Apartment Life #17

This is a new weekly blog post that I'm calling Apartment Hell  Life. I've mentioned a few times some of the crazy things that go on in and around my apartment complex in the past 20 years that we've lived here and people keep telling me I should write a book. But instead of a book, I've decided to share the crazy things that have happened in and around my apartment complex in the last 20 years here in a weekly blog post.

This happened this week! On February 27th at 8:30am we heard a loud crash and Ken went outside to see what happened.

*Click on the picture to enlarge it* 

After a chase with police this car crashed into the block wall that separates my apartment building from the store parking lot next door. The police swarmed this area at 8:30am, the K9 dogs were out, and my apartment building was on lock down for almost an hour. Anytime someone went outside to see what was going on, the police would yell at them to go back in their apartment. They started walking around with the K9's and told us that they were looking for a suspect who could possibly be armed. The police helicopter was out but I didn't see anyone get arrested and they finally started leaving after about 2 hours. After the police helicopter left I went outside and got a few pictures of half the car sticking through the wall.

The police were still in the parking lot when I took this picture. The block wall that separates my apartment complex from the stores next door is long and the car crashed down at the end of it. 

I heard on the news later that night that the suspect crashed the stolen car, got out and hopped out over the car and ran straight ahead into that apartment complex at the end of the alley. He had to hop over their locked gates but the police never saw him come out the other side. So he probably hid in someone's apartment that he knew there until it was clear for him to come out and leave. 

The front of this car was completely smashed and cinder blocks blocked the alley for my apartment complex and now several days later no one has cleaned the mess up! Cars are having to swerve around the mess because the maintenance at that complex at the en up the alley and mine are too damn lazy to clean it up. 

I took a few pictures out my bedroom window while we were waiting for the all clear to be able to come outside again. The police had all of the entrances to my apartment complex blocked. This is out at the end where I usually walk the dog.

These two police cars were right in front of another entrance to my complex.

Then the K9 dog and his handler walked through my courtyard. We were told to stay inside so I had to take the picture through my screen door which is why it's so bad.

Another picture of the K9 and his handler.

The police were driving up and down the streets and alleys across the street with their lights on looking for the guy who crashed his car but I never saw anyone get arrested. I head later on the news that the suspect stole the car, led police on a chase, crashed the car and then got away. It was an interesting morning, that's for sure.

So that's it for this week's Apartment Hell  Life! Be sure to come back next week for more.

Favorite Video of the Week

I've been a fan of this band for a long time so I was so excited to find this lyric video so I could share this song. The only other version I've found is a live version and it doesn't sound as good as this version but the live versions hardly ever do. I just love this song so much, it's hauntingly beautiful and his voice was just made for this song. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Freebie Friday!

Welcome to another edition of Freebie Friday, where I tell you what free samples and full sized products I received in the mail and how you can get them too. Someone asked me why I do a "Freebie Friday" each week, so I'll tell you.

A while back I listed all the free samples and wins that I had received that previous year and so many people didn't believe that I could have gotten so many free things. So I decided to prove it by taking a picture every week and sharing the sites that I found the links to the freebies at. So now you too can get great free samples coming to your mailbox each week.

  You can find links to great samples at Hey It's Free and Freebie Shark.

Omg ya'll, I totally messed this one up this morning. I forgot to update this post and there was nothing on it. I was waiting to see if I got anything else in the mail but I didn't and forgot to add the picture. lol

But this week I did receive a book.

It was a slow freebie week.

Did you receive any freebies?

Recipe: Chocolate Mug Cake

Have you seen those recipes for mug cakes that bake in the microwave? I tried a few different recipes and so many of them were so dry after I took them out. I just didn't like most of them. I see now that there are mixes that you can buy in the store that you just have to add water or something, mix and microwave. But if you already have all the ingredients at home and want a piece of cake, here's the best recipe I've found for chocolate mug cake. 

Food Network's Chocolate Cake In A Mug.

I probably should have looked on The Food Network website for a recipe the first time because they have some really good recipes. I made this for Ken the other day and he loved it. 

