Hooray for a new month!! With my birthday and a fun few things in the works for the Etsy shop it has been a somewhat fun month, but it has mostly been full of packing boxes and 1000+ trips to Goodwill. May means we are about to actually move into our new place and I couldn't be more ready for all of this to be over. 

I'm sure you are all sick of hearing about it in my blog post intros, haha. So let's move on! ;)

Clogs/ Ray Ban Icon Glasses/ Boat Times Enamel Pin/ Cactus Lamp/ Roller Lash

What's way fun about this round of editors notes is that all of these items I have either purchased for the month ahead or they are currently in my cart. I love everything thats pictured which is the usual case but is especially true this month! 

Clogs: I have wanted some clogs for a long long long time and I have settled on a brand that I am pretty sure about. These are in my cart on Etsy and the brand is Lotta From Stockholm, I think these look so cute in the summer with overalls or a dress. Its not a matter of if, it's when and I think May is the month to pull the trigger.

Ray Ban Icon Glasses: I have a pair of reflective club masters that I wear non stop and I am looking for a similar pair with a slightly different shape. These are perfect and all I am waiting on is to try them on in person. Still not quite sure what color to get but they are all amazing choices.

Boat Times Enamel Pin: Cameron and I saw the skit "Old Gregg" on Youtube in the dorms our freshman year and couldn't stop laughing for a few straight weeks! We recently binge watched the parent show "The Mighty Boosh" and we are totally obsessed!! If you haven't seen it the full series is on Hulu, you can thank me later. If you have seen the show and love it like we do, this pin is a fun way to add some Boosh flair on a jacket or overalls. You know how I feel about enamel pins, haha.

Cactus Lamp: I shared this on Instagram the day I bought it and you guys seemed to like it just as much as I did! This was a Target find I just had to have when I saw it in the aisle.

Roller Lash: I have heard great things about this mascara from so many, but man does it live up to the hype! I have been loving this and I don't know if I will buy anything else ever again. A monthly favorite for sure.

As usual everything mentioned is linked in the widget below, have an awesome start to the week (and to the month) my friends! 

xo,

Natalie

Continue reading

Right at the tail end of Spring Break, Cameron and I decided that while we were still in Corvallis we would make the drive to go do something that had been on my "Oregon Bucket List" for awhile. We made the 3 hour drive south to go check out the Wildlife Safari in Winston Oregon! Being situated in Corvallis, we are south of where we intend to move in May (Portland) so we thought it was the perfect time to take advantage of being an hour and a half closer. 

I want to put a disclaimer in this post that we heard that the wildlife park had faced some animal rights backlash prior to our visit. We contemplated not going, but did research into the claims and found them to be misleading and mixed. Animals in captivity and the welfare of animals in zoos and aquariums is something that has always been important to me, so with that in mind I never want to knowingly recommend something that endangers them. Do your research, always choose facilities that are AZA accredited, and decide to support conservation based organizations. I want to keep this post timeless so just in case there was something we missed when looking into it or new information comes out, I thought I would mention our experience in choosing this particular visit.

With all of that said, our impression was that the animals were well cared for and we were overwhelmed with the habitats and landscape. I personally didn't see any animals in situations that were exploitive or put in situations for human entertainment during my time there.

Getting there is pretty straightforward, it's just off I5 and there are plenty of signs directing you when you get close to the exit. If you are looking for somewhere to eat and you are coming from Portland or Corvallis stop in Eugene (recommendations here) along the way.

Here are some of the animal friends we saw on our drive. In case you are wondering, we kept a pretty good distance from the animals in our vehicle but we were able to get really close photos of them with this telephoto lens. I have had it for awhile and this excursion was a great excuse to try it out.

One ticket buys you twice around the loop and it took us a good two hours to complete, some people went much faster than us but we wanted to stop and observe so we didn't even end up needing the second run. Pricing is per person and not per car, so check Groupon if you want to find a better deal. The course is huge and is divided into sections with animals from different regions so give yourself enough time to experience it.

Depending on the animals schedules, sometimes keepers are out to talk to you about the animals and offer food to feed them. During our time there, the grizzly bears were very active and were accepting fruit from the keepers and visitors. We chose not to feed them, but got some amazing pictures and learned more about the bears individual habits and personalities from the roadside staff. One of them was very enthused with the activity, and the other was snoozed over a log the whole time. Very cool to see them so close.

Another animal that gave us some unexpected camera time was the giraffes! One minute they were eating and then they started making their way over so we stopped the car until they passed. They were so huge it is overwhelming, and they spent a ton of time munching the various trees nearby.

When you are finished with your drive, there is a walking zoo near the parking lot that is completely free to visit! They have a ton of animals there, way more than I expected! So if you are on an I5 road trip with your family, this is definitely worth a pit stop for the bathroom break alone but also the free activity! They have fish, snakes, kangaroos, a petting zoo, flamingos, tamarins, parakeets, and two rehabilitated alligators that we ended up not seeing because it was winter time :( As you guys may know I love alligators and crocodiles so this totally bummed me out, haha.

They also have native Pacific Northwest animals like cougars and birds of prey!

