Lindsay, Author at Laughing Lindsay

Elle Runway Collection By Kohls Takes You Away

November 6, 2014 By Lindsay Leave a Comment

Here recently I was introduced to the adorableness that is the Elle Runway Collection by Kohls. As you may know, I’ve got a trip to Europe planned for next summer and this new line of clothing gets me excited to go there as the designs appear to be inspired by Europe. Let me take you away for a second as we explore a couple of looks from it.

Disclosure: Kohl’s provided me with Kohl’s Gifts for this post.

Elle Runway Collection by Kohls

The Elle Runway Collection by Kohls makes me want to walk the streets of Europe, specifically France or London. The outfit above would make me feel ultra feminine with its cute bows and lace on the shirt. Plus, the classic striped shirt look gives it that extra something. The simple black skirt pulls it all together. I added some additional accessories to make it feel even more Europe (all of which is available at Kohls.com). I loved the handbag with a London scene on it and the poster about Paris. I imagine that you would want to keep the jewelry minimal for this outfit since everything else is so fancy, which is why I went with stud earrings only.

To further illustrate the classic looks available with the Elle Runway Collection by Kohl’s, I did this additional outfit pictured here. It has this limited edition outfit and keeps with the shirt tucked into a skirt look. However, the design is different, so it creates a different feeling. I added an additional pop of color with the yellow handbag and some hoop earrings (also from Kohl’s).

I am in love with the Elle Runway Collection by Kohls as it is ultra feminine and classy. It can brighten up anyone’s day and transport you to another place. You can view the rest of the clothing on the Kohl’s website. What do you think of this line from Kohl’s?

Sonic Milkshake Review: Shaking Up the Competition

August 26, 2014 By Lindsay Leave a Comment

Today, I am eager to share my Sonic milkshake review with you. You see, we have a Sonic right down the road from out apartment. So, the boyfriend and I have been taking full advantage of their half-price shakes after 8 PM this whole summer. I have developed a bit of an addiction to them and was totally pleased when Sonic offered to allow me to get one to try and compare to another famous chain’s milkshakes.

Disclosure: I received gift cards to facilitate this review.

Sonic Milkshake Review

For my Sonic milkshake review, I chose a small Real Ice Cream Chocolate Shake from SONIC Drive-In and a small Chocolate Hand Spun Shake from another restaurant chain. Then, I compared the two to determine the better milkshake. Using several different criteria categories, I set out to determine the better of the two.

The initial category seems a little unfair to put anyone in the same category as Sonic for. However, it can’t be ignored that Sonic offers so many more flavor options than other places. One of the reasons that I’ve enjoyed their summer shake special so much is because of the varieties available. I’ve been able to try a few different ones each week and thus am never bored of their shakes. However, other restaurants usually have just the three traditional flavors (which is why I went with the chocolate at Sonic, to keep things fair in other categories).

Next up is presentation. Here are the two milkshakes I purchased. You can kind of see the other brand’s milkshake has some uneven distribution of the chocolate. Plus, I think it has way too much whipped topping. It’s almost like they are trying to hide something in or on their shake. Plus, the Sonic one comes with a cherry on top and a bright red straw.

Similar to presentation was their texture. The Sonic one looks great and has a smooth drinkability to it. The other one was too thick and I couldn’t really drink it with a straw. I had to wait for it to really melt in order to drink it (which defeats the whole purpose of a milkshake). Thankfully, both of them had pretty consistent flavors in it though.

I saved the most important factor for last – taste. Hands down, the Sonic Real Ice Cream Chocolate Shake tasted better than the competitor’s. You just can’t beat the real ice cream with chocolate flavor. The other shake’s taste was a bit off and not exactly what I was expecting when reaching for a chocolate milkshake.

I think it’s plain to see that Sonic wins this one without any problems. They beat the other brand in every category. They look good and taste even better. I can’t say enough good things about Sonic’s shakes. So, which restaurant is your favorite place to go for a milkshake?

What I Learned from My Father’s Death

July 24, 2014 By Lindsay 4 Comments

I’m writing this from California because I’ve found myself having to explain my recent excursions to people I’m meeting (which I don’t mind doing) and so I thought I might share what I learned from my father’s death with my readers. I thought that it might explain some of the changes around here.

What I Learned from My Father’s Death

I’ve blogged about the loss of my father many times on here, beginning with that very hard to write my dad passed away post in December of 2012. All I can really remember from that time period is how sad and lonely I felt. Losing my father has been one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to deal with. His death still hits me at random moments and makes me want to start crying again. However, now that I’m a year and half out from it, I’m seeing that I did learn a few things from my father’s passing.

