Wednesday, September 10, 2025

DRIZZILICIOUS PUMPKIN SPICE RICE CAKES REVIEW


Fall pumpkin reviews are back!! Every fall I love trying the new pumpkin flavored snackies out in stores. The Drizzilicious mini rice cakes are one of my favorite healthier snacks so a limited-edition Pumpkin Spice flavor was an immediate yes. I say this every year but pumpkin spice as a flavor is almost always a hit or miss for me. Usually I either love something or I hate it- the spice has to be just right. I like just a hint of spice but if it's giving too much nutmeg, it's a no go. I also tend to go for a sweeter pumpkin vibe- I bring enough of my own spice so we can't being doing too much! 😜

Alright, let's talk rice cakes. These passed the test, ya'll- they are good. They're exactly what I want and mentally expected they should taste like. The pumpkin flavor is definitely subtle and that spice flavor comes through, however it's more of a cinnamony vibe with just a hint of of those other pumpkin pie spices peeking through. Warm without being too spicy. The flavor is very reminiscent of Cinnamon Toast Crunch for me. When I first tried them- my mind immediately went there. The funny thing though is that they're different than the regular Drizzilicious Cinnamon Swirl flavor and I also don't get that vibe from them?? This sounds a little goofy but I always pick up more of a ricey aftertaste with those- it almost reminds me of almond. I don't get that with these- just that subtle hint of spice which is perfect with the drizzle on top. That brings in the sweet factor which is perfect. Definitely ranking these higher than the Cinnamon Swirl and I'd repurchase again too! 

I also always throw out props for fun fall packaging- so cute and festive!! Half the fun is in the vibes, ya'll!!

I think you should be able to find the pumpkin spice flavor in most big box stores by now but if you have a hard time finding them and want to pay a little extra, you can order them online here! If you try them, let me know what you think!

What are your favorite pumpkin spice flavored foods?

I love sharing my picks + hauls with you all! Should you make a purchase through the links in this post, I'll earn some money to keep on shopping! Pretty cool, huh? :)

Monday, September 8, 2025

SEPTEMBER READING LIST


SEPTEMBER READING LIST:

You can read the synopsis + shop each book by clicking on the title below: 

+ Love's a Witch by Tricia O'Malley  

Hunting Adeline by H.D. Carlton 

+ Twilight by Stephanie Meyer 

+ Flawless by Elsie Silver 

What are you reading this month?


I love sharing my picks + hauls with you all! Should you make a purchase through the links in this post, I'll earn some money to keep on shopping! Pretty cool, huh? :)

Monday, September 1, 2025

THE BEST LABOR DAY WEEKEND SALES

BEST LABOR DAY WEEKEND SALES

+ Abercrombie ($50 off $150+ or $25 off $100+ with free shipping over $99)

+ American Eagle (30-70% off everything)

+ Anthropologie (extra 40% off sale, up to 40% off home + 25% off designer denim) 

+ Bloomingdale's (40-65% off a large selection of items + 25% off on the app with code APP25

+ DND Gel ($5 gel polishes + 25% off everything else)

+ Leatherology (10% off site wide or 15% off purchases of $150+ with code BYESUMMER

MAC Cosmetics (30% off site wide) 

+ Macy's (25-60% off select items) 

+ Madewell (30% off select fall items + extra 40% off sale with code LONGWEEKEND)  

+ Nécessaire (20% off site wide) 

+ Neiman Marcus (up to $250 off regular-priced items with code SHOPFALL + buy more, save more event) 

+ NEST (25% off all orders + free shipping over $125 with code SUMMER25) 

+ Nordstrom (up to 60% off sale)

+ Old Navy (up to 50% off store wide) 

+ OUAI (20% off site wide) 

+ Ring Concierge (20% off site wide)

+ Sephora (up to 50% off select products)

+ Ulta (50% off daily beauty steals, shop my sale picks here

PS-- don't forget to use Rakuten to earn that cash back! If you haven't signed up, it's totally free and if you sign up with my referral code, you can earn an extra 10% bonus on your first purchase of $30 or more! 

Are you shopping for anything?

