30x30 continues!

Ok peoples!  So far I’m doing great with my 30x30 outfit challenge!  You can see day 1 here and the items that I’ve chosen.  Up next is Day 2, 3, and 4.  Right now the outfits are pretty easy because I’m starting off with the most obvious…pair a bottom with a top.  Boom.  But believe it or not I’ve never worn any of these combos in my closet before…so it’s fun to get out of the rut!  Don’t mind the faces….I was clearly going through something….like a case of permanent awkwardness and the inability to not ham it up when a camera is on me.

 

DAY 2

{Items 17, 25, 24}

 

DAY 3

So even though it’s OCTOBER and I planned every outfit to be for FALL…New Jersey delivers in wacky weather and gives me 85 degree temps.  So although this could technically be 2 outfits…let’s label it as one as I did wear the cardigan out to lunch with a friend, but then took it off midday because it was so stinkin hot. (PS: I really liked my makeup this day. It’s too bad I have no idea what I did).

{Items 15, 18, 23, 26}

 

DAY 4

SUPER casual day!!  Totally glad I remembered to toss in a non work top or two for days when I’m running errands.  Now to be fair I was painting some trim and doing other miscellaneous housework…so this outfit was just to pick up the kids and get dinner.  Still!  Got the job done!

{Items 13, 22, 27}

 

And just realize I’ve worn all my pants.  Guess it’s skirt or dress time tomorrow!  Haha!

New favorite: Lip Stain!

So now that we are working mommas, we're even more on the hunt for stuff to make our lives easier. I'm into this new life and routine a week and I'm slowly getting the hang of things. I'm not a morning person, so getting up at 6:00am every morning to make sure I get myself ready, then I can get Will ready, and make our lunches & breakfast and all that jazz.

My newest addition to my morning routine is Lip Stain.
I had been waiting and waiting to try Covergirl's Outlast Lip Stain, and then I finally took the plunge. I grabbed the Wild Berry Wink #440 and it's wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiild! I like it better than the red lipstick I wear from time to time. It's got more pink in it, which is good for this whitey...

My favorite part is the fact that it's low-maintenance. My new job is very fast paced, so 30 minutes to eat my lunch, check my favorite blogs, and catch my breath goes by super fast. It's nice that I don't have to worry about reapplying my lips after I eat. They just need a little gloss. I can do that with my eyes closed!

Do you have any new favorite makeup finds? Do tell! Do tell!

Sheer Cover.....Sheer Magic!

I have a sickness for things in small packages.  Like anything in mini size just tickles my fancy to no end.  And I love free things.  And I'm a makeup junkie. So it's no surprise that I practically fainted with excitement when the good people at Guthy Renker sent me a little sample kit of Sheer Cover to try.  You know Sheer Cover...it's a mineral makeup that claims to cover all.  And let me tell you...holy crap it's true.

Ok....now....I warn you that the following pictures are not pretty.  In no way should you blame me for burning your retinas because I have warned you in advance.  I decided to try out my little sample kit on the busiest of busy morning...Hunter's first day of school.  Because I'm crazy like that.  So here is my fresh out of bed picture (it's taken in the living room while the kids were eating breakfast.  That's how we roll in this house.  That and I couldn't pull myself out of bed early enough to get it done in the bathroom)

Yup...that's all me baby.  Sonny's a lucky man I tell ya.  The kit included a primer, a small cover up tester, and a set of 2 colors to blend to your skin tone. I applied the primer first...and it's basically a clear coat (if we can please refer to my usual makeup routine as spackling some drywall).  So then I used the little pot of cover up to do my usual under eye circle.  See how yellow I am under there?  My mom has the same thing.  It must be the Chinese side of me I guess...

This is NO photo touch up here, people.  This is just poor white balancing and a magic pot of cover up.  This is actually what I looked like after I put it on and stepped back...

Where the hell did the yella go??  I look FAAAAAABULOUS!!!  Not really.  Anyway...so then i continued onto the last step and blended the 2 colors they sent me (buff and tan...really light...good for a whitey like me) and brushed them on just like you would a loose powder or bronzer....all over in a sweeping motion.  I also pretended like I was on a movie set and tossed my hair back and forth a little for dramatic effect.   All I got was this look from my audience

I believe his exact words were "Momma....stop it."  Harumph.  Well...I never....
 
So here I am after the powder magic..
 

 
I mean amazeballs, right??  All my little skin weird coloring goes away and all my freckles are hidden.  It makes you nice and un-shiny and really goes on light and airy.  The best part?  Under 5 minutes to do!  It's the perfect thing for me to get out of the house on time!  My last step?  I tossed on a bit of mascara...got the hair up in a pony...and I was out the door!  I think I have a new makeup love!
 

 
 
**All thoughts in this post are 100% my own.  I was not asked or paid to say anything positive, just given a little sample to try, and in fact was not even asked to write a review.  I just wanted to share a product that I found fantastic!**

Friday Fave and Giveaway!!

