June YokoTea Review

About: YokoTea is a family-run business with a subscription that sends you 2-3 teas a month. Since I signed up for 3 months, it only cost me $9.94 a month and I got free shipping. You can choose between a mixed box of herbal and caffeinated tea or just herbal tea. Their website is great because it says when they ship the next box, you can easily manage your subscription through the Memberly website, and it even says when you will be charged again. If this sounds like a subscription for you, feel free to check out YokoTea.

    

This box actually came the same time as the Love With Food box. I know, I know! This is such a late review but I have a good reason. It's because I wanted to test each tea before presenting it to my readers. Stupid me, forgot the box at Bee's place where it sat for like a week before I got my hands on it again. Now onto the review.

My box came with three teas. I'm not sure if I've said this before but I'm not a big tea fan. So why would I order this box? Well, Bee likes tea and so does my Grandpa Sagolili. It was really for them that I got this box. I still wanted to test it for myself though because I bought special honey just to make tea more pleasant for me.

Isn't this so cute! I have no idea how much this costs but I'm pretty sure I'd never buy it if I saw it just cause I don't normally drink tea. I'm so glad this comes in every first box. I really like having it and using it.

Serenity: I can't give you actual prices because I have no idea what it would be. This is not the full-size that you can get but it's definitely enough for lots of tea. I tried this one first. Upon opening it, it had a strong mango smell. After tasting it, I would say it has a strong fruity flavor along with that watery leaf flavor. My grandpa really liked this. He said it tasted like candy.

Divinity: This one smelled like candy almost. On second whiff, it had a kind of almost smoky kind of scent to it that made me think of India. Not sure why, it just did. I didn't like this one. The flavor was too strong. Even with my honey, it didn't have a good taste to me. I'm not sure how to describe it but I didn't care for it. When it brews, it has a nice orange color to it. Bee said it has that tea flavor but it's very floral.

Nectar: This one was the only one with caffeine in it. I could definitely smell the peach in this. Upon first taste, it had a really strong flavor. I couldn't really stomach this one with my honey in it either. Honestly, I think if it was just Black Tea without too much added stuff, it would have been better. It's that fragrant flavor that tends to make my taste buds go yuck. My youngest brother really liked it though.

Here is the honey that I used. I got it from the Teavana store at Ala Moana Shopping Center. It is Rare Hawaiian Organic White Honey from Volcano Island Honey Company. It's gathered from kiawe trees on Big Island. This honey is so delicious.

Overall, I think I should not be the person that does the taste-testing for this box. Haha! Maybe my grandpa, brother, and Bee should do it. But it was really great and there was actually one that I liked with me tea. I say that's enough to make me like the box. Since I'm not the big tea drinker, this wasn't for me anyways. For those that enjoy tea, I say get the box and try it.

Have you gotten a YokoTea box? Big tea drinker or are you like me and don't drink tea that much?

$25 Win + Alien Adoration Review

I actually won a $25 gift card for Amazon some time ago. It was from Jessica E. Subject and it was for her Alien Adoration tour. So a big thank you to Jessica. I'm so glad I found her giveaway too. I love to read even if I haven't been reading as often lately. Romance, fantasy, young adult, and manga are my main genres to read. Of course, since I won it, I had to go and buy her book.

I know it took me some time to get around to reading it from when I bought it. But once I did, I read through the whole thing in one sitting. This is a great book full of romance frustrations and the stuff that comes after. If you are a romance fan, I suggest checking it out. It's only $2.99 on Amazon. Plus it's great to discover and support authors that aren't on the bestsellers list or front shelves at the book store.

If you read it, let me know what you think! Or better yet, let Jessica know yourself!

Link-Up to Giveaways Saturday

Welcome to another edition of Link-Up Saturday! I would like to say thank you again to everyone that entered and made my giveaway such a success. Here are my top ten favorite giveaways and sweepstakes going on now. Since I entered them, any resident of Hawaii or Alaska is eligible to enter. Good luck if you do choose to enter any of these!