I love sharing my picks with you all! Should you click on or make a purchase through the links in this post, I'll earn some money to keep on shopping! Pretty cool, huh? :)

Wednesday, August 27, 2025

WHAT'S IN MY TARGET CART | 8.27.25



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I love sharing my picks + hauls with you all! Should you click on or make a purchase through the links in this post, I'll earn some money to keep on shopping! Pretty cool, huh? :)

Monday, August 25, 2025

NEW BOOK RELEASES | 8.25.25

NEW BOOK RELEASES:

You can read the synopsis + shop each book by clicking on the title below: 

+ Way of Wisdom Bible Study by Jen Wilkin, Ruth Chou Simons, Kelly Minter, Adrienne Camp, Elizabeth Woodson and Courtney Doctor

+ Science of Scaling by Dr. Benjamin Hardy & Blake Erickson 

+ $100M Money Models by Alex Hormozi  

+ The Guy You Loved to Hate by Spencer Pratt  

What are you reading this month?


I love sharing my picks + hauls with you all! Should you make a purchase through the links in this post, I'll earn some money to keep on shopping! Pretty cool, huh? :) 

Friday, August 22, 2025

READING UPDATES | 8.22.25

I am going through it with these books, ya'll. I've been dipping my toes into dark romance and oooooffff. I wrapped up Haunting Adeline by H.D. Carlton a few weeks back which was decent- I did enjoy. That one wasn't too bad- I briefly mentioned this in a previous post but I expected it to be a lot more suspenseful and scary. Our leading lady has a stalker who watches her both from inside and out of her home. Definitely freaky, no??? From a reading perspective, that lost a lot of suspense for me once the book introduced chapters from the stalker's POV. It was pretty much back and forth the entire time from him to her. There is definitely an interesting storyline and while some of the topics discussed are heavy, I found it to be enjoyable. I also had my suspicious about the ending pretty early on after reading the title of book two, lol. A bit predictable but it flows with the storyline. I was excited and ready to dive right into Hunting Adeline until I ended up reading a few spoilers on what comes in book two. 

While I wasn't surprised by it, my excitement to start book two turned into dread, lol. I then made the totally irrational and stupid decision to hold off on that and to start Still Beating by Jennifer Hartmann. Here I find myself in the same sh*t, different day. Lol. I don't yet know which of the two is worse- I also may or may not find out. It's just kind of bizarre to me. I feel like all of us are unfortunately desensitized to a lot of bad things from the world we live in, social media, etc. Because of that, when you first hear or read about certain "bad" things that have happened, it's just sort of the way it is. We of course feel compassion, sorrow and empathy but unless you're directly involved, that's unfortunately the sad reality. I also think a lot of it stems down to "out of sight, out of mind." We dissociate when things are uncomfortable? I know I'm often like that- if something is really emotionally taxing, I try to keep it moving and limit my attention. 

In the case of Still Beating, there are beginning themes of violence, kidnapping and SA. From the start, the experience for me is akin to reading or hearing something on the news. The author has also done a great job of sharing the topics tastefully. You know what's happening but not too much has been revealed. Despite that, things have still progressed in the book and the more I read, the less I want to. For that reason, I'm in a bit of a reading hiatus right now. My "I'll read some more tomorrow" has been recurring for the last week or two while the book remains untouched. The moral of the story- I'm either not cut out for it or I'm just not in the headspace right now. I'd like to keep them in rotation- maybe just with something more lighthearted mixed in? I still need to finish by HP re-read with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and I'm also excited to read an Elsie Silver book! I bought Flawless a few months back and also want to pick up Wild Love. That's the gist for now- chat soon with more updates! 

What book are you reading right now?

**SHOP THIS POST + ALL OF MY READING LIST HERE**

I love sharing my picks + hauls with you all! Should you click on or make a purchase through the links in this post, I'll earn some money to keep on shopping! Pretty cool, huh? :)

Wednesday, August 20, 2025

MINI HEALTHYISH GROCERY HAUL | 8.20.25

DAIRY
+ 
Sargento Light Mozzarella String Cheese 

PRODUCE
+ Green Beans 
Honeycrisp Apples 
+ Pineapple
+ Sweet Potatoes 
+ Petite Gold Potatoes 

PROTEIN
+ Eggs    
90/10 Angus Ground Beef  
+ Chomps Chomplings Mini Beef Sticks 

GRAINS/BREAD
+ Sourdough Bread 

MISC:
+ Talenti Layers Cookie Chip Cookie Batter
+ Talenti Raspberry Cheesecake
+ Haagen-Dazs Vanilla Bean
+ Reeses Mini Halloween Pumpkins  

What's on your menu this week?