After a long week of decorating, and link-partying, and being totally pooped out in general....I totally needed some away time from pretty much everything.  And where do I go when I need to relax?  The shower.  If only I could drink a nice mocha in the steaming hot water...that would be lovely...

Anyway....I got to try the new LaLicious line of bath products.  It's like Heaven in a tub (or 2). I got the sugar scrub and the body butter in the flava of Sugar Kiss.  DROOOOOOOL.  Oh my goodness...this was just the break that I needed.  So delicious smelling, so relaxing.  The Sugar scrub TOTALLY softened up my skin and the body butter literally melts....it was perfect since I've been feeling old and crackly with the 20 degree temps on the east coast right now.  This is truly my favorite thing right now.  Just a little indulgence at the end of the day.

Well lucky for you, Diva readers, LaLicious has generously sponsored a giveaway (yes....another one!) for one of you to receive a little gift set of their Sugar Souffle Scrub and Body Butter in Tahitian Flower!  Wahoo!!!  On the website it states that it is "perfect for spring and summer," and although I'm totally well aware that we are not near those seasons....this would be a great winter pick-me-up to look forward to warm weather smells, or something super special to bust out at the first sign of tulips!!  The gift set also comes in a great little bag that would be perfect to store makeup in.  It's so sweet...and trust me....soooooo goooooood!!

So here's how to enter!

1) Make sure you're a follower, and leave a comment telling us your favorite pick-me-up after a long stressful week!

2) For a second chance to win, link this giveaway on your Facebook OR Twitter page and post a separate comment below telling us where you linked up!

Contest ends at midnight on Wednesday, Dec. 8th Eastern time.  Winner will be chosen by Random.org.  Good Luck!!

Friday Faves: Ice Cream & Hair Care

It's a tough evening in our house when we don't have any ice cream in the freezer. Hubby and I (and Will too!) like to have something sweet after dinner, or at night for a tasty treat. Enter Ben & Jerry's new flavor Milk & Cookies. Vanilla Ice Cream with a Chocolate Cookie Swirl, Chocolate Chip & Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies. In other words, HEAVEN!

The first time I picked it up, I was just perusing the ice cream section and thought, "Huh, I bet this is pretty good". Little did I know that it would be a freezer staple from there on out. Yesterday, I picked up two pints and had a panic attack when I couldn't find it. I had to look at the shelf's pricing labels to find where it should be and move the pint of Phish Food (also a great flavor) that was blocking it. My advice: If you don't have some, GET SOME!
My second fave is a new hair care product I got a couple weeks ago. I treated myself to a real haircut, not the $20 one I had been getting for the last year... And it was worth every penny! The scalp massage while she washed my hair was AH-mazing. My hair has always been stick straight. I've gotten perms when I was kid, back in the 80s, and after hours with the chemicals and stench, the curl was gone in less than 2 weeks. Blah... Well, thank you Will for the change in hormones and hair...I now have wave. I asked my new hair girl if there was a way to scrunch and go, and just let my hair air dry, but end up with sexy wavy hair, which is seriously something I always dreamed about having.

She used Catwalk Curlesque Lightweight Mousse and of course I bought it. It's awesome! She assured me that it's not the crunchy sticky old school mousse that everyone used to use. And it's not! (Unless I don't pay attention and put too much in, then it gets a little crunchy, but that's user error...) I walked out of there with beach sexy wavy hair and she didn't use anything but the diffuser on the blow dryer to help it along. Now, most of the time, it's my auto hair-do. It's an easy wash, towel dry, put in mousse, twirl & scrunch, and I'm done! Love it!

Friday Fave: Nars Lip Gloss

Oh lip gloss...my best friend and constant companion.  It has taken me literally FOREVER to find a shade of lip gloss that I don't think I can live without.  Because my lips are pretty pigmented naturally, I can never find a shade that doesn't just disappear, or make my mouth look like a neon sign.  But....success! I have found what I need in the form of Nars Lip Gloss in Orgasm.  It's the perfect shade of peachy pink that gives just the right amount of color to my natural lips, and looks outstanding layered with any lipstick.  I love it!  To me, lip gloss is one of those things that even if your hair is in a messy ponytail, you're half dressed down in your mom uniform and you don't have another stitch of makeup on....put on some lip gloss and you still look kinda put together!  Plus...it just makes you feel good!

What's you're go to shade of lip gloss, or what little item makes you feel like a million bucks even when the worlds been beating you down?

Case of the Stinky Pits

I've always been a sweater. Not super uncontrollable, but if I'm hot, I sweat. I used to wear regular old Secret and it worked just fine. Then I got pregnant. I normally ran warm, well, while pregnant, I was an inferno. Hubby would try to cuddle in bed only to turn into a sweaty mess after 3 seconds because I was so hot.

