Disclosure: I received reviewer copies and was compensated to share my review of the Last Lumenian series. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Every year I challenge myself to read a minimum of 50 books. As a fast reader It’s pretty ‘easy’ to get through a book per week when I set my mind to it. Last year I read a decent amount, but I didn’t come anywhere near my goal. With a new baby, finding time to read is harder and distractions are easy to come by.
Accomplishing my goal for 2021 means picking books that hold my attention and are relatively fast reads. Fantasy books and YA novels are a core part of my reading menu over the last few years and the Last Lumenian by S.G. Blaise hits all my requirements as a book that will help me get closer to my reading goals.
The Last Lumenian series follows 19-year-old princess Lilla as she joins the rebellion to help free her people from a lifetime of hard labor in the diamond mines. When Lilla discovers her magical abilities that thrust her into a war she is forced to accept her destiny as the Last Lumenian. The second book of the series, The True Teryn continues to follow Lilla as she embraces her role as general to the Archgoddess of the Eternal Light and Order.
I’m drawn to strong female protagonists and love how Lilla develops from rebellious teenage princess to a strong-willed leader empowered to challenge the status quo.The story itself follows a classic coming of age archetype with a science-fiction, fantasy spin.
Both novels are fast reads, making for the perfect weekend reading plan while the baby naps. I’m an extremely impatient reader, preferring to wait until an entire series is released before starting because I know I’ll blast through the current releases over just a few weeks. With just two books released in the series so far I’m hooked and can’t wait to see what other journeys S.G. Blaise takes Lilla on in her next installment.
Check out the series on Amazon.
Interested in winning your own copies of the series? Bounce over to instagram for details on how to snag a copy.
I’m a true believer that vintage looks are timeless, especially on babies. There is nothing I love more than pastels, embroidery and smocking. Especially up against a darling set of baby blue eyes like Taylor’s.
With warm weather headed our way, bubble rompers from Feltman Brothers are the perfect everyday style. Paired up with a bonnet I can’t help but want to gobble up Taylor’s chubby cheeks. Bubble rompers are the best for warm weather, providing easy to care for breathable fabric and snap bottoms for quick diaper changes. The Argyle Smocked Bubble comes in two colors, pastel blue seen here or baby pink. Detailed with hand-made smocking and accented in embroidered argyle and flower rosettes this timeless style is a perfect for darling little girls. No vintage look is complete without a bonnet. Lace trim and hand-made smocking brings this darling look to life.
Feltman Brothers have been leaders in fine clothing for babies and toddlers since 1916, bringing the quality and beauty of babies clothing to life through expert craftsmanship and hand embroidery. A guaranteed family heirloom, your little ones will look beautiful today and the styles will hold up the test of time for the next generation.
When I first found out we were expecting a little girl one of things I was most excited to look forward to was picking out Easter dresses every year. Pastels and bows are iconic Easter looks perfect for attending church as a family.
Feltman Brothers Lavender Smocked Easter Dress features flutter sleeves and a beautiful bow in the back. Accented with embroidered lavender French knots this classic dress will make any little girl the star of your families easter egg hunt. Complete with bloomers underneath this darling look is perfect for infants and toddlers alike.
I finished the styling of this look with a pair of my own vintage shoes, saved back from when I was the same size as Taylor. Hopefully one day she’ll be able to share both this dress and the shoes with a little one of her own one day.
Disclaimer: I received product samples from Feltman Brothers as inspiration for this post. All images and thoughts are my own.
Thanks to Siri, Alexa and the wide array of access we have to technology I find myself regularly stating we live in the future. It’s not the kind of future with hover boards (although those do exist) or Rosie from the Jetsons but it is pretty close.
A few weeks ago I received the opportunity to get an insider peek at the hottest tech coming to CES this winter. CES or the Consumer Electronics Show is an annual event showcasing the best of the best in tech for the coming year. For Tech nerds, CES is the holy grail of events! The event I attended was a sampling of the amazing things that will be announced during the January event.
This spring, you can expect to see more devices using the Voice Effect [Hey Siri], more tools working towards full connectivity, and more ways to engage on three screens [computer + tv + phone]. Ten Years ago in 1998 the technology landscape was a bit different. The top electronic item was a Color TV and the second most popular home device was a VCR. Flash forward 10 years and you’d be surprised to find a home without a TV, Smartphone and Laptop. Technology has become increasingly accessible and it’s integration in our day-to-day lives has become indispensable.