I love sharing my picks + hauls with you all! Should you click on or make a purchase through the links in this post, I'll earn some money to keep on shopping! Pretty cool, huh? :)

Friday, August 15, 2025

TOP 5 MOST POPULAR BLOG POSTS | 8.15.25

Happy half of August, ya'll. I'm totally in my fall feels now! I've already started looking for all the fall things and I put up my first fall-themed blog post on Wednesday. If it weren't for this hot a** weather, we'd be in good shape, lol. It's been way too hot- I'm ready for sweatshirt season. August has been a bit of a blur, too- I didn't even register we were at the halfway point until I was working on today's post. As always, here is a round-up of this month's top 5 most popular blog posts. We've got a mix of beauty, foodie + books! 

1. SALT + STONE DEODORANT REVIEW + RESTOCK HAUL - If you're into clean beauty + deodorant, you don't want to miss this post! Salt & Stone is one of the best brands I've found in the clean deo space- I share all the deets and my fave scents here


2. NOTHING BUNDT CAKES S'MORES + OREO REVIEW - For all of my fellow foodies + cake lovers, this post is a review of the Nothing Bundt Cakes Bundtlets in the limited edition S'mores flavor and their everyday Oreo. Cake is always a good idea and they have been on their game this year with so many good seasonal + pop-up flavors! I love a good LTO so I couldn't pass them up- my only regret of the summer is not snagging one of the Key Limes! I'm glad ya'll love the food reviews as much as I do so stay tuned for some fall flavaaas. PS- I also tried out the Strawberry Cheesecake Swirl a few weeks back-- I'll link that review post here


3. TOP 5 MOST POPULAR BLOG POSTS | 7.14.25 - I just know ya'll can't get enough of me and want to read even more TKD posts!! Hehe- on a real note, last month's blog post round-up DID make it into this month's most popular posts as well. That always trips me out! If you do want to see what was on last month's list, I'll link the post for you here :) 


4. NEW BOOK RELEASES | 7.21.25 - Ya'll I have so many books on my TBR list and it just keeps getting longer and longer with too many good book releases coming out. It's a never-ending cycle, I can't keep up! All of these look so good too. I've been enthralled in the Idaho 4 case for years now, I'm definitely interested in picking up The Idaho Four: An American Tragedy. I'm also very much shifting my mood into fall, however I still have some time to squeeze in some summer romance vibes. I love the premise of The View From Lake Como- maybe if I read it, it'll push me closer to getting there IRL! 


5. DUCK DONUTS REVIEW + TASTE TEST - What a sweet surprise to see this post here! Almost four years ago to the day (it was actually August 16th), I posted this Duck Donuts review. I haven't been back to one since but it was a fun experience and my first time having "made to order" donuts. They also make for a great photo op- look how yummy these look!! I remember them being super rich but very good- a fun stop to make if you're ever near one! Be sure to read the post here if you want to know all the flavors I ordered + my favorites. 



TGIF, ya'll. Hope you have the best weekend! 

I love sharing my picks + hauls with you all! Should you click on or make a purchase through the links in this post, I'll earn some money to keep on shopping! Pretty cool, huh? :) 

Wednesday, August 13, 2025

MCCORMICK FALL FINISHING SUGARS


Fall is in the air!! This week McCormick released a new fall line of finishing sugars. They first released Christmas flavors during the holidays last year which were all the rage. They went viral, sold out immediately and were being resold online for 3-5x the retail price. I was lucky to find them in one of my local grocery stores (read more in this post here) but I searched for weeks before finally finding them. When I saw the new fall collection was released yesterday, I immediately ordered them online here. I've already seen them go in and out of stock but as of now, all are available! If you want them, definitely jump on it and grab them fast. I'm sure as a fall item quantities are limited and that they'll sell out fast. You can order them by flavor here or buy all four flavors in this set here

For the new fall collection, there are three new flavors and one repeat from the holiday collection. New for this year is Apple Cider, Pumpkin Spice and Maple Brown Sugar. Salted Caramel came out during the holidays and is being re-released again. I've been the most excited about Apple Cider and Maple Brown Sugar! Pumpkin Spice is always a classic fall flavor (how can you not try it???) and because I like the Salted Caramel flavor from before, I decided to also rebuy it to have in the cute fall packaging. 