Did you win any giveaway that you entered through my link-up? If you did, share the good news with me! I'd love to know.

If you have a giveaway you'd like me to feature here next weekend, just let me know!

Disclosure: I am not affiliated with any of these giveaways or sweepstakes. I was not compensated for sharing them with you.

My Big Family

I'm sure you can tell that I have a really big family. Well, it's much bigger than what you've already seen if I'm being honest. I have lots of aunties, uncles, and cousins. So many, that I don't even remember all of them. But I think it's about time that you meet my immediate family.

Here are my Grandpa and Grandma Torres on my father's side. If read about my Father's Day then you should recognize them. I'm so blessed and happy that they are still alive and going strong. One day I'll have to sit down with my Grandma to take record of her stories. She has many on my family's history that has to do with Hawaiian culture. My Grandpa actually used to build and race cars down the quarter mile when we had one here on Oahu.

This is my Grandpa and Grandma Sagolili. Ok, so I know this picture isn't the best and they're not the only ones in it but it's so hard to find any picture with them both in it. I snagged the first one I could find. My Grandpa is actually full Filipino yet can't speak the language. He is more moke than flip. My Grandma is one of my heroes, never met a woman as patient as her in my life.

Yes, that is my dad. He's kind of a clown. There were nice pictures of him but I didn't feel they represented who he is as well. My dad is also one of my heroes. He worked really hard to get where he is so that he could provide for me and my sister. While he didn't go to college, I consider him one of the smartest men I know. He'll also make you laugh so hard that your insides will start to hurt.

This is my mom. She's outspoken, opinionated, and dangerous in every way a woman can be but I love her. If it weren't for my mom, I don't even know what I'd be doing now. I'm sure she wouldn't win any mom of the year awards but she did the best by us with what she had. I'm happy that I had a mom who cared enough to be involved in my life through all the ups and downs.

This is my sister from my mother's side. My parents are divorced so saying that should now make sense. That is a crab statue she is posing with. My sister is kinda crazy and very loud. She makes me laugh and is super outgoing. A lot of people can't believe we are sisters because we are quite different in many ways. That's what balances us out though. Despite our differences, we get along very well.

This is my sister from my dad's side. Both of my sisters are the same age and are both born in August. Crazy right? As you can see, she is very much into cosplaying and anime and anything Japanese. I always go with her to the Anime convention here in Hawaii. She's a little bit of weird and sass thrown together. I'd say we look the most alike out of all my siblings.

This is my brother that plays baseball. I love supporting him in all his sports activities so it makes me sad when I have to work and can't make it out. I'm also upset that I can't afford to fly up to San Diego with him to watch him play baseball at the end of July. Why hotels, why you gotta be so expensive??? In any case, he is my super athletic and cool brother who is younger than me. So proud of him!

This is my youngest brother. He is the rascal of the family. Probably has a bigger ego than anyone else I know and is obsessed with having abs. Also, don't dare him to do anything for money because he will totally do it. He is just about as loud as the rest of my family. If you couldn't tell, both my brothers are from my mom's side. I'm hoping he'll be the smart one that makes it into Kamehameha Schools and graduates from there.

That was my family! Do any of you have a crazy and big family like me? Share your stories! Nothing like big, crazy family stories.

Origins Mini Facial + Haul

So I just found out that Origins does free facials. Did you know that? If you didn't, you should totally call and schedule for one! I went down there today after work. I'm so glad I scheduled it after work because I needed the relaxation. Let me tell you, it was amazing! I'm totally gonna do it again next month. I'm also gonna make Bee get one. He always talks about taking care of his skin. This is the perfect way for him to experience new products without having to buy them.

Here I am, with the Clear Improvement charcoal mask on! I know you can't tell but I was trying to smile in the picture. I was also very relaxed and happy. Definitely not my best picture moment but I using my phone and lying down! My face felt all tingly while this mask was on. I'm not an expert on how masks are supposed to work so I assumed it was doing it's job and clearing my pores. Never had a face product where I could really feel it cleaning my face.