I had the opportunity to demo a few of the highlights we’ll see at the January event and I have to say I am excited about the direction technology is going in. The theme of the event I attended was Home and Health tech and there are some exciting new products headed our way this spring.
I love learning about things that help make life a bit easier and the technology coming out around living healthier lives fascinates me. Like most people, I love listening to music when I work out but as a woman, most workout gear is without pockets. I have yet to find a pair of headphones I really enjoy, since in ear headphones get gross with sweat and cords make me feel tangled.
After the event I received a pair of the Aftershokz Trekz Air to demo and I have to say I LOVE the thought that went into these headphones. These wireless headphones sit over the ear [not in] so that you can hear what is going on around you. This is perfect for runners who might need to be aware of cars. Note: I received a pair of Aftershokz to keep and demo.
As a night owl, I’ve found that sleep doesn’t naturally come easy so when I heard of the Philips SmartSleep system I was intrigued. The first wearable technology that has been clinically proven to enhance sleep, the SmartSleep headband uses customized sound tone to naturally improve the wearers ability to obtain deep sleep. Initially it looks somewhat difficult to wear but the device is actually very light and would be easy to sleep in.
I first heard of TENS devices a few years ago and I love that these easy to use medical tools are finally making it out into the consumer market. The Omron Avail is a wireless TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) designed to provide management of pain or sore muscles, completely without drugs. The unit works similar to acupuncture by trigging the muscles to relax with low intensity electronic pulses.
Smart Homes are going to be the big buzz of the next year and I am excited to see how voice activation becomes more integrated with smart home products. The iDevice Instinct is taking home automation to a new level and embedding the power of Alexa directly into light switches so there’s no need to waste limited counter space. I love keeping my counters clean so this is such a great way to get to use Alexa without actually having another speaker in the house.
I am not joking when I say that a smart garage opener would be a game changer in my house. I regularly have to loop back around to make sure that my garage door is shut. The Senclo Fi is a new high-end garage door opener that allows you to fully automate your garage and even open the door as your approach the home, all through GPS tracking. The best part, it attaches directly to your existing unit so you don’t have to mess with installing an entirely new opener!
This was such a fun event to attend and I can’t wait to hear more about what amazing technology comes out of the official CES event this January!
Disclaimer: I was invited to attend this event and received an Aftershokz Trekz Air during this event. All writing and opinions are my own.
With all the population growth we’ve seen in Denver throughout the last few years, my daily commute to and from the office has gradually increased from 20 minutes each way to sometimes 40 minutes to an hour. Once you’ve added at all up, using round numbers for simplicity, I spend approximately a total of 10 DAYS each year in the car.
With that much time driving to and from work, finding a commuter car that is both comfortable and affordable on gas is incredibly important. Just last week I received the opportunity to test out the 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport 2.4 SEL AWC and I’m excited to say that this car checks all the boxes for the perfect commuter car for Denver traffic.
With the temperamental Denver weather, the All Wheel Control (AWC) is a key part to what makes the Outlander perfect for commuting to and from my Denver office. On days when the weather turns sour before the work day is done, having full all wheel drive is super important to getting home safely. We are lucky that we don’t have as challenging of a winter as other areas of the county, but surprise snow storms always seem to catch me off guard.
The lane departure warning is another innovative safety feature that I love for winter weather. The Outlander tracks the lines on the road and alerts you if you start to drift out of your lane. These minor corrections goes a long way to preventing accidents. I can imagine if you were teaching a teenager to drive, this quick alerting safety feature would come in handy as well!
One of the most important elements of a good commuter car is fuel economy and the Outlander Sport 2.4 SEL AWC hits the nail on the head! With 29 mpg on the highway and an eco boost setting to help keep gas consumption on track, I was able to drive an entire week to and from work AND up to the north side of town twice (30 plus miles) without filling up.
Spending as much time as I do inside the car, having a cushy interior and good music is super important to me. With leather seats, Sirius XM and a great speaker speaker system I was all set for any kind of commute the day threw at me! Also, get a hold of this HUGE sunroof! There is nothing like soaking up some vitamin D on the way into the office.
One of my biggest issues with my daily commute is dealing with the uneven road and surface streets before getting to the highway. As a compact SUV, the Outlander is perfect, lifting me up just high enough to ensure that I can’t feel any of the road and providing a bit of a vantage point over the smaller cars around me.
I loved getting to experience the 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport 2.4 SEL AWC for my daily commute! What are your priorities when picking a daily driver?
Disclosure: I received the opportunity to borrow the 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander as a complimentary experience. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated for this review.