I haven't tried them on anything yet but I did a quick little taste test so I could give you some first impressions. Right out of the gate, my two favorites are Maple Brown Sugar and Salted Caramel. Both of these taste yummy and are sweet just like you'd expect. I'm a sweet dessert gal through and through so these are right up my alley. The Maple Brown Sugar isn't a very strong maple taste but I think it's a great universal flavor that would go with/on a lot. The Salted Caramel is just how it sounds- very sweet like caramel with an obvious salt note. A great choice to top coffees, hot drinks + more. 

I'm a little bit torn on the Apple Cider and Pumpkin Spice. These both have a very heavy spice base to them compared to the flavor of the sugar. I'm not entirely surprised for the Pumpkin Spice- some PS items go sweeter, others more on the spicy side. You never know until you try but in this cased, the PS definitely has a strong, spicier nutmeg note which isn't personally my favorite. I've never been a PSL fan and prefer more "sweet" pumpkin desserts so I may not be the best judge on this one. 

I was really thrown by Apple Cider though. While the drink counterpart has spices, it's always still very warm and sweet. This flavor (and the PS) do have some sweetness, however it also pulls more of a savory spice flavor to me. My initial thoughts went to almost a savory, pepper-like taste. Straight out of the container, it's giving a curry vibe versus a fall dessert vibe. At this moment, I'm sadly underwhelmed by these two. They're also both very similar in taste so I think you might either love or hate both. I can definitely pick up more of nutmeg note in the Pumpkin and maybe a tad more sweetness in the Apple, however both are very close to me. I'll be interested to try them out in and on some other items- we'll see if that changes the experience or flavor at all. 

One win all across the board is the texture of the sugars. I love that they use Demerara sugar for those bigger crystals and crunch. It also looks beautiful on top of baked goods, drinks + more! Once I really use them I'll definitely keep you updated and all in all, I'm excited to have them. I love anything fall + foodie so I couldn't pass these up! Definitely try them for yourself while they're in stock- I'll link them again here :) 

What's your favorite fall food/dessert?


I love sharing my picks + hauls with you all! Should you make a purchase through the links in this post, I'll earn some money to keep on shopping! Pretty cool, huh? :) 


Friday, August 8, 2025

WHAT I WANT | AUGUST

OUAI St. Barts Deodorant // Aritzia Fleece Hoodie // iS CLINICAL SPF Lip Balm // MadHappy Hoodie // Emily Post's Business Etiquette // Birkenstock Clogs // Burberry Goddess EDP // Aritzia Fleece Pants // Jones Road Miracle Balm Palette  

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I love sharing my picks + hauls with you all! Should you make a purchase through the links in this post, I'll earn some money to keep on shopping! Pretty cool, huh? :)

Wednesday, August 6, 2025

AUGUST READING LIST

AUGUST READING LIST:

You can read the synopsis + shop each book by clicking on the title below: 

+ Hunting Adeline by H.D. Carlton 

+ Still Beating by Jennifer Hartmann 

+ In the Company of Witches by Auralee Wallace  

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling 

What are you reading this month?


I love sharing my picks + hauls with you all! Should you make a purchase through the links in this post, I'll earn some money to keep on shopping! Pretty cool, huh? :) 

Monday, August 4, 2025

NOTHING BUNDT CAKES STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE SWIRL REVIEW

As a strawberry lover, how could I pass up the Strawberry Cheesecake Swirl Bundtlet at Nothing Bundt Cakes?? It's the current pop-up flavor available through the end of this week! This flavor features a white cake with a cheesecake filling, strawberry glaze and the classic NBC frosting on top. What a delight this is, you guys! From the first bite, the standout for me was immediately the strawberry glaze. It's so so yummy and everything you expect from a strawberry sauce. It's bright, sweet and refreshing which makes this the perfect summer flavor. I also liked that there were hints of the strawberry throughout the cake, however I wouldn't have minded just a bit more. It's light and refreshing, almost like strawberry shortcake before you get into the cheesecake center. 