What I Learned from My Father’s Death

Treasure time with loved ones. My mom and I haven’t always gotten along. In fact, my dad was concerned about us getting along after his passing. However, losing my father has managed to bring us new found peace. We realize that we need each other to survive now and we don’t waste time arguing like we did before. If one of us gets upset, we quickly find a way to get over it and move on. Life is too short to spend time being upset with a person you love.
See and experience all that you can. My dad was legally blind and had other health issues that prevented him from traveling later in life. However, he didn’t travel very far as a young man either. I don’t know that he meant to teach me this lesson or not, but I feel strongly about traveling now. We don’t know what the future holds for any of us. So, I’m not going to waste my good health by sitting at home. I’d rather see all that I can, especially if I have any chance of going blind or not living past my fifties.
People, not possessions matter. Trust me, I love stuff. Haha! However, I now see that our stuff just accumulates for our brief enjoyment and then it’s left behind for our loved ones to clean out as they see fit. However, the connections we make and impact we make on others sticks around. I remember all types of stories about my dad and no one can take those away from me.
Life is short, be happy. This one can be applied to many aspects of life. For instance, enjoy that dessert or don’t take everything so personally.
Do what you love. This one can explain the decrease in the frequency of my posts. Yes, it has hit my stats hard (real hard). However, I now try to spend my time doing things I truly enjoy and if that means not posting but a few times a week, then fine. If that means I write only 2 posts a week and both are personal posts, then that is fine as well. This isn’t to say that I don’t like blogging. One doesn’t do it for 5+ years and not get something from it. It just means that if you don’t see me around for a few (several) days, then I’m out living life instead of writing about it.

Like I said, I’m only just now realizing what I learned from my father’s death and his life. So, don’t be surprised if you read more posts like this in the future.

Missing Dad on Father’s Day Again This Year

June 13, 2014 By Lindsay 3 Comments

Given everything that’s happened, it didn’t seem right not to acknowledge the fact that I’ll be missing dad on Father’s Day this weekend. Granted, this will be my 2nd one without him. However, that doesn’t mean that the pain has gone away.

Missing Dad on Father’s Day

After a long, hard battle with several health issues, my dad passed away in December of 2012. Ever since then, I’ve felt lost in so many ways. He was the person who was most like me. We had the same sense of humor and we could discuss anything. He was always there to make a bad day brighter with his jokes and an understanding hug. Overall, we aren’t a huggy family. However, nothing has (or probably ever will) been as comforting to me as a hug from my dad. He was a naturally big man with an even bigger heart. So, a hug from him was an all-encompassing experience.

I am missing dad on Father’s Day this year as I wrap-up my first year of teaching because I know he would have enjoyed hearing about my experiences with these kids. It’s also very ironic that my first teaching job was in math (considering I don’t have a math endorsement). You see, I was placed into an advanced math class in 7th grade late (by about 6 weeks). So, dad had to help me catch up by covering the material with me. It was an interesting adventure, for sure. At one point, dad said that he hoped that I had to teach a kid math and witness the look of pure confusion on their face after I worked so hard to cover the problem and broke it down step by step. I laughed and said that it wouldn’t happen because I wasn’t going to have kids. Then, after he died, I got this job and I had to teach 92 kids math. Haha!

I am missing dad on Father’s Day because he’s not here to guide me in life. The next several months are once again up in the air (more to come on that in a later post). So, I find myself wanting to know what he would say to do. I’ve also craved his sense of humor when dealing with stuff at work. I feel like losing my dad removed a piece of my heart that can never be filled again. I’ve had to re-construct my way of life because I can’t run to him for wisdom and advice. It’s not been easy but I’m grateful to have had his presence in my life for those brilliant 23 years.

I’m missing dad on Father’s Day because he was the best dad I could ever ask for and I loved him so.

Travel Razor Kit Venus Snap is My New Favorite Accessory

March 3, 2014 By Lindsay 3 Comments

It may be March and blustery here, but I’m already planning my summer trips and the new travel razor kit from Gillette is on my must pack list.

Travel Razor Kit

I’ve already got 2 blog conferences on my calendar for this summer. Both of those conferences are in California. So, I’m going to be doing some more flying (woot!). However, that also means that space will be a premium on my flight back (with the swag and souvenirs I pick up). I’m all for a product that will save me some room while giving me the full benefits of using a regular sized one that I’m used to. That’s why I was interested in the travel razor kit that is the Gillette Venus Snap mini razor.

The Venus Snap is a mini five blade razor that comes in a portable compact that makes toting it around even easier! I love the portable compact that it comes in because it’s so cute! It’s blue and it keeps you safe because it covers the entire razor. I know that I won’t accidentally cut myself on this razor thanks to the container that it comes in.

I would be remiss not to mention the fabulous mini handle that makes the travel razor kit my new favorite accessory. It is super easy to hold onto and makes shaving a breeze. Plus, the small handle is what keeps the razor so small and portable.

Lastly, I love that this travel razor kit is from Gillette Venus and it comes with the Venus Embrace 5 blade razor! Venus is my preferred brand of razor because it gives me that close shave that only they can provide without making me cut myself. I have actually wondered before why Venus didn’t have a more portable razor. However, they finally do and I’m happy about it.

If you want to pick up a travel razor kit, the Venus Snap, it’s available at Target, just in time for spring break.

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.