andrew (hello, menswear!) and some posts will feature me. I'm OBSESSED with this jacket from Ministry of Supply. This is the perfect event jacket. We stopped by and got some shakeratos (shaken espresso with milk and sugar in a martini glass) from Napa Valley Coffee Roasting Company.

It was a rainy day, which kind of put a damper on things. It's hard to stay inside when it's officially spring!

Andrew found this old mixtape on the ground and almost insisted on taking it home. Kind of glad I talked him out of that one. Seriously, who needs more junk?

Most of these photos were taken around the same old building. It was actually blocked off, but we moved some fences and enjoyed anyway. Shhh!

Every side of the building and doorway was a different color...how cool is that?!

Now...to the good stuff...

Nordstrom Smartcare Traditional Fit Pinpoint Dress Shirt -- $55

Ministry of Supply LABS 3D Jacket -- $450

Lucky Brand 121 Heritage Slim -- $139

Adidas Neo 10k Shoe -- $70

Enjoy! My #OOTD will be up soon!

*This post contains sponsored links from Adidas, Nordstrom, & Ministry of Supply*

Rimsky-Korsakov String Quartet + Napa Valley Ballet

As I mentioned in a previous blog post, my boyfriend had a ballet show on the 19th. Napa Valley Ballet performed with the Rimsky-Korsakov String Quartet & it was amazing! The Jarvis Conservatory is a stunning venue and has amazing acoustics. I hadn't heard any recording or watched any videos of the string quartet beforehand and found myself incredibly impressed.

I sat front row center (that's kind of my thing at live shows) and had a perfect view of all the action. The string quartet started with four songs by Mozart before moving on to several songs by California composers, Marjorie Wheeler & Louise Canepa. Both of the composers were in the audience, which made it a really fun experience. 

Next up was the Borodin piece that Napa Valley Ballet performed an excerpt from Prince Igor. Prince Igor (Andrew) had just been thrown in prison and was served wine and fruit from servant girls. Then, the female prostitutes (I believe they gave them a classier name, but let's call it like it is) came out and danced with him. There were some AMAZING lifts (why don't I have video?!) and the dancing was phenomenal. Muscles are never bad to look at either...

The quartet had lots of great things to say about the dancers and then performed three more songs from a French composer and an encore song from a Russian composer. The whole show was lovely and it made for a great evening. The ballet will be having another show on June 11th based on Vivaldi's Four Seasons. My niece is going to be in that show, as well, and will be a harvest fairy. After two great ballet shows in a row, I'm really looking forward to the next one.

If you want to check out some of the music from the Rimsky-Korsakov String Quartet - click here

& if you would like more info on Napa Valley Ballet & future shows - click here

Skivvie NIX Review

I received a package from Skivvie NIX to review for all of you. I had originally planned on writing this post on Tuesday or Wednesday of next week, but after opening the package I knew that I had to write a post immediately. 

First off, a little about the company - Skivvie NIX is a panty subscription service. It costs $17 a month (free shipping!) and you receive 2 pairs of panties. You can choose between 3 different packages. The T-Bone (2 thongs), The Rump Roast (2 cheekies), or The Tenderloin (1 thong, 1 cheeky). You can also choose if you like more neutrals or fun prints. 

As you can see, I received The Tenderloin. I have to say that I'm always very hesitant when trying new brands of underwear because I have a bigger butt and it doesn't like to feel suffocated. I opened up my package to find a really nice handwritten note and the CUTEST PACKAGING EVER! They package the panties like meat and even have the price per ounce. I almost didn't want to open this because I wanted to keep them like that forever.

The first pair pf underwear is this super adorable thong. The colors really pop against the black and I love the floral print for spring. This fit extremely well, is made out of high quality fabric, & doesn't create any weird lines or a muffin top. Score!

I thought it was going to be tough to beat the thong since I like it so much, but these cheekies did it! The lace lays perfectly against my skin. Literally zero lines! Their super sexy, comfortable, and make my butt look AMAZING!

Overall, Skivvie NIX gets a 10/10 from me. Every single part of the experience was fun and I am so impressed with the packaging, the quality, and the designs they sent me. I love that they also have a great sense of humor on social media! I feel like this brand knows exactly who they are and what they do and do it well. This is a subscription box that is well worth the price.

You can follow Skivvie NIX on social media @SKIVVIE_NIX and can checkout their website at skivvienix.com

Zootopia Movie Review

I spent weeks counting down until the opening weekend of Zootopia (even though I planned on seeing it on a Monday when there would be less children) and swooned over all of the super cute kids toys and clothing promoting the film. 

My six-year-old niece then went and saw the film the day is opened and HATED it. I was shocked since she had been so excited to see it. She has loved the preview with the sloths and I just didn't understand why she didn't like it. My sister said it was because she didn't understand the jokes and that they were aimed more towards adults.

I ended up not having time to go to the theater until Wednesday, but am glad that I still gave the movie a chance. I figured going to the latest showing on a school night would mean less kids, boy was I wrong! The theater was packed full of children. The movie started and the laughs came quickly...from the adults. It's not that the jokes were inappropriate in anyway, but a lot of them referenced pop culture. Kids just don't think a Godfather reference is as funny as adults do. I believe the majority of the children in the audience only laughed two or three times the entire film. The cast was phenomenal and the writing was great. Zootopia is easily one of my favorite animated films of the decade and is neck and neck with Inside Out. 

Ginnifer Goodwin and Jason Bateman were both amazing and they were supported by so many other wonderful voice actors. Zootopia is a film that I was definitely be buying when it comes out. Maybe if my niece watches this film again in 4-5 years, she will enjoy it more. I have to admit that I even want to go out and buy a Zootopia notebook now, but how could I not? SO CUTE!