Then at around 5 or 6 months of pregnancy, my deodorant stopped working. I upped to the clicky Secret. Click twice and then apply. It did the trick and I was no longer stinky. Hubby was pleased. And so was I since I pretty much wore tank tops everyday and was still too hot... In January...

Now, my body chemistry has changed yet again after the baby. I tried a few different scents, types, etc. and finally took the clinical strength plunge. It's sad that my stinky pits have brought me to the point where I need more than just the regular dose of antiperspirant...but they have. I'm now using Clinical Strength Secret in Powder Protection.

A true test of my deodorant was on the 4th of July at the Angel game. Our seats were directly in the sun from about 5pm until 6:30pm. I did not stink one bit. My sister and I checked ourselves a few times. Ha Ha! She didn't stink either...but she's only 17, so regular strength works just fine for her.

You can check out some fun facts about sweat and your personal stink here at Secrets fun facts.

So here's yet another fun thing to add to the list of pre/during/post-pregnancy weirdness....

Friday Fave: Self Tanning & Sunscreen & Henry's

I am clear. Not white. CLEAR. It's a joke with my friends and family how clear I am. Once upon a time when I was a kid and outside everyday, I was maybe Crayola Crayon Desert Sand. And that was because I was out in the sun every single day, for several hours a day...

Once I started life in the real world with a full time job, I was back to clear. If I'm out in the sun without sunscreen for more than 15-20 minutes, I turn a nice shade of lobster red. When it peels and goes away, I'm back to clear. There's no real tan period I go through after a burn.

For my wedding, I got a glorious full body airbrush tan. I did that for my bachelorette party, Lani's bachelorette party, and even her wedding too! It's so handy and makes me look a color other than pasty. However, it's an expensive habit and doesn't last that long... Plus, who has time for that?!

I've tried self tanning stuff before, but I always end up orange and streaky, so I had kind of come to terms with my clear-ness. Then, on a whim, and thanks to a Target endcap, I saw Jergens Natural Glow lotion. I had also clipped a coupon for it and it was on sale. Double bonus! I picked it up and started using it. It's also a firming lotion. Super genius!

Someone said to me the other day "You look like you got some sun". Usually, when someone says that, it's either sarcastic or it's because I'm suffering from a 3rd degree sunburn. This was neither! I actually had a nice calm, even skin tone of light brown. Because I'm clear, I opted for the Light to Medium shade, but you can definitely go darker. It's awesome, easy, and I haven't seen a streak yet! WOOT!

Also on the skin color note... SUNSCREEN! Summer is here - thanks to my birthday which is the first day of summer! - and it's time to protect you and your little bambinos. During the rest of the year, I usually use the lotion sunscreen on Will because he's usually fairly covered up so it's not too much of a hassle. These days, we are in swim class 2-3 times a week, outside 90% of the time, and running through any water we can find, so clothing is minimal and sometimes optional for him. He's not the type of kid to sit still...EVER...so thank God for spray on sunscreen. It takes 2 seconds and only requires minor irritation from Will to stand still for 2 seconds. I don't bother with sunscreen that's less than 45 SPF, so thank you Up & Up at Target for Kid's Sunscreen Continuous Spray SPF 50. At $5.59 a pop, you can't beat it and we go through quite a few of these during the summer days. So be sure to lather (or spray) up this weekend, since most of us will be enjoying the summer sun for the 4th of July!

My last favorite is an oldie but a goodie. Henry's Farmers Market is a fab grocery store. They just opened one up over at the Tustin Marketplace (for those of you in the SoCal area), and I have been meaning to check it out. Usually, when I get my grocery store ads, Henry's has the cheapest and freshest produce out of everyone. I'm always up for a good bargain! Yesterday, we hit up the new store after swim class. It's very pretty! I guess I get that from my dad, because I could spend hours at a grocery store going up and down every aisle checking out their goods. That of course doesn't happen these days since I have Will with me and he isn't a doddler... I bought food for 5 or 6 dinners, including halibut, chicken boobs & tenders, beef tip, tilapia, and shrimp, plus lots of fruits & veggies all for [drum roll, please] $65. When I was comparing the ads from Ralphs, Vons, Stater Bros, with Henry's, Henry's would beat the other stores' prices by $0.50 to $1 sometimes! How crazy is that?! Oh, and my $65 shopping spree was done with NO coupons. Sweeeeeeeeet!

Pull it together

Last week, I left my boys at home while I went to an event with a friend. It was a dress to impress type of shindig, and I haven't worn work clothes in two years now. TWO years! All I wear now are cute mom clothes from my new standbys - Target and Old Navy. Well, at least I think they're cute... So trying to find something stylishly appropriate for this event was quite a challenge since nothing from that era fits me, yet. I ended up in a pair of my old black slacks (without buttoning the button...thank God for the BeBand!), my new white collared shirt, a black shrug, and my favorite heels in the whole wide world. I accessorized with some fun jewelry, and a purse (YES! A purse and not a 40 lb diaper bag!). When I walked out into the living room, dressed and ready to go, Hubby said, "Wow! You look like my wife!" Um....thanks? What the heck is that supposed to mean?