This is A Perfect World cleanser. The lady that did my facial put this on first. It smelled so amazing. I loved it so much that I ended up buying. The great thing is that I was looking for a new cleanser too.

This is GinZing eye cream. This was also used in my facial. It's supposed to brighten and reduce puffiness. I don't really have a problem with puffy eyes unless my eyes swell up because of allergies. She used this because I mentioned that I didn't like dark circles under my eyes. So I bought this too!

I added this to the things I bought. It's a Facial Brush which I can use with my cleansers. Never had one before and I'm curious to see how it feels on my skin. I bet Bee would like using it too.

Of course, there were more than just those three products used on my face. Here is a list of them:

• A Perfect World treatment lotion - I know it says age defense but that's not why she used it. It's because I have dry skin and this would help keep it moisturized. 
• Mega-Bright serum - This is for skin tone correcting. Guess she thought I needed it.
• A Perfect World SPF 25 - This is moisturizer with sun protection! My favorite kind. If I didn't already have moisturizer, I would have snagged this too.
• Modern Friction - This exfoliating scrub is super gently on your skin. It felt really good and I liked this too!

If only I had more money! Luckily, she gave me a ton of samples. Since I spent over $55, I also got a little bag and a deluxe sample! My skin felt and looked beautiful after. You probably can't tell from the picture how amazing my skin looks. Well, it does. Even Bee commented on how nice my face looks and feels!

Look at all of that! It was a great experience and I can't wait to go back next month. I have been converted into an Origins fan.

If you have ever tried there facial or if you do go and try it, let me know how it goes! After I try all the samples, I'll put up a post on my experience.

Disclosure: I was not compensated for this post. All opinions expressed are my own. I either bought those items or received them as samples to try for myself and not for review.

Advanced Screening of The Lone Ranger

So my mom won tickets for 4 to an advanced screening of The Lone Ranger. Here are all the pics and the short story of our experience at our first advanced screening of anything ever. Go mom!

Just a warning, these pictures are not that great in quality because they were either taken with my phone or with my sister's ipod. The ticket said no device that could record things so I left my camera in the car. Of course, I wasn't gonna leave my phone in the car.

Here we are! My brother, my sister, my mom, and me posing for a quick pic just for you guys! I'm so glad my family is supportive of me blogging.

We got there like 2 1/2 hours in advance just to stand in line. I eat like every 2 hours or I start to starve. So we went to get sushi! Let me tell you, if you don't bring something to do, you will bored out of your mind while waiting.

So this was the lady controlling the line. She was so hilarious! If you recognize the guy, then I applaud you! It tells me you actually read my blog and I definitely love my readers.

As it was an advanced screening, any device that could record the movie had to be handed over. The big guy on the top even had a metal detector. It was high security for sure. So we handed over our phones and my sister's ipod to be put into one envelope. They give you a ticket that matches the one on the envelope so you can get it back before leaving.

On to the movie, it was hilarious! There were moments that made me tear up and the next thing I know, I'm cracking up and wiping laugh tears from my eyes. You won't hear any spoilers from me but I will tell you this, there is no secret ending or funny thing at the end of the credits. So you don't have to watch all the way to the very end.

We got pinwheels after the movie and my brother snagged a Lone Ranger mask. He didn't feel like tying it so he just held it in place for me.

Lots of fun and glad my mom won those tickets! For free, I'll wait in a line for a movie but I hate waiting in line to watch a movie I paid for. Thus I rarely go to the movies and if I do, it's way after the opening date so there is no line for it and lots of seats.

Are you excited to watch The Lone Ranger?

Meet Leina + Giveaway Winner!

Since today I get to announce the winner of my giveaway, I also wanted to introduce you to my cousin Leina. She is the creator of the earrings in the giveaway. Read on to learn more about her and find out who the winner was!

Me: Why did you start Truly Native Jewelry?

Leina: I've always had a desire to own my own business. I was always the crafty type of person. I remember seeing hand-crafted jewelry on other people with the shells and pearls. I just see the pieces that were made and think, “How would I do it?” So I started playing around with jewelry and crafts. Eventually, I got better at it and made pieces I were proud of. Then I decided to turn that into my business. It allows me to express my creativity and push myself to grow.

