April 2016 – House Cat in Paradise

KEURIG Kold drink maker. Is it worth the price? Have you even heard of it?

As you know I am a coffee maniac, and a Keurig Hot owner as well. As soon as I heard that Keurig was making a cold drink maker, the Keurig Kold, I just had to have it. I mean the Keurig Hot has given me such joy, right? Of course I NEEDED a Kold to complete this companies strangle hold on my beverage consumption.

Then the day arrives, and my $369.00 (plus tax and shipping), white, bundle of joy arrives in a box the size of an apartment mini fridge. (Disclosure: my Keurig Kold was a gift) To say I was shocked is an understatement. I was expecting a machine the size of my Keurig coffee maker….. Nope, this bad girl is HUGE. Luckily I work out, as she was pretty heavy also.

After unboxing, and reading the “get started” instructions I decided to wait for MSP (Mr. Sexy Pants, aka my husband for those of you who don’t follow me on Facebook) to get home and help me out. This was not just a plug in and go sort of machine. It needed to be primed, filled with water, and settle in for a 2 hour “get Kold” period before you can use it. It’s just like a little refrigerator. The motor, or whatever is making the water cold, is kinda loud also. To be fair there was a fast start step that involved using ice, but as my machine didn’t come with any Kold pods, I wasn’t going to be able to use it anyways.

So, now I needed pods. They aren’t sold in stores here….. In Dallas/Ft. Worth they are, but not in San Antonio. Boo. Off I go to the Keurig website and order there (you get a BOGO coupon with your new machine). They have soda (Coca Cola products- Dr Pepper, Sprite, Coke, Coke Zero), sports drinks, seltzer waters, margarita mixes, as well as mojitos and more. At least there are plenty of options to get you started. Yes it carbonates your cokes, no it doesn’t include booze. You have to add your own booze to the mixers.

The pods are double the size of regular pods. They are also NOT recyclable (WHY do you insist on making me feel guilty Keurig!!!!????) See my previous post on my guilt over the Keurig Hot coffee pods, and how I switched to Intelligent Blends and their 100% recyclable k-cups. Now I have to wait, and research, and obsess over someone else making Kold pods for this new machine….

Here are my pro’s and con’s

Pro’s

interesting conversation piece
cold drinks on demand for those of us who only want a coke once in a while, not a whole 2 liter bottle
great for parties, built in bartender, self serve mixed drinks in a variety of flavors
price for the machine and the pods have dropped almost in half since January when I received mine.

Con’s

price- ($369), although I just price checked Amazon yesterday and you can get them now for $203 (jerks, 4 months later the price drops)
size- huge, needs considerable counter space
energy usage- must be plugged in 24/7. Runs constantly. If you unplug you go back to the 2 hour “get Kold” period again before use
pods are not available everywhere. Unless you live in a market that has them you will have to order them online and wait
Expense for pods- while the prices have recently dropped you will still pay, on average, $.75 to $1.50 per pod. They come in 4 packs and range from $5.99 for mixers to $2.99 for sodas, waters, teas, and sports drinks

Bottom line is that I LIKE, not LOVE my Keurig Kold and would not have one if I did not receive it as a gift. You may feel different if you own a Kold, let me know what you think.

Muah,

Jeanie

Books and Authors, House Cat Question of the Day, Tips and Hints

House Cat question of the day: Brazilian waxing. Would my “lady bits” ever forgive me, and would I survive?

April 28, 2016April 28, 2016 House Cat In Paradise

House Cat question of the day….. Brazilian Waxing. Would my “lady bits” ever forgive me, and would I survive?

It’s getting warmer outside, summer is upon us ladies. That being said it is also time to consider bathing suits for the season, and the taming of the “lady bits” in said bathing suits. This is a massive undertaking if not handled regularly, and incredibly serious stuff for those of us wandering around in two band-aids and a cork by the pool.

Come on, don’t cringe….. You and I both know that the struggle is real whether we talk about it or not. To shave, or to wax runs through your “OMG, it’s bikini season” fuddled mind every year just like it does mine. Sometimes we just want to give up and wear shorts, but that’s a cop out my dears……. No worries. I got this for us. I’m not embarrassed to ask all the stuff you are thinking

I know exactly nada about waxing down under other than it can hurt, and women swear by it. So, I am taking my real life questions to the most qualified person I know who will shoot me straight. April M. Monterrosa everybody! Not only is she my friend, but after you see my interview below, you will see why she is also my expert!