Have you tried making a mug cake before?

Favorite Picture of the Week

So this is the time of year that bugs other than bee's and wasps come out. I usually find a few spiders or beetles but this was a first for me. I saw this little thing crawling across the floor the other day and against my carpet it actually looked white but it's more a light grey. So I put my glasses on and looked at it because I had no idea what the heck it was and saw it had 14 legs. So I Googled insects with 14 legs and looked through the pictures. This, ladies and gentlemen is a Sowbug. 

According to what I found online about it, it's not a bug at all but a land crustacean that feeds on dead plants. These look like rolly polly's but these cannot roll themselves into a ball. They like dark, damp places to hide and are often found under logs and flower pots. But this is the first time I've seen one. 

I also found out that if they come inside and can't find moisture or a damp place they usually die if they can't get back outside. So after taking his picture, I took him back outside. They don't bite or sting so I just picked him up and put him near the base of the tree outside. 

I never know what insect I'll find around here next. lol 

Why Is My Electrical Outlet Sparking and Popping?

The electrical outlet on the wall in my kitchen started popping when we had the microwave turned on. So we plugged the microwave into a different outlet thinking that would solve the problem. It didn't and this outlet started sparking when nothing was even plugged into it and it was still making popping noises for no reason. So one night when it popped and I saw sparks coming out of the outlet, I called Ken who removed the outlet and replaced it with a new one. 

We've lived here for 20 years and in all that time this outlet has never been changed so it might have just gone bad or something. Ken has done apartment and Hotel maintenance for more than 20 years so he knew exactly what to do thankfully. He said that the good news was there were no burn marks on the outlet or any of the wires in the wall. 

As you can see this outlet was old and I feel much better now that we have a new one. It's been 2 weeks and there have been no popping or sparking going on from the outlet so now I feel much better. I think seeing those sparks flying out of this outlet shaved a few years off my life though. lol 

Happy Raturday!

*Picture courtesy of Storm's Rat Pack*

"Come at me bro!"

*Picture courtesy of Cindy Rogers*

"Clown: Get it away from me! Omg, is that a rat?"

*Picture courtesy of Cindy Rogers*

"And I'm not coming out until someone gives me a treat!" 

Apartment Life #16

This is a new weekly blog post that I'm calling Apartment Hell  Life. I've mentioned a few times some of the crazy things that go on in and around my apartment complex in the past 20 years that we've lived here and people keep telling me I should write a book. But instead of a book, I've decided to share the crazy things that have happened in and around my apartment complex in the last 20 years here in a weekly blog post.

This one if from back in 2013, I stood at my door and took this picture while Ken was whispering, "Mary, stop it the cops gonna see you." So what, what is he gonna do, arrest me for picture taking?LOL 

Police came knocking on several doors in my courtyard trying to find the address 115 *insert street name here* All of us told the three cops that this side was 113 and the other side was 117 and there wasn't a 115 *insert street name here* I don't think they believed us.

 I looked out the bedroom window and the three cops were across the street going from courtyard to courtyard knocking on all the #5's. lol They couldn't find the apartment they are looking for. I bet someone was messing with them and gave them the wrong address on purpose. They left after a few minutes of looking and not finding who or what they were looking for.

Side note: There used to be a building 115 but it was torn down years ago to make room for the freeway expansion.

So that's it for this week's Apartment Hell  Life! Be sure to come back next week for more.

Favorite Video of the Week

This week I thought I'd share another new song I found by a new to me band. I really like the song and the video is a little sad at times though.

Freebie Friday!

Welcome to another edition of Freebie Friday, where I tell you what free samples and full sized products I received in the mail and how you can get them too. Someone asked me why I do a "Freebie Friday" each week, so I'll tell you.

A while back I listed all the free samples and wins that I had received that previous year and so many people didn't believe that I could have gotten so many free things. So I decided to prove it by taking a picture every week and sharing the sites that I found the links to the freebies at. So now you too can get great free samples coming to your mailbox each week.

  You can find links to great samples at Hey It's Free and Freebie Shark.