I guess it's been a while since I've worn my snazzy business attire. Working as an interior designer meant that I was relatively fashionable. These shoes (1st pic in post) were my first real leap into something fun, funky, and designer, and I love them. Not to mention, I first laid eyes on them in Italy with Hubby, who became my fiancé on that trip, so they give me the warm & fuzzies when I wear them, too. They were some ungodly price at the D&G store in Milan, but I was so tempted. I opted for a pair of sunglasses for about half the price of the shoes instead. A couple months after we returned home, I was strolling through South Coast Plaza. I passed by the D&G store and thought, hmmmmmm...maybe they're in there. Be still my heart! There were my shoes, on clearance no less! Regular price was almost $500, marked down to $300something, on clearance for $162! SOLD!

So anyways...sorry, but I get a little excited about shoes... another side tracked note: Yay for Sex & The City 2 this Friday! Can't wait to see it!

Ok...back on track. This whole thing got me thinking and observing. Ditch the sweat pants and yoga pants outside of yoga, Moms! The last couple of weeks, I've been watching the moms at the mommy & me class Will and I go to, and a small percentage of us actually put forth an effort in our own appearance. What's funny is that you can totally see a change in demeanor from the grubby moms vs. the jeans and t-shirt moms. The grubby moms seem to have a little less patience and tend to keep to themselves. The cleaned up moms are chatty, smiling, and seem to be having more fun following their tots around. Now, I'm not saying that in order to leave the house you need to be perfectly polished and stylish, by any means. I'm simply saying that you need to pull yourself together for your own sake. Run a brush through your hair to put it up in a neat ponytail. Put on some tinted moisturizer and some mascara. Throw on a jeans and a clean t-shirt. Put all of that together and you'll feel so much better! When you look disheveled, you feel disheveled!

I know, I know. We're all tired, on our last nerve, and starving while we try to lose weight, but you'll be able to enjoy that tiny smiling face so much more if you take 20 minutes for yourself. Heck, make it 30 and read a magazine while you're at it! We put ourselves last on our mile long to-do list, and for a few minutes a day, we can afford to be first. Honestly, I can see a difference in everything around me when I take my time. I managed to get more done around the house. I have a little bit more patience when Will decides he wants to be sassy. And I don't feel like a bum when Hubby gets home from work only to find me still in my pjs. I feel like such a loser when he asks, "Did you at least brush your teeth today?" Especially when it's about a 50/50 chance I did.

There are still days I don't make it that far. I get busy doing a million and one things while Will naps, and the second I decide to shower, he decides to wake up. Even on those days, I still try to take 5 or 10 minutes to pull myself together by fixing my face and hair, and brushing my teeth. Cut yourself some slack. Being a parent is hard work. But that's just even more reason why we deserve a few minutes to find an inkling of our former self. If those few minutes can bring your sexy back, then take it! At the very least, you'll smell better.

The Mom 'Do

These days, I'm back to my middle school stand-by hair style of a ponytail. If I blow dry it and flat iron the important pieces to wear it down, not long after I get home it goes up in a ponytail. Weirdly, my once stick straight hair gets a smidge wavier as the days go on. I don't know if its hormone changes from pregnancy or age, or both...but I like it. I've always LOVED, and been jealous of, wavy and curly hair. My mom's hair is, by her definition, out-of-control wavy, but I think that's just because she's been fighting it for so long. Even my dad's hair has some wave in it. My sister and I got stuck with the uber straight end of the stick somehow. But even lately my sister’s hair is pretty beach chic wavy.

Surprisingly, I've been able to get away with washing my hair every other day recently. A feat that would've NEVER ever been possible even 2 years ago since I've been an oil monger my whole life. I was lucky if my bangs (back in the day) or the front wispys of my hair weren't oily and gross by the end of the day. That was definitely bad news in elementary and middle school when I had bangs that were way too thick. Now, it's the end of day 2 that they get like that. Yay! If they are a little grungy at the beginning of Day 2, I pin them back in a severely modified Snooki poof, and throw the rest up in a ponytail.

I try to at least keep it looking presentable and not like I haven’t washed my hair or maybe showered that day. The better I look, the better I feel, and sometimes even the more I get accomplished that day. Weird how so many things can go hand in hand.

So what’s your mom ‘do? Did you give in to the mommyhood chop and lop off your tresses? I’m debating a new ‘do (shorter? long but with a loose wavy perm? just a trim? bangs?) to maybe try around my birthday (next month) and am curious to see/hear what your style answers are. Something easy to wash and wear for the summer, but something fun, and dare I say, sexy, at the same time!

Paint it Black...or Red, or Pink....