Me:  What types of jewelry do you make?

Leina: I make earrings, necklaces, bracelets, anklets, and bangles. I also make custom native chokers. Right now I'm working on a men's line using a lot more leather.

Me: Where did you learn to make jewelry?

Leina: I learned at home, watching my mom and older sister. I also took classes at the Honolulu Academy of Arts.

Me: What inspires you when you design your jewelry?

Leina: Sometimes just walking on the beach and seeing pieces of coral or shells gives me inspiration to make something. Other times, people ask me to make something for their event by giving me different colors. So I create jewelry with shells and coral that have meaning behind it to create jewelry for their party.

Me: How does your heritage affect your business?

Leina: I try to use legends and myths from my Hawaiian culture to bring meaning or a story behind the piece. I feel that a lot of Hawaiian art is gone whether in carvings, paintings, or even jewelry. So I like to use my native background as a tool towards my creations.

Me: How important is it to have support from your family for your business?

Leina: It is very important. Sometimes you need help to load the car with all the tables and chairs for craft shows. Being a craft vendor is very difficult to do on your own because some craft shows last longer than 10 hours. So you need someone there for potty breaks and to have someone help watch the booth so no one steals anything. It is great to have family around for help with everything.

Me: What is your favorite material to use when making jewelry?

Leina: I like to use beading wire and freshwater pearls the most.

Me: How can someone get in contact with you if they'd like to order something?

Leina: You can e-mail me on any ideas at leina_14@yahoo.com or you can go to my etsy website at TrulyNative. I'll be having a booth at the Hawaii Island All Nations Powwow in Hilo, Hawaii on September 21^st and 22^nd at Mo'oheau Bandstand Park and at the Honolulu Intertribal Powwow at Thomas Square Park in Honolulu, Oahu on October 5^th and 6^th.

Me: Do you have any advice for anyone thinking about making their own jewelry?

Leina: When you're first trying to create a new piece, always use cheaper materials to make a sample and then once you've mastered making it, then use the real materials that you originally wanted to use. Don't be afraid to try new materials like stones, etc. 

We both would like to thank everyone who entered my giveaway. Now for the big announcement!

Congratulations to Jessica S.!!! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thank you to everyone for making it so successful! If you have a jewelry etsy shop, feel free to share it with me.

Dr. Scholl's for Her Review

My most recent campaign from BzzAgent was Dr. Scholl's for Her. If you don't know what BzzAgent is, feel free to check it out! The basics is that I get to try a product for free. In return, I give my honest opinion and review on it through different platforms whether it be a tweet or word-of-mouth.

I was very happy to get invited to this campaign because heels totally kill me. As you can guess, I'm a total slipper girl. I only wear heels with certain outfits, for special events, or a night out. Anything that can make my feet more comfortable in heels is great.

I didn't take a picture of the box because it's what inside that counts with my BzzAgent box. So here is what the Dr. Scholl's For Her in the package. The back of it says that it will help prevent foot pain because the gel arch "shifts pressure off" the balls of your feet, it adds cushioning, and "guaranteed all day comfort". It's supposed to be great for any type of heel even strappy and slim heels.

This is what it looks like out of the package. It felt really thick at the arch. The gel is not hard at all and not sticky like some gel-like products I've felt in the past. I looked it up and it is selling for $7.97 at Walmart.com right now. So the price isn't too bad and it seems to be really good quality.

Here are the heels that I used the High Heel insoles on. These heels are 5" high. If you've ever worn a 5" heel, you know how painful they can be to wear. Unfortunately, I only have really high heels like these so I couldn't test it in shorter heels. Luckily, this is about as painful as you can get with heels unless you're rockin' some Lady Gaga heels.