This week I received:

Love, Beauty and Planet shampoo and condition samples.
A coupon for 1 box of Clairol Hair Color.
A $5 Amazon gift card from Crowdtap.

I'll be giving that hair color coupon to my daughter since I no longer color my hair. It's too long and takes too darn long to do that myself on my own hair. I haven't used the shampoo and conditioner samples yet.

Did you receive any freebies this week?

Review: DegustaBox- February

DegustaBox is a monthly subscription box filled with food and drink products. The price for the box is $19.99 a month.  

You do not get to pick any of the products you get, it's a surprise each month. But they say each box contains 10-15 items and each box is worth at least $30. I like trying boxes like this because they usually contain products that I've never tried or haven't seen before. 

What was in the box?

Goya Refried Pino Beans
Goya Refried Black Beans
Luna Lemon Zest bars-3
Lundberg Family Farms Aged White Cheddar Red Beans and Quinoa Tortilla Chips
Sir Kensingtons Ketchup
Mrs Renfro's Salsa
The Spice Hunter Coriander and Lime Spice
Boboli Pizza crust
Boboli Pizza Sauce
Tiger Tail Mustard

I've had the ketchup before and it's a good brand. The mustard tastes like the yellow brand of mustard I usually get and I was almost out so good timing. I've never used ground coriander before so that was interesting and it's good on grilled chicken.

The two refried beans came in handy for the Mexican dishes I made. They are good in burrito's and great with just a little cheese added to them. I've had the Boboli pizza crust before and unfortunately I'm not a fan. Ken does like it so he was happy with that.

The tortilla chips are different but completely edible with the salsa. It's not a bad snack together at all. The mini Luna bars were really good too. I don't usually like the different protein, power bar type things but these weren't bad.

If you don't live in the US, they now have a Great Britain Website. 

Now here's a treat for you. If this box looks like something you'd like, you can use code MARYK-ACB and get your first box half off. That's a big box of food for only $10! and you can cancel anytime. So if you're interested, go to the DegustaBox site and sign up and don't forget to use my code to get your first box for just $10.

Have you tried any of these products?

Review: Ty's Temptation by Patrice Michelle

Book Description

With a genius IQ, Evan Masters has always been one step ahead of most people, except when it comes to matters of the heart. When she stumbles across an intense, tightly controlled man visiting town for a short time, she realizes he’s the perfect person to show her the ropes with no strings attached. 

Ty Hudson agrees to teach Evan all he knows, but he insists on doing it his way. As their seductive dance turns into a smoldering burn, Ty quickly discovers that “innocent Evan” has many intriguing layers, making him want to uncover every single one, no matter how long it takes.

My Review

I grabbed this book when it was free but it's no longer free the last time I looked. It's book 2 in this series but I don't think I necessarily needed to read the first book in order to enjoy this one. 

Ty and Evan's first introduction to each other is really funny. There's a big misunderstanding and from there they start to get to know each other. Ty is very controlled, his emotions and every other part of his life and Evan wants him to let go a little. He's not looking for a relationship but when Evan asks for his help, he's not sure what to make of her proposition or her but he's willing to help her out...his way. 

Evan has a guy constantly after her to go out with him but she doesn't want to. This guy knows she's a virgin and Evan thinks that's the only reason he's pursuing her. But her father is the Sheriff and she knows how to take are of herself. If she really didn't want this guy chasing after her she should have made it very clear to him that she wasn't interested from the beginning. I didn't like how that part of the story line went down. 

They both agree to a fling but just for a few days while Ty is in town for his sister's wedding. It's only when they spend time apart that they realize that they have more than just a 'flings' worth of feelings for each other. I really like how this one ended and really liked both Ty and Evan. They were well suited for each other. 

I give this book 4 out of 5 stars. 

Invincible by Diana Palmer

Book Description

He's everything she fears…and everything she wants 

Mercenary by name and by nature, Carson is a Lakota Sioux who stays to himself and never keeps women around long enough for anything emotional to develop. But working with his friend Cash Grier on a complex murder investigation provides Carson with another kind of fun—shocking Cash's sweet but traditional secretary, Carlie Blair, with tales of his latest conquests. 