We really enjoyed our visit and I wanted to post this in depth review to share just some of the 1000+ pictures we took there. Winston Wildlife Safari will definitely be added to my Oregon Guide with a link to this post so check that out if you guys are making a road trip up to Oregon any time soon. Definitely something to see and experience if you love watching animals!

You can learn more about the Wildlife Safari here.

xo,
Natalie

Continue reading

Two unboxing posts in just a few days? Guys, I am playing a wild round of catchup with my mail! Like I have said a few times, we are moving so I am trying to simultaneously pack, tie up loose ends here in Corvallis, and manage content for the blog. I can't wait till the dust finally settles down. 

On to the good stuff, Libby Tees just launched a very fun subscription service and I was asked to share the contents of Aprils box with you guys! Now the bad news, Aprils box is completely sold out but (!!) this should give you an idea as to what type of items will be included for the next round. The theme of this box was "Best Day Ever!" and everything included a reference to Tangled.

Let's open shall we?

First off, the packaging was quite adorable! There were even little glittery Mickey shaped confetti pieces included in the packing and the note included let's you know who contributed what in the box.

One of the first things that stood out when I opened the box up was this adorable hand stamped bangle by Amanda Jane Designs! These would be perfect stacked with silver Alex and Ani bracelets or a Disney Pandora charm collection.

Next thing that I immediately fell in love with were these gold shimmer ears from Extra Magic Hours! In my opinion, these ears (normally 45$) made the box worth the price. Gold ears will go with everything you can possibly wear and they can work for all holidays and events. Plus, the craftsmanship on these is superb and almost matches the quality of ears found in the park! You would never be able to tell they were handmade, all the details are seamless.

The main theme of the box surrounds this Libby Tees shirt that says "best day ever" and is in the subtle shape of Mickey Mouse! I loved the fit of this tee and the softness factor. Also the resin Rapunzel pin by C and C Baby was also an adorable touch, it will look so cute on overalls this summer!

Here is all that was included for the price of $60:

- Libby Tees Tangled inspired tee with gold script (normally 26$)

-C&C Tangled Resin Brooch 

-Extra Magic Hours full sequin ears in gold (normally 45$)

-Hand stamped silver bangle by Amanda Jane Designs 

Want to get this box next month? Be sure to follow @libbytees on Instagram to be aware of the next box opening and check out the Libby Tees website to snag the Tangled tee mentioned in this post! :)

xo,

Natalie

Continue reading

YOU GUYS!! I am thrilled (thrilled!!) to be talking about todays blog post topic. I have covered the various Funko subscription services for about a year (catch up here) and although I love me some Star Wars nothing compares to Disney collectibles and Funko pops. Funko announced Disney Treasures awhile back and the fact that it's finally here is unreal. I can't even put into words how jazzed I was to get this box in the mail this month. I am SO here for this and SO pumped to see the upcoming themes.

To read all about "Smugglers Bounty" the Star Wars themed box I review every other month, click here! To read about "Collector Corps" the Marvel themed subscription box, click here!

Alright guys, lets unbox this beautiful thing!!

First off, when the box arrived I was blown away by how cute it was! The little Mickey lock, themed sticker, and trunk details were just so fun. And just in case you wanted an extra sticker to put on something like your planner or a notebook, an additional one was included inside! :)

Lets start of with the biggest thing included, literally! The POTC Dorbz Ship and Pirate!

Besides being ridiculously specific to the Disney Parks POTC attraction, this is one of the more unique Funko items that I have received in a subscription box. I have definitely seen Dorbz before, but never for a Disney Parks ride! Way cool and 100% exclusive to Disney Treasures.  

Antoher one of the big items included with this Disney Treasures theme was the Smee Pop! Personally I love Smees outfirt in peter Pan so this one thrilled me, haha. He is so darn cute!

But my most favorite item? The metal box that micro jack sparrow came in! I always get excited about the littlest things, and this color themed Pirates tin rocks my world. It reminds me of Disneyland and I am planning on using it for essential oils on my kitchen counter. So adorable!

The patch that was included is part of a series that will be revealed as the boxes arrive through the calendar year. This box had a Captain Hook themed flag patch and a Mickey pirate pin! 

Overall, this is my favorite box that I have opened thus far but I am so so so partial because it is Disney themed. Here is a breakdown of what was included this round. If you really want Pirates Cove, order asap! You only have a few days left in April to snag it. 

Box Contents:

- Mickey pin and Captain Hook pirate flag patch.

- Exclusive Smee Pop Figure

-Exclusive Dorbz POTC ride figurine and ship

- Map and fun fact sheet

- POTC Disney Parks tin box (my fave!)

-Small Captain Jack Sparrow figurine.

And since you guys liked the giveaway so much last month (check out the post here) I have decided to do another one! I loved seeing your comments about what Funko things you collect, and shipping out a fun goodie to the winner.

Same as last time, just leave a comment below to enter and I will pick a winner next Friday. The prize this round is the mini Jack Sparrow figurine that comes with the box. It isn't that I don't love him, I just think one of you will love him more! ;)

PS. here is a peek at next months theme, I love how the themes aren't in your face (Ex. Frozen, Mickey, Zootopia) but instead follow themes that incorporate multiple films, the park rides, and other small nods to Disney history. So so so perfect! I can't wait to see what is in store for Festival of Friends!

xo,

Natalie

Continue reading