I wore these at work. I have to say that it really does help with comfort. The balls of my feet were not as sore as they would usually be. It took about an hour before I really felt any pain in the balls of my feet. The only problem is that these heels kill my toes. It helped with keeping my feet from sliding forward but there is only so much one can do in peep toe shoes like this. I did notice that I also had a much easier time when walking because I was in less pain. Even when my feet started to get sore, I could still walk with ease. So I wouldn't say it has all day relief but damn if it doesn't help a lot with it.

I actually really loved the Dr. Scholl's for Her and plan to buy more for the rest of my heels. I kind of don't want to move it around and would rather just have one for each. Lucky me I don't have a massive amount of shoes, only five. Seriously, pain relief when wearing heels, I'm all over it.

Have you tried Dr. Scholl's? How was your experience? If you haven't yet, did my review help you decide to try it or not try it? Let me know!

The giveaway winner will be announced soon too! So keep an eye out for that!

Disclosure: I was not compensated for this post. I received this product for free to review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Cat Monday - About Jongy

A long time ago I said I would post about Jongy. That time has now come. I waited so long because I couldn't find the pictures I had of him. With no idea where his tiny kitten days were, I didn't feel I should post. Now I finally found a picture of him when we first got him!

Here he is! Wasn't he just the cutest thing ever? We actually didn't go looking for another cat, especially a kitten so young. Bee's friend actually found him under a Jong at his lion dance practice. Thus the name Jongy. His friend was pretty sure he couldn't take care of a kitten so young so we took on Jongy. I was actually really scared about how Junior would react. In fact, we kept them separated as much as possible till I felt Jongy was old enough. My Grandma on my mom's side thought he looked like a little teddy bear when his ears were still folded.

For those that have never taken care of a kitten so young, please think about it before you rescue one. They take a lot of time and require lots of care. You have to bottle feed them, stimulate them to use the bathroom, and keep them warm because they can't keep themselves warm on their own.

I'm so glad that Bee and I managed to keep him healthy. Eventually we did introduce the two and they got along just fine. In fact, Junior took to cleaning him and stimulating Jongy himself. I was so proud. The only thing we had a hard time with was trying to get Jongy to drink water on his own. He literally did not want to drink water at all. No matter what we tried. The vet actually told us to make him drink water using one of the plastic syringes for giving kids medicine.

Unlike Junior, Jongy could play with anything. He played with all the toys Junior didn't, your hand, towels, and even Bee's dirty socks. It was the cutest thing ever. Bee was just happy that we managed to raise a healthy and happy cat. Let me tell you, we had some scares. Jongy came to us less than a month old.

Now he likes to sleep all over the place. On the ground, on the bed, in boxes, and even in their cat carrier. His tail is so fluffy now. He is a little rascal though. Sometimes he'll come out of nowhere and attack us.

Raising a kitten is definitely not easy. Have a cat? Share your story!

Don't forget to enter my giveaway, it's almost over!

Blogging Goals #ChallengeToWrite

I hope everyone is having a fabulous Sunday! At least enjoy it for me since I have to go to work today. Today I wanted to do another #ChallengeToWrite post. So here it is, my blogging goals.

Originally, I started this blog with the intention of just sharing my experiences with subscription boxes. I didn't a good idea of how much time I would need to invest or how important naming your blog is. Good thing I still love the name. Boxes definitely belongs in there. Now it's morphed into me sharing my life experiences as well as boxes and product reviews. I'll probably have to change the About Me section to reflect that.

I'm definitely happy with what I achieved so far in the short amount of time that I've been blogging. I managed to figure out how to change things around. Read a ton of blog posts about blogging. I'm successfully running a giveaway. The only thing I wish I could change is my paycheck. If I had more money, I could afford more boxes! Of course, there is only so much I can get paid as a part-time worker.

Now my goal is mostly to keep blogging about things I love and boxes. I'm hoping I can stick to at least one post a day. That is my main goal, to maintain daily posting habits. I also want to thank my readers and followers! You motivate me to post every day.

If you've been following along since the beginning of my blog, I'm sure you've seen a lot of changes. I absolutely love to hear feedback. Let me know what you think of my blog. Should I change something or do you love certain posts I do? I'm always looking to improve.