Initially I wasn't really phased by the cheesecake filling- it was still a little chilled and definitely giving Philadelphia cream cheese vibes in taste and texture. In all fairness- I should disclaim that I only had a quick bite of the filling mostly by itself because it was still firm. It does have that classic cream cheese tang like you would expect and the funny part about this is that when it comes to "real" cheesecake, that's also the way it goes. Plain cheesecake is always more on the tangy, less sweet side until you dress it up with the strawberry sauce or other toppings and unless it's out of this world or exceptionally smooth, I can take it or leave it.

Fast forward to the next day, I finished the rest of the cake with the filling softened up quite a bit. That definitely made the texture more creamy and I was able to really mix it in with the cake. Mixing it all together definitely pulled the flavor profile together for a pretty accurate strawberry cheesecake flavor. Like with the classic dessert, the tanginess compliments the sweetness of the cake, strawberry and frosting. I think they nailed this one and while decadent, it still tastes light and refreshing for summer. Worth a rebuy for sure! 

What do you think- are you trying this flavor?

Wednesday, July 30, 2025

MINI HEALTHY GROCERY HAUL | 7.30.25

Happy Hump Day, ya'll. I did a little mini, mid-week grocery run for a few staples to finish the week off. I'm still a go out to eat gal at heart, however I'm trying to incorporate more cooked meals at home for better nutrition. We're doing a classic protein/veggie/carb this week with some ground beef, green beans + sweet potato which is easy peasy. I usually bake my sweet potatoes but I cubed them this time in the air fryer and they were so good- less mashed vibes and more like a sweet potato fry in flavor. Super yummy! 

My other superrrrrr creative idea is more bagel pizzas, lol. With a Hero protein bagel + some cottage cheese mixed in the sauce, I can get in over 30 grams of protein for around 350 calories. I wasn't sure what I'd think about putting cottage cheese in things, however it's kind of tasteless? I think it gives a sour, wangy flavor to sauces but it always still tastes like whatever I'm making. I also (surprisingly) don't mind the texture... for the pizzas I've both blended it in to sauce + just mixed it in and it was basically the same. I don't know that I'll be eating it on it's own anytime soon but it's nice for adding in a little extra protein to meals! 

That's really the gist for "meals" in this haul- not too exciting, lol. Also a quick psa- I learned how to cut a pineapple this week which is too easy? Honestly you look at them and it just seems like a hassle but I had a wild hair this week to try and it was so easy. Also delish- nothing beats fresh! 

DAIRY
+ 
Good Culture Cottage Cheese
+ Tillamook Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
+ Tillamook Shredded Mexican Cheese Blend 

PRODUCE
+ Pineapple
+ Sweet Potato 
+ Green Beans 

PROTEIN
+ Johnsonville Turkey Sausage Links   
+ 90/10 Angus Ground Beef  

GRAINS/BREAD
Hero Bagels

MISC:
Classico Pizza Sauce 

What's on your menu this week?


I love sharing my picks + hauls with you all! Should you click on or make a purchase through the links in this post, I'll earn some money to keep on shopping! Pretty cool, huh? :)

Friday, July 25, 2025

READING UPDATES | 7.25.25

Ya'll we need to catch up on books!! I want to know what you've been reading and any book recs you have for me! I took a bit of a break after finishing my reread of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince back at the end of May. I briefly started Deathly Hallows, however I always get a bit weird with endings. I've been rereading the entire series and simultaneously watching the movies since May/June of last year which has been so much fun. Obviously I know how it all ends up but I'm still always sad to reach the end. All of the weird nostalgic, melancholic vibes, lol. The plan is to start (and finish) it again over the next few weeks and then do another re-watch all of the movies back to back at the end. 

While on my Harry Potter break, I finally started Haunting Adeline which is so good so far! Definitely living rent free in my head this week! I have been surprised that I don't really find it scary like I thought it would be?? In a real world scenario, heeellllllll no. In the book, eating that sh*t up! There are definitely a few plot points I'm a little meh by but all in all, I think it's a lot less nefarious than I anticipated. Maybe that's because I know it's fiction but I think it's from the dual points of view- it's kind of hard not to vibe with an omniscient look into both characters. I also feel like while there's some "danger" and morally questionable decisions, they still come from a good place and therefore aren't really dangerous where it matters?? Lol. 