Jeanie- April, I’m so excited for you to meet my community, and help us figure out the great mystery of bikini waxing, and the ever whispered about Brazilian wax. So, I’m a pretty modest person, and getting a bikini wax, or a Brazilian, conjures up all sorts of graphic images for me. I imagine you’ve run into this before. How do you manage shy clients, and first timers?

April- For my new clients, I reassure them that they are in great hands, as I have over 20 years of experience in skin care and waxing. For extremely modest clients, I drape them with a towel and only uncover the area I wax and then cover them up and go to the next section I’m going to wax. Being a bit covered up seems to help them feel more at ease and relaxed.

Jeanie- How does one “prepare” for a lady bits waxing service?

April- The most important thing in preparing for your Brazillian wax is to be clean; taking a pain reliever also helps those that have a low pain tolerance, and wear loose clothing. Do not shave or trim before your wax either.

Jeanie- So, break it down for us. Bikini wax means the front. Brazilian wax means all the way up your backside, right? I’m so confused.

April- A bikini wax is removing any hair outside the panty line in the inner thigh area. A Brazilian wax is removing all hair in the pubic area and your backside is optional. There is also a French wax which is similar to a Brazilian but with a landing strip left behind.

Jeanie- Which one is more popular, and do both men and women come in for these services?

April-The Brazilian wax is the most popular and both men and women come in for these services.

Jeanie- How long does it last, and what price point should your clients expect?

April- It all depends on how fast one’s hair grows. Some clients come in every 4 weeks, while others can go up to 8 weeks before their next wax. My Brazilian waxes are $75 and if you purchase them in a series of 3, you get 1 free. (4 waxes for the price of 3)

Jeanie- 4 for the price of 3! OMG, I just love a good deal. Any advice for those like me who are on the fence?

April- Just do it! Ha! Brazilian waxing is my most popular service; once you have one, you will never want to shave again!

Jeanie- So now I know! You are the best! Thanks for spending some time with me today.

Alright my friends, you read it here. Now YOU know too! If you have any other questions let me know, and this is how you contact April to set up your waxing service, AND take advantage of that special 4 for the price of 3 deal!

Shine Beautifully

Affordable, Luxury Spa & Beauty Services
Call or Text: 210.896.4445
Address: 123 SouthBridge
San Antonio, Texas 78216

Tuesday – Saturday: By Appointment Only.

*GIFT CERTIFICATES AVAILABLE*

*Facials are for Men, Women, & Teens*

Tell April that Jeanie sent you, and do not forget to check out her first published book available RIGHT NOW: Shine Beautifully: A Collection of Innermost Thoughts, Quotes, & Poetry

Muah,

Jeanie

April Mae Monterrosa is a proud Latina mix residing Deep in the Heart of Texas; she has written for SAXtreme Magazine, Chicano Life Magazine, been featured in Good Housekeeping, is a Sea World Wildside Ambassador, founder of Wonderfully Wise Women & Texas Beauty Bloggers online communities, and an independently published author.

April Mae Monterrosa is also the proud owner of Shine Beautifully. A quaint little gem amidst the North Central side of San Antonio located inside Visions for Hair Salon. Shine Beautifully was born as a side job where April provided beauty treatments for personal clients during her free time. Happily & unplanned, it grew into a full time business. April’s had the privilege of working in some of the top luxury resort spas in San Antonio, including JW Marriott, Marriott International & Hyatt. April also has elite day spa experience, including having worked at Woodhouse Day Spa as a lead esthetician & trainer, freelance instructing on facial protocols & product knowledge for medical spas and Sephora. She has been invited & participated in representing different beauty lines like CoverGirl, Decleor, Sonya Dakar and contracted as a makeup artist for up and coming authors. She regularly attends continuing education classes, seminars, & workshops in order to further her knowledge & provide her clients with the best services possible. She loves helping others by not only making them feel amazing through the art of spa & relaxation but, also helping them see their own natural beauty shine through. She believes motivation, encouragement, & support go hand in hand with the beauty industry.

Uncategorized

The glamorous life of a House Cat. I’m in hell, but I love it!

April 27, 2016 House Cat In Paradise

The glamorous life of a House Cat. I’m in hell, but I love it.

I live with 7 little maniacs that try to kill me on a daily basis. Five cats, and two dogs whose main goal in life is to poison me with hair, or throw me down a flight of stairs.