Then Carlie lands in deep trouble. She saw something she shouldn't have, and now the face of a criminal is stored permanently in her photographic memory…and Carlie is the key piece of evidence that could implicate a popular politician in the murder case. 

Her only protection is Carson—the man she once despised. But when she learns that Carson is more than just a tough guy, Carlie realizes she's endangered herself further. Because now her only chance to live means losing her heart to the most dangerous kind of man….

My Review

Carlie lost her mother to cancer and her grandmother was the town slut. When her grandmother came to her house to try and find something they could sell for drugs when she was little, the grandmother's boyfriend hurt her and she's a bit gun shy in the romance department because of that and her upbringing by her minister father. Carlie works for the sheriff as his secretary and everyone likes her. 

Carson is known as the love them and leave them sort around town because he never keeps a woman around for very long. He's gruff, intimidating and finds himself attracted to Carlie, the one woman he can't have. 

Carlie's father is a minister but he has a past and he hasn't always been a minister. Most people know not to mess with the man and not to try and mess with his daughter. But someone is calling Carlie and threatening her father. Carlie finds herself in danger and that's when she finds out that her father isn't the sweet minister that she thinks he is. He's not a bad man but he's not gonna let something bad happen to his daughter and he brings in a few friends to help him keep her safe. 

Carson has some huge baggage and emotional trauma from his past and it's keeping him from being happy. He wants Carlie but doesn't want to hurt her or leave her with a broken heart. 

There was enough action, bad guys and romance in this book to keep me entertained. I've always liked Diana Palmer's romance books and this was no exception. I really liked seeing the mystery of who was after Carlie come to light because it wasn't completely obvious at first. 

I give this book 4 out of 5 stars. 

Happy Raturday!

*Picture courtesy of martymousehouse.com*

*Picture courtesy of martymousehouse.com*

*Picture courtesy of Rat Logic*

Apartment Life #15

This is a new weekly blog post that I'm calling Apartment Hell  Life. I've mentioned a few times some of the crazy things that go on in and around my apartment complex in the past 20 years that we've lived here and people keep telling me I should write a book. But instead of a book, I've decided to share the crazy things that have happened in and around my apartment complex in the last 20 years here in a weekly blog post.

Back in 2013 the cops were called for the guy across from me. He had been going to all the neighbors doors asking for lightbulbs and $5 so he can get a beer. So someone called the police on him. I just caught the end of it. They left after telling him to leave the neighbors alone.

The saga continues... an hour after the cops came the first time...they were baaackk!

I have no idea why the police came back and they didn't stay long but the guy stopped knocking on people's doors after that. 

The police get called for the craziest things around here.

So that's it for this week's Apartment Hell  Life! Be sure to come back next week for more.

Favorite Video of the Week

I was actually looking for a 'birthday' type video because today is my birthday! But when this popped up and then I heard what song someone had put to this video I just couldn't stop laughing. You have to listen to this one, it's funny when paired with the video.

Freebie Friday!

Welcome to another edition of Freebie Friday, where I tell you what free samples and full sized products I received in the mail and how you can get them too. Someone asked me why I do a "Freebie Friday" each week, so I'll tell you.

A while back I listed all the free samples and wins that I had received that previous year and so many people didn't believe that I could have gotten so many free things. So I decided to prove it by taking a picture every week and sharing the sites that I found the links to the freebies at. So now you too can get great free samples coming to your mailbox each week.

  You can find links to great samples at Hey It's Free and Freebie Shark.

This week I received:
A free Mugler perfume sample.
3 samples of VCF Vaginal Contraceptive Film.
A $1 off coupon for Twinnings Tea.

I also won a coupon code for a free pair of pants and free shipping, thanks to Haggar.com (A $36.00 value)

Did you receive any freebies this week?

Review: Caught in the Glow by Eva Chase

Book Description

She'll risk her heart to save his soul...