This is a great time saving, cheap and easy beauty pick me up for any mom. I just recently tried the new Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure polish cuz I needed a quick pick me up from my tired old chipped nails. I love it! I purchased the color "Commander in Chic" which is such a cool gray-purple-putty color....great for everyday. Loved it so much that I picked up another color a couple days later in "I Pink I Can". That ones a little pink for right now...but with a tan so chic! These are so easy to apply, the contoured brush is GENIUS for when you get to the not dominate hand, they go on so smoothly, and they dry super fast so you can definitely fit it in during the kiddies nap time! AND....mine lasted for a good 10 days without chipping (too much!). This are a must have for the busy, super-fly momma!

Beauty toss..

Spring is a time for refreshing your home, your routine, and mainly (in my opinion) yourself! I decided to finally tackle the makeup drawer as the kick-off to spring cleaning. Since being a mom, and a pregnant one at that, makeup and my face has kinda become an obsession. There's not too much I can do to disguise the body....so I want the face to be fresh, clean, and outstanding. Maybe folks will say how pretty my eyes look, instead of asking if I'm having twins (STILL traumatized by that woman....ugh!)

Ok...so in order to be productive with the makeup clean out, I researched the shelf life of makeup and stuck to those rules. Nothing was set in stone about the dates, but I've compiled a list of what I think is the most used products by moms, with an average of what I found for due dates. I think it's important to keep you're makeup fresh and free of bacteria, so that you can perfect that "5 minute face" and get out of the house looking like the hot mom that you are!! If you have any other tips on makeup, or expiration dates for your must have products...post them in the comments!

Foundation,Moisturizers, liquid makeups, and cleansers- This depends on the type that you have and the method you use to apply. If it is in pump form, it can last up to a year. If you at all dip your finger into it, or use the same brush or sponge daily, your liquid products should really only be around for 6 months. Make sure you're washing your hands no matter what before each application.

Powder makeups (pressed powders, blushes, bronzers, etc) - Same principal applies to the liquids....if you're dipping the same brushes, sponges, or fingers into it...about 6 months (with clean hands!). Otherwise, it's about a year.

Eyes - Shadows applied with clean brushes can last up to 2 years. Liners sharpened regularly can also last about 2 years, while liquid liners can last about a year. Mascaras, as long as they are not dry, clumpy, or funny smelling, can last up to 6 months. If you have an eye infection at any time....you should really throw out any makeup you used while you had that infection immediately.

Lips - Most lipsticks and glosses can last up to 2 years, as long as they do not smell funny, or you have some sort of infection while using them.

Tools - Makeup brushes should be washed once a week with a mild facial cleanser. This seems like a pain, but it's super easy. After you apply makeup, just use whatever cleanser you wash your face with to wash the brushes, and let them air dry on a clean towel or a couple of tissues. This will make even inexpensive brushes last for yeeeaaarrrssss.

These are just general dates, but use common sense, like if you detect an odor or have an infection. Always use the rule, when in doubt, throw it out....and really...don't hang on to old makeup just because you tried that blue eyeshadow once and it didn't work, yet you feel like someday it might. Some beauty experiments are a lost cause (and it's yet another reason to buy it at Target first before you spend money at Sephora!) Also...you can feel good about tossing 3 products that are old...so you can get one that's new and you'll use all Spring and Summer!

So happy purging!

Friday Faves: Hair, TV, and For Dad

I've got a few faves this week, so I'll try to keep it short and sweet.

Once upon a time, I got my hair done every 8-10 weeks. Cut, color, style. It was over $100 easy per visit. Then I knocked up and even though dying my hair would be "Ok", I just didn't really see the point in risking it, plus, with all the hormones and vitamins, my hair was shiny and pretty naturally. So I opted for just a cut and style, but was still getting my hair done every 10 weeks or so because it was growing so fast. Now I'm lucky if I get it cut every 6 months... So to rescue the ends from splitting and getting dry and nasty, I have been using these two lovely things at least once a week. It's fast, easy, and helps keep my hair decent in between cuts. I've had the Neutrogena Triple Moisture Deep Recovery Hair Mask for a while and I just use a little bit on the ends of my hair while I shave my legs. By the time I'm done shaving, it's time to rinse and my hair feels so much better. Same goes for the Soap & Glory Hair Supply. Both of them smell so good, too! It's a great way to stretch the time between hair appointments that much longer. At $10 or less for these things that will last for a while, your hair will thank you.

One of my new favorite shows is The Marriage Ref. Even after watching the 30 minute premiere episode/teaser that aired after the closing ceremony of the Olympics was hilarious. I'm SO glad it's an hour long now. Hubby & I can't wait to watch it every week. It makes light of some of the totally ridiculous things that we fight about sometimes...