558CE7CB-BBCB-4E8C-800D-A0DD1DC3DD48 — MY LOVE AND MOMMA KITTY

9FE06714-A8A1-42CF-AEF3-519B85695CB0 — THERIOT

4BF75C7B-E2F8-4E91-93DE-9CFD3181E22D — FLUFFY

0645A0B0-EFAD-4A8B-80BF-F5D3E6CEC490 — BELLA (LEFT) AND WILLIE (RIGHT)

FullSizeRender — THE TWINS. KITTEN (LEFT), AND LITTLE MAN (RIGHT)

Sleep, what the hell is that? Between the dogs wanting to go potty in the middle of the night, or wanting to sleep with us- farting all night trying to suffocate me, or the ever loving cats singing the song of their people at the bedroom door, I haven’t slept a full night in years.

On any given day I clean up at least 5 piles of poop, yak, or mystery balls-o-stuff. Thank God I have a strong stomach. The 5 gallon Home Depot bucket is my friend as I fight through my day just trying to clean up the mess. It’s like Easter everyday as I hunt for the yuk they have left me. I know it’s somewhere, I can hear them doing it….. It’s a freaking game, I have to find it before someone sits in it.

Both dogs bum rush me any time I get near a door. Garage door, back door, laundry room door…. It doesn’t matter where the damn door is going to….. Where the hell are they going? What the crap is so exciting 20 times a day??? I have had my legs knocked out from under me and my knees buckled simply by trying to go to the backyard. I’ve been tossed down the stairs landing gracefully on my ass because someone outside walked by the front door, and they have to go bark their faces off. I’ve been knocked down and stuffed under my truck just by letting them out at the park. Two 70+ pound dogs versus me, I lose every time.

Then you have the sneaky, crafty cats. These little shits hide on stairs to trip me, bolt around corners to trip me, swipe at my arms and legs as I walk by, and throw up on every flat surface in the house. That’s just the first hour I’m awake everyday. Again, the damn doors. Why do they try and escape all the time? Who else is going to feed them Special Kitty food everyday? Who else is going to leave full glasses of ice water all over the house so they won’t try and drink out of the toilets? Where the hell are they planning to go?

Back to the dogs. Chew bones, and pieces of toys have destroyed multiple vacuums, while the hair. My God the hair. How are they not bald?

Why did I buy a house with white ceramic tile floors in it? Cleaning the floors is like brushing your teeth while eating Oreos. Completely pointless. I could make money stuffing pillows with all of the damn hair I sweep up. Don’t get me started on the cat hair……

I haven’t eaten a meal, or drank a beverage in 9 years that didn’t have hair in it. Not even possible. It’s everywhere. Floors, counters, furniture, sinks, clothes, beds, every-freaking-where. Ever see a dandelion come apart in the wind…. Yup, brush my cats and that’s what the whole house looks like. I need a hazmat suit and 2 allergy pills just to survive. Again, pillows. I could do it.

You know what else. I love every freaking minute of the hell they put me through. I chase them, I tickle them, I hug them as they struggle to get away, I cuddle with them on the floor, the bed, the furniture….. I spoil them rotten, and every day when I sit down they converge on me and surround me with 14 little eyes telling me they love me…… and they’re hungry.

Muah!

Jeanie

Uncategorized

LASIK eye surgery. Third times a charm….. Right?

April 26, 2016 House Cat In Paradise

I have been wearing corrective lenses, glasses or contacts, for 42 years. At two years old I rocked the huge coke bottle glasses that had to be held on with a strap because I was too little to keep them on. As a teen, technology had evolved just far enough so that my lenses could be half the thickness, and not magnifying the size of my eyes when you looked at me. Remember the huge owl eyes that people had with those thick glasses? Yeah, sigh, I do.

At 21 years old I was amazed when my eye doctor finally said that they made contacts for people who had vision as horrible as mine. Astigmatism, far sighted…… It was glorious. The weight of the glasses off of my nose and face was worth dealing with dry eyes, shifting lenses, trying to find them to put them in…. So worth it after 19 years of glasses.

Then 6 or 7 years later LASIK was offered to the four eyed masses. How exciting, right? Wrong. The first LASIK doctor I went to said that the technology of the day was not good enough, developed enough, to correct my horrible vision or astigmatism. I was crushed, but just like I waited for contacts, I would wait for LASIK to catch up with me.

2006 found me in Dallas, Texas and I decided to try LASIK again. It had been another 6 years or so….. come on technology. 🙂 It seems that 2006 was my lucky year!