When she was a child, Avery Harmen watched her father die at the hands of a Glower—a breed of demon that feeds on dreams of fame and glory. Now she secretly protects the rising stars of Los Angeles from the demons that prey on them, determined to make sure her clients never suffer the same fate.

Then Avery finds herself assigned to Colin Ryder, a young indie rocker who just landed a major label deal. Colin is cocky, rebellious, a brilliant musician, and already in the Glowers' sights. He's also far too hot for Avery to ignore the chemistry between them—especially when she gets to know the tender side behind his celebrity facade. Though Avery knows she's falling too fast, she's willing to risk heartbreak if fanning the flames of attraction distracts Colin from his Glower-tempting antics. But Colin is keeping a secret of his own, one so big it will put both her heart and his soul on the line.

My Review

Avery's life was altered the day she witnessed a demon suck the life from her father and from that point forward she could see the Glower demons. So she decided to try and put her gift to good use and help people who might fall victim to the demons. 

Colin is a young rock star, he's being watched by a Glower demon and Avery worked for the Tether Society who's function was to find a way to ward their clients without actually telling the clients why they were getting a new tattoo, a new piece of jewelry with malachite embedded into it or some other way to keep the Glowers away. 

Avery is keeping the Glower away as best she can and then Colin tells her something that changes everything. It was quite shocking and made the story take a turn that I didn't care for. He's a smart guy so why is he acting so stupid? 

It was an interesting paranormal read and Colin is a likable character. I liked Avery and felt for what she'd been through and why she started working for the Tether Society. It was a good romance with an interesting paranormal twist.

I give this book 3 out of 5 stars.

Review: Target Beauty Box- January 2018

January's Target Beauty Box was just $7 and it was well worth it. 

Each month Target releases a new Target Beauty Box but supplies are limited and it's first come first serve until they run out. These boxes go fast so I try to grab one as soon as I see it being talked about on Twitter or fb.

What was in January's Box? 

Nexxus Humectress Hair Mask

Dove Gentle Exfoliating Body Polish

Pretty Animalz Tiger Sheet Mask- Tiger

Mrs. Meyer’s Body Wash- Assorted Scents (I received Basil)

Vichy Mineral 89 Face Moisturizer

CoverGirl Melting Pout Liquid Lipstick

OGX Biotin & Collagen Shampoo

There were actually 2 different boxes for sale in January but the other box sold out really fast and even though I heard about the boxes right after they became available, I was not fast enough to snag the other one. When I say that some months these boxes sell out fast, I'm not kidding. 

I tried everything in this box and the only thing I wasn't happy with was the CoverGirl Melting Pout Liquid Lipstick. It was a nice pink shade but I didn't like how it went on, stayed on or looked while I had it on. 

I think that Vichy moisturizer is my favorite thing from January's box. Well that and the Dove body polish. The body polish was a good size sample and it smelled so good. It did feel like I was rubbing sand on my body though, which was weird. Not sure I would buy it but it was interesting to try it. 

Were you able to grab this box or any other Target Beauty Box?

Review: Cheetah's Never Run by Suki Selborne

Book Description

She carried her baby for nine months... and then carried the secret for four years. But now Tyla's ex Quinn is back.

It’s not easy being a single mom, or a witch with no magical skills. It’s even harder for Tyla and her little girl on weekends and holidays, when pretty much everyone else in their supernatural community hangs out with their big ol' families. Tyla makes it work, because she has to. Her daughter means everything to her. And the nagging feeling that's something's missing? Yeah, burying that became second nature a long time ago.

But then cheetah shifter Quinn, her high school sweetheart, shows up in Rocky Falls for a wedding. Just like that, Tyla is forced to confront her past — and share her biggest secret.

He's a famous athlete who never wanted kids. She's a small town girl who never forgot her first love.

Could there really be a happy ending out there for Tyla and Quinn, after all these years?

CHEETAHS NEVER RUN is a second chance paranormal romance short read. It contains plenty of heart, zero cheating, some steamy moments, an adorable four-year-old cheetah shifter cub, and a HEA.