And finally, for the new Dad in your life... Hanes Perfect T's. I stocked Hubby up on a few of these before and right after Will was born. These were great to wear when Will was itty bitty and spitting up frequently because it wasn't staining Hubby's regular t-shirts. Now, Hubby wears these all the time, and sometimes I wear one to bed. They're soft, comfy, and CHEAP (at $8 or less if you use a coupon that Target sends out once in a while - check out current Target coupons online here!). I stuck to the basics of black & navy for Hubby so stains wouldn't be quite so obvious, but they have a ton of colors.

FF: Boots No7

I have to tell you how much I love this brand! Available and Target, the UK cosmetics line has been a favorite among Brits for over 160 years! I wrote about my skin care woes not to long ago, and have invested in yet another product from theirs and LOVE IT! I recently purchased the Quick Thinking 4-in-1 facial wipes for those nights where I'm just too tired to go through my cleansing routine. These are amazing. They take off all my makeup (not that I pile it on daily or anything) and they even remove mascara perfectly. I originally got the Up and Up face wipes (the Target brand), but the Boots wipes are so much more gentle on my skin. With all the cold and the snow, my skin has gotten really dry and these are perfect in keeping it moisturized and they don't irritate. Although the Boots brand is $2.00 more than the Up and Up brand, I feel it to be worth it for the relief my skin gets. Plus, I've seen these go on sale often for $4.99, the same price as the Target brand. Sometimes...it's worth it to spend a little more when you get alot more.....

SO TIRED....

I have been so unable to sleep lately and it's really taking a toll on me. I think it's partly my mattress, partly the midnight pee runs, and mainly because the wee nutty inside me decides to have parties at one am in the womb. I just can't get comfortable, get leg cramps, get neck cramps, and get tangled in the ginormous body pillow that is supposed to HELP me sleep better. And because of it, I have major dark circles under my eyes, my body is totally listless, and I feel like I could collapse before Hunter even goes for his nap. (sigh) I'm getting very ready for this second pregnancy to be over, only because I know that there will be many more sleepless nights ahead....but at least I'll be comfortable for the 2 hours that I will get! I just wish I could sleep like Hunter in this pic (he was about 8 months)...this child can sleep through anything!

Any suggestions for making it easier to sleep when pregnant?

FF: Assets by Sarah Blakely

I was all excited to put together a cute outfit to wear to the shower I hosted last Saturday. I don't get to dress up much, so I bought 2 dresses because I couldn't decide, a belt, and some jewelry. Don't worry Hubby, I returned the 2nd dress I didn't end up wearing...

I wanted to wear my boots because I hardly wear heels anymore since I'm running around all the time and I LOVE these boots! I bought them last winter because they actually fit my preggo swollen calves comfortably. Then I decided some black tights would look super cute with my ensemble. I stopped by Target and saw Assets by Sarah Blakely. She makes Spanx. These are basically the poor woman's Spanx! I've seen them but have never had a use for them because I don't get out much, so I didn't ever try them. OMG! They are fantastic!!!

After everything for the shower was all set up and ready to go, I slipped away to the restroom to change and make myself look presentable. I pulled these tights on and immediately felt everything get sucked all in. It was AWESOME! I could sinch the belt at my waist to the tightest notch without feeling like I was suffocating myself. When I tried my outfit on sans the tights, I was on the middle notch. That's at least an inch smaller! For $14.00, these are well worth it! I felt great the whole time, and wasn't worried that I had forgotten to suck it in while I was conducting the games portion of the baby shower. I would wear these everyday if I could! I can't wait to wear them again for Lani's Sprinkle.

For you preggos, she also makes a maternity version of Assets. I wish I would've picked these up while I was preggo to wear with my dresses to work! I think I will pick up some leggings, too!

The least you can do is fix your face....

Oh the joys of pregnancy!  Ugh, yeah right.  Wonderful to those out there who look beautiful the whole time, but for the majority of women who gain the muffin top, the massive thighs creating the "chub-rub", the stretch marks, and just the total loss of self esteem when you go to your closet and have nothing to wear because your boobs, arms, belly and butt won't fit into anything INCLUDING maternity clothes.....I have a small, yet very effective solution.  Your face.

I am a fixator.  I fixate and obsess and won't stop talking, thinking, or complaining about it until the problem is solved.  And lately it's been my pregnancy skin.  When I came to the realization that I cannot do anything about the fact that the weight will keep coming and the thighs will just keep getting bigger, I fixated on my face.  It's hideable, it's fixable, and when you see your chubby self in pics at least you can say "my face looks pretty." So lately my skin has just been horrible.  You know, the hormones are raging, the weather is changing, and all of a sudden you're breaking out like you're a junior in HS again and you have randomly dry patches on your face.  Not to mention I'm slowly approaching 30 and I feel like my age is starting to show.  I realized that my current skin care "regimen" (Which consists of me using just soap and water in the shower ....I know....so bad. Trust...I've read every fashion and beauty magazine out there and they have chastized me enough)and makeup routine were just not going to cut it anymore....and i fixated.   and I take after my mother, who's chinese, and she has the softest skin around.  I have to say I get numberous compliments on my oh-so-soft-skin-without-using-a-touch-of-lotion-skin. But she has the PERFECT complection even at the age of.....LIES!  She'd kill me if i told you her age (Let's just say she got carded in a vegas casino when my sis and I were teens.....) But my complection certainly doesn't mirror hers in that aspect.