I had LASIK performed with a 20/20 guarantee on one eye, and no guarantee on the other. I always knew one eye was better than the other, so this made sense to me. I was in and out in an hour, driving myself back in the doctors office 24 hours later for a check up, and happy to announce to anyone who would listen that I now had SUPER HD VISION!!! I swear I could pick out and focus on a blade of grass 100 feet away. I just knew that this is what Superman felt like. It was the most amazing thing that had ever happened to me in my life. I was finally free.

Then 7-8 months later I couldn’t see that blade of grass anymore, so I went back in and did the whole process again. A touch-up they called it. No guarantee on one of my eyes, remember? Well, LASKIK 2.0 lasted for about another year, year and a half tops. I knew it was degrading, but to my surprise I didn’t know how bad until I went in to renew my driver’s license and failed the eye test at the desk. Hello eye doctor, hello glasses…… again.

Interesting survey below.

I was one of the 45% who had a side effect. Halo’s of light around light sources (street lamps, traffic lights, outdoor signs, and especially headlights) when I was in the dark. I was also part of the 12% who went in for a second surgery, and the 59% that do not have any regrets. Well, other than it only worked for me for about 2 years. $5,000 is a lot of money to only last me 2 years. That brings me to today.

I’m going back in my friends. I have to try again, right? The allure of getting rid of these glasses forever is just too strong.

UPDATE: Just back from the South Texas Eye Institute where I spent 2 wonderful hours being tested by multiple machines, and seen by the awesome Dr. Lisa Marten, MD. Apparently it’s not advisable to have a 3rd LASIK surgery, but I still have options. One option being Crystalens. Crystalens is a permanent replacement lens that you normally think of for patients with cataracts. These lenses would be surgically implanted into my eyes, think permanent contacts. While I do not have cataracts, I do meet enough criteria that this may be a workable solution. For now I have a lot of research to do, another appointment to go to, and an insurance company to deal with. More details to come.

Have any questions let me know.

Muah!

Jeanie

Tips and Hints

The guilt was killing me. My great escape from the dreaded K-cup…..

April 25, 2016April 25, 2016 House Cat In Paradise

If you know me you also know that coffee is the cornerstone of my life. I have been a daily coffee drinker since the age of 15, and as a result I am the proud owner of my very own “Gold” Starbuck’s card. Yup, it’s got my name on it and everything. 🙂

For 10 years I was a proud Bunn coffeemaker owner. I had two of them so I could take one with me when I travelled. No waiting for coffee for me. Nope. Twenty minute brew time- no way. My faithful Bunn gave me an entire pot of coffee in about 3 minutes. I gave every member of my family a Bunn on various holidays, because I love them, but also so I did not have to wait the dreaded 20 minutes for coffee when I visited them. Yup, that’s me. Mrs. Thoughtful.

Then one day… I was introduced to the Keurig (insert Angels singing here). I bought a travel Keurig first, and then upgraded to the full size one once I was hooked and no longer using my poor Bunn.

This brings me to the “great escape” as I now call it.

I’m so much more aware now of recycling as much as I can versus 3 years ago. I use cloth Walmart bags when I shop……. Once I found out that my Keurig k-cups were not recyclable I started obsessing over it. I mean, just my contribution to landfills with the number of k-cups I went through was staggering. Add in millions of people and I could just see the earth filling up with k-cups. Then I heard about this viral video

It’s the best 2:27 of your day. K-cups raining down from the sky, a Godzilla like k-cup monster terrorizing the city and it’s people…… Just go watch. 🙂

Then one day I ran across a Facebook advertisement for Intelligent Blends. Being a coffee snob I was hesitant, but the coffee pods being recyclable was the straw that broke the k-cups back. Intelligent Blends had this great sampler deal. For just $4.99 I got 8 coffee pods to try, and I was hooked. Now I order 100 at a time, and have it on auto-ship for every 4 weeks.

Instead of paying roughly $1.00 per k-cup and filling the landfills up I now pay $.38 per coffee pod and recycle my little butt off. $38.03 per box of 100! Yay me!

So, if you are trying to do better like I am, if you are a coffee maniac like I am, if you like to save money like I do, and you want a big recommendation…. here you go.

Let me know what you think, and if you have any questions.

Muah,

Jeanie

Tips and Hints

My life will never be the same. Thanks Amazon

April 24, 2016 House Cat In Paradise

I have to admit that technology mocks me at every turn. My dear friend Lisa Pietsch is fond of reminding me of this each time a device, app, or other electronic something is giving me fits.