My Review

This was a really quick read, just over 70 pages and it took me less than an hour to read. So this is really good if you're short on time but still want to read a good paranormal book. 

Tyla and Quinn parted ways and she found out she was pregnant. She knew he didn't want to settle down so she kept the baby a secret, until he came back into her life. 

I don't usually like kids in romance books or the whole lying about having a kid, but Tyla's 4 year old is really cute and it doesn't hurt that the kid is a cheetah shifter. Quinn comes back to town for a wedding but he doesn't know that he has a four year old daughter. Tyla was scared that he would fight for custody and win and she'd never see her baby. Quinn and his family aren't very affectionate and she thought it best just to keep him and his family away. I thought it was kind of funny how Quinn finds out that the little four year old is his. Kids, they never seem to do what you want them to. 

But things have a way of not working out the way you want and that's what happened when Quinn comes back to town. All I kept thinking was that if Tyla really wanted to keep her daughter a secret from Quinn, she should have moved out of the town they both grew up in and he might come back to for visits. 

Even though Tyla want to keep her distance from Quinn, it's almost impossible once he finds out that he has a daughter. He wants to get to know her and find out why Tyla kept her a secret all these years. Their relationship isn't an easy one but I really like how they got to know one another again and how we see that Quinn isn't as bad as Tyla once thought he was. It was a sweet story and well worth the read. 

I give this book 3 out of 5 stars.

Happy Raturday!

*Picture courtesy of Jin Wicked*

*Picture courtesy of Jin Wicked*

*Picture courtesy of martymousehouse.com*

"You need anything from the store besides yogies or cake because all of those are mine."

Apartment Life #14

This is a new weekly blog post that I'm calling Apartment Hell  Life. I've mentioned a few times some of the crazy things that go on in and around my apartment complex in the past 20 years that we've lived here and people keep telling me I should write a book. But instead of a book, I've decided to share the crazy things that have happened in and around my apartment complex in the last 20 years here in a weekly blog post.

So these pictures were taken back in 2013 and back then I didn't have the better camera that I have now so the pictures didn't come out as clear as I would have liked but you can still see what I'm talking about. 

The police were at the end of my street talking to about 15 people in the apartment complex across from mine.

There was a lady outside walking her dog when I was snapping pictures of the cop cars and she almost got me arrested *maybe*. She started loudly saying that, "As soon as cops get a badge they think they can do what the F*ck ever they want. They should go find an all night donut shop and I have an authority problem." Yeah no kidding, I couldn't tell at all.  

I said have a good night and got the hell away from this psycho before the cops came over to shut her up and maybe thought I was with her.

But in the end, no one was arrested and after they were done with all the people the police stood around talking to each other for about 30 minutes. As you'll see over the next few weeks, the police are in my neighborhood all the time. People always seem to have disagreements with their neighbors in apartment complexes. Maybe because we're all so close to one another and it gets on each others nerves when the neighbors are loud, annoying or disrespectful. We've lived in this apartment for 20 years and we've never had the police called on us. 

So that's it for this week's Apartment Hell  Life! Be sure to come back next week for more.

Favorite Video of the Week

If you've never seen Teddy the Porcupine, then you're in for a treat. He has a bunch of videos on youtube but this is one of my favorites. He always makes little happy sounds when he's eating.

Freebie Friday!

Welcome to another edition of Freebie Friday, where I tell you what free samples and full sized products I received in the mail and how you can get them too. Someone asked me why I do a "Freebie Friday" each week, so I'll tell you.

A while back I listed all the free samples and wins that I had received that previous year and so many people didn't believe that I could have gotten so many free things. So I decided to prove it by taking a picture every week and sharing the sites that I found the links to the freebies at. So now you too can get great free samples coming to your mailbox each week.

  You can find links to great samples at Hey It's Free and Freebie Shark.

This week I received a $5 Amazon gift card from Crowdtap.

It was a slow freebie week this week. Hopefully next week I'll have a bunch of them to show you.

Did you receive any free samples this week?