But then, she takes care of it too.

Anyway, so when Heather came....she could not here the end of my skin care problems (remember, I fixate), she set out to help me....I think mainly because I wouldn't shut up about it.  We went to talk to the Clinique lady, and she seemed to want more compliments on HER skin than she was concerned with answering questions about mine.  We went to Target and I had no idea what to do.  Thank goodness she was here with me...cuz i basically just pulled a "what do you do?"  TA DA!!! She had the answer! Here's my new skin care regimen.....hooray!!!

I first start out with a moisturizer with an SPF....I got an Oil of Olay one.  I think it's just called daily moisturizer with SPF.  Can't really get much simpiler.  Then comes MAGIC!!!

This is my new best friend....Neutrogena's skin clearing foundation.  It's so light on the skin, almost like a tinted moisturizer, and covers really well.  As soon as I put it on I was like....holy crap!  I look pretty! And normal!  And not dry and splotchy and red and gross!  It made me want to look a little better in my outfit too instead of just throwing on the fat jeans and the sweatshirt! 

Heather suggested using a foundation brush as well, as I was using my hands and she said (like any good mommy would) that the less you touch your face in general the better.  Then I do a light dusting with a little pressed powder.  I feel like this sets the foundation and evens you out even more.  Makes you look like you're not wearing any makeup at all.  Dust a little bronzer or blush on the apples of your cheeks, a little eyeliner and mascara....and I'm done!  Honestly, I've felt so good about the look of my face the past week that I've even gone without the eyeliner (which I NEVER do) because my skin was the highlight.

Oh....I also tried out the Boots 07 cleanser and toner for dry skin.  This is a really popular UK company that has come to the US via Target.  It's inexpensive, and I feel really good about it!  The cleanser takes off the makeup really well, and the toner takes off whatever the cleanser didn't.  I still have to use an eye makeup remover...but thats alright. 

Seriously, to all those out there preggo, post preggo losing weight, or to anyone who is just not in that place where they are loving their body.....fix your face.  It is such a confidence booster....and since every mirror shows your face, you may as well always be looking at something pretty, confidant, clear, and fabulous.  It's an easy fix in an otherwise self conscious time.

The eyes have it

Are you pregnant? A new mom? Well, then it's time to invest in some super duper eye equipment! It all starts when you're pregnant, well at least it did for me. Towards the end of the 2nd trimester I was having trouble sleeping for a number of reasons. I was boiling hot all the time. I'd wake up drenched in sweat in the middle of the night. I got up to pee 32 times at night. Half the time I was 70% asleep until I was already on my way back from the bathroom! And then there's the huge belly that makes sleeping in any position quite a task, especially for me because I'm a belly sleeper.

Then you're a new mom. Everything is great and wonderful and you sit and stare at this adorable little bundle in disbelief. For the first week or two, the lack of sleep doesn't seem to make you look too zombie-rific, but around week 3 you might have the ugliest bags under your eyes. Here's where your troops come in...

Pick up an under eye cream. If you do nothing else to your face during the day, at least put on your eye cream and whatever face moisturizer you've got. I tried to put it on in the morning and at night at the very least. Sometimes I'd just leave it on the counter in the bathroom because, yes, I'm that lazy. But if it's sitting on the counter slapping me in the face, I'll remember to do it, even when I haven't slept in days.

Slowly but surely you stop seeing every hour of everyday and your baby starts to sleep more - more is a relative term...we're talking maybe a 4 hour stretch if you're lucky. You actually have time to shower and put on a 5 minute face of makeup. You need some under eye concealer. If all I had time to do was foundation, eye concealer, and a stroke of mascara, I felt a million times better. I didn't look like a zombie bride, or in this case, zombie mom, or at least not as much of one.

I have used quite a few different eye creams and concealers and I haven't found one that I'm particularly in love with, yet. I was using Bobbi Brown concealers and they worked well, but I felt like they sometimes became cakey. Not to mention now, they're just not in my budget. Right now I'm using Neutrogena Healthy Skin Eye Cream and Neutrogena Skin Soothing Under Eye Corrector, because I'm a frequent Target shopper and it's convenient. I'm not super thrilled with the results of the eye cream. If I am super diligent with using it at least twice a day, then I guess it's better than not using anything. I do like the corrector. I use Neutrogena foundation, so this goes nicely with the colors and is easy to apply. The container it comes in is nice. Just make sure you dab your eye cream and concealer when you apply it. Never swipe. And I find using some powder to set the concealer helps it last longer and doesn't let my eyeliner smear into the concealer. I think next time I need to restock on my cream, I'll try some Oil of Olay. I really like their day and night moisturizers and the makeup remover cloths. It's worth a shot!