But, every once in a while I run across something that makes me squee, and is so user friendly that I can get through it with no “help me” phone calls to Lisa. Enter the amazing Amazon Prime Now app. Yes, you can get it on your desktop, but I default to my phone.

Exclusively for Amazon Prime members, this delivery service offers 25,000+ items including household items, groceries, meals from your favorite restaurants, gifts and more…. Oh my.

If you are NOT an Amazon Prime member, here is a link to learn what it is, what you get, and how much it costs. I pay $99 + tax one time per year (around $107 or $8.92 per month) for my Prime membership. Free 2 day shipping on Amazon, Prime Music (my go to for all things music), Prime movies (just like Netflix), my Prime Now, and so much more….

Screenshot of my phone showing what the app looks like.

This morning I had about 30 things that I needed from the grocery store, but just getting over a post-vacation cold I didn’t feel like leaving the house. Then I remembered my Prime Now app.

I took my list that I had put together and started searching each item out, and adding it to my cart. Five minutes later I reviewed my cart, hit check out, and selected my delivery time for today. Since Prime Now is attached to your Amazon account, they automatically bill your payment card on file, so it’s really just once click processing. Now delivery is free unless you want it in under an hour. I chose 2-4 hours from time of checking out and it was FREE. Add in a tip for the beautiful, amazing, life saving delivery person, and bam, I’m done.

Welcome screen to start your search

Checkout screen showing list of all items purchased.

Once the order is placed I get a tracking screen that tells me they are putting my order together, and when they are headed to me I will get another update showing the progress of the delivery vehicle. Talk about convenient. All I need to do is put some pants on LOL!

Tracking screen with status (being prepared, out for delivery…)

Is that the doorbell??? Yay! It’s here…. 1:04pm! Right in the middle of my 12noon-2pm window.

Don’t forget you get $10 off of your first order!

Also note, you can change the default 10% tip amount when you order, but they will not accept cash tips at the door.

Happy Sunday Lovies! Let me know if you have any questions.

Muah, Jeanie

Travel

John and Jeanie take Las Vegas!

April 22, 2016 House Cat In Paradise

Las Vegas has changed a lot over the years that we have been visiting. From wide open spaces, and manicured lawns between hotels and casinos, to not a single inch of spare space for miles. We used to gamble with coins in the slot machines, but now tickets are the only currency. I have a box of keepsakes at home with $1 coins from each of the old casinos on the strip, some of which are not there anymore. One day I will frame them all as a reminder of a day gone by.

This trip, our 5th or 6th, John and I were able to spend two days at Caesar’s Palace, and another two days at Treasure Island. Treasure Island is our favorite by far because of it’s smaller size, and ease of getting in and out. We were able to see Beatle’s Love Cirque du Soleil at the Mirage, eat at the Craving’s buffet at the Mirage, and the Bacchanal buffet at Caesar’s Palace. My tip for you is to go to the Half Price Show Tickets kiosk’s around the strip and take advantage of the food and show deals. You get buffet discounts, tickets to just about any show at a HUGE discount, and passes to attractions such as the High Roller observation wheel. Click on the links above for more information!

If you are on the move as much as we are I highly recommend wearing super comfortable tennis shoes versus sandals. Trust me, your feet will thank me! Also, bring hand sanitizer so you do not end up with the crud for the last day of your trip like we did. Another lesson learned!

My Love and I took tons of selfies, and had a ball wandering around both day and night. One of my favorite nights was at the RIo hotel and casino where we listened to the cover band, drank, and danced for hours with our friends. Go to the first floor area under the Voodoo Lounge, and hang out there.

If you are thinking about going to Las Vegas I love April. Having been there in September, and February as well I speak from experience. The weather is amazing! Not too cold, not to hot, just the right amount of perfect to make April my Vegas go-to month from now on!

Lastly, download the Uber app, and use it. It link’s to Paypal, and is super affordable compared to taxi’s and shuttles. Have any questions? Let me know!

Now, on to our next adventure…………………

Muah!

Jeanie

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Month: April 2016

Keurig Kold drink maker review. Is it worth the price? Have you even heard of it?

House Cat question of the day: Brazilian waxing. Would my “lady bits” ever forgive me, and would I survive?

The glamorous life of a House Cat. I’m in hell, but I love it!

LASIK eye surgery. Third times a charm….. Right?

The guilt was killing me. My great escape from the dreaded K-cup…..

My life will never be the same. Thanks Amazon

John and Jeanie take Las Vegas!

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