I may finish it this weekend and I already know I'll immediately want to start the sequel after, Hunting Adeline. I can only imagine what that one will be like, haha. I have an idea based on the title but I'm looking forward to whatever twists/bombs are drop at the end of the first book. I also definitely recommend picking it up if you're into the dark romance genre. Very enthralling with an interesting storyline. 

I haven't thought too much further ahead besides reading Deathly Hallows and then maybe Heartless Hunter after. I've heard it's a great fantasy romance which I'm excited to read. I really haven't read too much fantasy other than HP and it has always been one of my favorite genres. I'll keep you posted as always- let me know what you're reading right now!



What are you reading right now?

I love sharing my picks + hauls with you all! Should you click on or make a purchase through the links in this post, I'll earn some money to keep on shopping! Pretty cool, huh? :) 

Monday, July 21, 2025

NEW BOOK RELEASES | 7.21.25


 NEW BOOK RELEASES ON MY READING LIST:

You can read the synopsis + shop each book by clicking on the title below: 

+ The View from Lake Como by Adriana Trigiani 

+ JFK: Public, Private, Secret by J. Randy Taraborrelli 

+ The Idaho Four: An American Tragedy by James Patterson & Vicky Ward

+ These Summer Storms by Sarah MacLean

Are there any new book releases you're looking forward to? 


I love sharing my picks + hauls with you all! Should you click on or make a purchase through the links in this post, I'll earn some money to keep on shopping! Pretty cool, huh? :) 

Friday, July 18, 2025

WHAT'S IN MY AMAZON CART | 7.18.25

Square Toe Havianas // AHAVA Foot Cream // Eye Vitamins // Drawer Organizer // Heated Eye Mask // Poppy & Pout Lip Scrub // Orly Builder Gel // Coffin Gelx Nail Tips // 

I love sharing my picks + hauls with you all! Should you click on or make a purchase through the links in this post, I'll earn some money to keep on shopping! Pretty cool, huh? :)

Wednesday, July 16, 2025

BEAUTY ESSENTIALS HAUL

Ya'll I finally secured the Skintimate Coconut Delight! I shared a "What's in my Target cart" post a few weeks ago + it was finally time to do a little restock on some beauty essentials. Ya'll know I like to buy all at the same time to get those extra $5 Tarjayyyy gift card deals. Usually they'll do some type of spend X, get a $5 gift card when it comes to health and beauty. That always works out too because every time you turn around, you always need to restock something! If it's not toothpaste, it's deodorant lol. 

I also love to make any shopping opportunity fun so here's a little haul of what I got, hehe. I rambled on in that post about the Skintimate Coconut Delight shaving gel because I've never tried that scent before and it smells delish, ya'll. Definitely all the summer vibes which we're enjoying for at least a few more weeks... TBD once August arrives. I also needed new razors so I grabbed these BIC Soleil 3-Blade Razors. I don't really notice too much different in disposable versus changing blades so I grab these most of the time. I also was impressed Amazon did a deal during prime week on this 14-pack. I think it was under $10 which was a great buy, however I've also seen them at that same price at other times too. I think if you can snag them in the 70-80 cent range, it's a win. 

Deodorant and flossers are always in the rebuys- thankfully I'm still stocked up on toothpaste ;) I've learned to buy two at a time of my favorite one on Amazon because it goes out of stock all of time. The Secret Clinical is my go-to for working out/the summer, however I've also been rotating Salt & Stone back in here and there. I love the scents and will wear it when I'm staying indoors or doing less activity. 

Last but never least is my beloved Bioderma! It is THE best and a must-have in my skincare routine. It's worth the splurge but you can snag it on sale every once in awhile! You can also buy the 2-pack like I got which is a better deal. I use it every day both in the morning and at night with these cotton pads to remove makeup + dirt from my skin. It's the absolute best, everyone needs! 

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**SHOP THIS POST + ALL OF MY BEAUTY ESSENTIALS HERE** 

I love sharing my picks + hauls with you all! Should you make a purchase through the links in this post, I'll earn some money to keep on shopping! Pretty cool, huh? :)