Remember when we could party til the breaka-breaka?

Really....am I 29 with a one year old? Already? How the hay did that happen?

Last weekend was my gal Denise's Bachelorette party in NYC. It was super fun, and I've paid for all that fun this all last week with a hacking, feverish, part bed-ridden, loogie spitting bronchial infection. Gorgeous, right? It seriously seems like minutes ago that I was able to hang with the single ladies, to stay up all night and party with the best of them, and to be able to just get up and go 3 hours after we closed the bar. Have I really become and old frumpy mama who is more apt to change a diaper then down a martini? Can't be, impossible. Us Diva's never loose our fabulousness and always are up for another round of Bellini's. But alas, as I look at the pics from the past weekend, I see a chick who's sitting while the other's are dancing, who's a pro at blowing up the blow up doll only because she's had practice at her fair share of pool toys this summer, and who's breasts have truly seen perkier days. God Damnit!! How the hell did this happen?

Notice I am not dancing in this pic....i am sitting in the booth taking the pic....(sigh)

Heather, you must agree....we were two hot single ladies at some point in our lives, right? Remember that pink mini and playboy shirt you wore to my 24th party? Yeah....the party where I passed out on the living room floor wearing a too short for comfort skirt and limited undergarments.....yeah that one.

Wait a tic....Is that considered hot? Sheesh.....

But who's to say that a demure lady on the sides isn't as sassy and sexy as the one's on the dance floor? I was the one taking it all in and observing the totally outrageous plastic Ho's that took the seats next to us. Ah.....drama. And really, when I look back on those Let-em-run-wild days....they really were not so fabu. I mean...take the flash back from above. Seriously....it's more embarrassing than sexy. I mean, the getting-trashed-and-falling-all-over-yourself-and-showing-your-naughty-bits-to-others-while-driving-by-on-the-freeway-while-telling-your-friends-how-much-you-love-them-as-they-hold-your-hair-back-look is so early twenties.

And guess what moms, I was still able to hang with the single ladies! I stayed with them through the night, ending at 3 in the morning eating mozzarella sticks in a 24 hour diner. I stuck it out! It's probably all the practice I had from a year of comforting a teething child at 2 am. I'm kinda used to the lack of sleep thing.

Yeah, so what if i wasn't as vivacious as them and didn't dance as many dances and wasn't as outgoing with the boys and sat demurely and drank my vodka shot in 4 mini shots. I can still say that I Friggin took a vodka shot! Go Mom!!! That's what H would say if he could....yeah I know he'd be proud. And thanks to my fellow party ladies....I found out that I am one helluva Beer Pong player. Could I have figured that out playing flash cards with H? I think not!

It really did feel great to get out and kinda have a mom's weekend off with the girls.....but I'll tell you something...It felt INCREDIBLE when Sonny and H came up to meet us on that Sunday. My girls had never seen him and they were just gushing. I'm the only one of my college friends that has a baby, and as much as I would have liked to be able to keep up a little more with them, I think that there's a part of them that would like to have a little H-man in their lives. So I may not be able to party like a rock star....but I can still hang....even if its a little lower and a little slower.... I'm still there, Champagne in hand!

Ok...Well you have to love this pic with Hunter and all the Ladies...look at that huge smile on his face!

Oh and Beer Pong...it's all about the arc....just a note

Congrats on non-singledom Denise!

Friday Fave : Getting Your Hair Done

There's nothing quite like getting your hair done at a salon. It's a nice hour or two break from the real world where you can get a little pampered and walk out looking and feeling great! I got my hair done this week. The last time I had gotten my hair done was back in February right before my baby shower. It had been 6 months and boy was my hair showing it! I usually get color done all over too and I hadn't had that done since I had gotten pregnant over a year ago!

I love plopping my butt down in that cushy chair and turning my tresses over to my favorite professional. She shakes her head at me because I waited for so long to make another appointment, but immediately gets to working her magic. After sitting with some color on my hair for a little bit with my nose in a book or great tabloid mag, I get a nice thorough head wash with a mini scalp massage. Then it's off to start chopping away. I've always been one to try new things and I usually go through a phase of medium to long hair for a few years and then get sick of it, so I tell my gal to do what she wants - which usually means she tries out the lasted short do out on me. Hair grows back so there's no need to be stressed out over trying new things. And if for some reason you really hate it, take some prenatal vitamins and your hair will grow back in no time!

Walking out of the salon a an hour or two later, my hair smells good, is shiny, and perfect. I feel like a million bucks! Yes, these days, being on a budget I don't get to go in as often as I would like, but I try to make it a priority as a nice thing to do for myself a couple times a year. It's a good chance for a mom to recharge her batteries.