Hey all! I had sweet plans for the blog this week, and... I've been sick. So lame. I am writing this through my stuffed nose and watery eyes. This is sooo the weather's fault. You can't go from snow boots to flip flops in the same day and not have repercussions! C'mon!
So, for fun today, we are linking up with A Blonde Ambition for Confessional Friday!
Alright... here goes.
1. I cheated on my clean eat. Twice. Once with cookies, and once (twice...how do you count that? It was within the same hour) with bread and Nilla wafers. Sorry I'm not sorry.
2. I listened to only 90s music all week. Backstreet, Weezer, Britney and I are all back on a first name basis.
3. I went back to bed for 3 hours after working for 1...two days this week. Again, not sorry.
4. I haven't worked out since Tuesday.
5. Last but not least, I have been wearing the same outfit since yesterday at 4:00 PM. Okay, maybe I am a little bit sorry about that.
Going to change now. And going to the gym, maybe.
Ciao!
Friday, February 21, 2014
Friday, February 14, 2014
High Five for Friday!
It's Friday! And that means we are linking up with one of my favorite bloggers Lauren from From My Grey Desk blog!
This week in highlights (apologies in advance for my slightly unexciting week!)
1. On a routine Beauty First stop (I had 10 minutes before a meeting. What's a girl to do?) I scored some half price nail polish. Nothing screams "Spring" like pretty pink pastels! Oh, and I won't be waiting until Spring to put these to use!
2. Yesterday it was 56 degrees. Enough said.
This week in highlights (apologies in advance for my slightly unexciting week!)
1. On a routine Beauty First stop (I had 10 minutes before a meeting. What's a girl to do?) I scored some half price nail polish. Nothing screams "Spring" like pretty pink pastels! Oh, and I won't be waiting until Spring to put these to use!
 |
| L-R "Bottom's Up, "Exceptionally Gifted, and Sexy Lady" |
3. Exciting win for Nebraska Basketball! I have been sad that I haven't made it to a game in a few weeks (work related!). The stars aligned and I had a few hours free from work AND a ticket given to me! Yay! And a great game.
4. My rediscovered love for sweet potatoes with cinnamon on them. Call me crazy, but this is practically a dessert. YUM! Also, a fun tip for a quick sweet potato (in case you do not typically eat them!) Wash, rinse, and wrap the sweet potato in a damp washcloth. Microwave for 5 minutes... and DONE. Woohoo!
5. AND.. since it's Valentines Day.. shout out to all of my wonderful friends and family. Love you more than anything!
Happy Friday Everyone!
Love,
Thursday, February 13, 2014
Selfie Destruction
I wanted to make a quick post to share this...
I know that I get caught up in what I think MY body needs to look like, how many times I should be working out per week, what I should be eating, etc. And on many days, I wind up with a strong feeling of guilt, and sometimes defeat, when I can't achieve those goals.
Ladies (and guys!).. what we do or do not do ALWAYS matters. I say this because in "our world" of instant gratification and posting pictures, comments, and statuses, I think we have started to forget how this impacts others.
My beautiful and talented friend Roxanne, of Simply(fit) girls, wrote this fantastic post about "Selfie Destruction." CLICK HERE to read it now!
Think before you post!
I know that I get caught up in what I think MY body needs to look like, how many times I should be working out per week, what I should be eating, etc. And on many days, I wind up with a strong feeling of guilt, and sometimes defeat, when I can't achieve those goals.
Ladies (and guys!).. what we do or do not do ALWAYS matters. I say this because in "our world" of instant gratification and posting pictures, comments, and statuses, I think we have started to forget how this impacts others.
My beautiful and talented friend Roxanne, of Simply(fit) girls, wrote this fantastic post about "Selfie Destruction." CLICK HERE to read it now!
Think before you post!
Monday, February 10, 2014
The Small Things...
It really is always the small things that are the most meaningful.
This past weekend I was able to celebrate one of my closest friend's bachelorette party, and subsequently catch up with a lot of friends.
Sometimes there is nothing better than a full day of girl time-- and we certainly maxed out on that. Lunch, pedicures, supper* (see below), drinks, presents, out on the town...all in all, a GREAT day.
Maybe it's just me, but one of my favorite things is getting ready to go out together. The bathroom is packed with products, make up, curling irons, hair spray... and there is a lot of chatter. I can see how this actually sounds like a nightmare, but it makes me nostalgic for college days when getting ready together in a bathroom, with multiple other girls, was the norm.
It helps that I get strangely excited about new products and make up, so naturally this setting has a certain appeal to me.
Anyways, my good friend (and also ex roommate) Kate and I share a love for make up. We both received Naked2 for Christmas (YAY) and have discussed our passion for other products that we both believe are absolutely mandatory. Kate told me at one of our workout sessions that she also received NARS blush in Orgasm. Like so many of my favorite items, I have read that this blush is simply THE BEST. To be honest, I typically do not even wear blush as my bronzer (or warmth in Bare Minerals terms) does a pretty good job. But, regardless, it's good to have a blush handy. It was just one of those purchases I had not made yet. Of course, I was envious (in the healthiest way possible :) ) that Kate already had the blush.
So- as Kate and I are rustling in each other's supplies and comparing and contrasting, Kate announces that she just so happens to have a sample sized NARS blush in Orgasm. And that I can (wait for it...) HAVE IT.
Okay ladies, consider my day made. Kate was laughing at me because I literally bounded across the room to hug her. Seriously, it's the little things. Anyways, I really do love this color. It almost looks like it would be too bright/pink, but it's a great shade and requires very small amounts to do the trick. And in case you were wondering, the "sample" Kate gave me is actually really good sized and will probably last a long time. I strongly recommend giving this blush a try. If you didn't know this already, Sephora will always give out samples of any of their products to try before purchasing. Yet another reason to love that place.
So many wonderful things this weekend, and my new blush was just (another) cherry on top! Thanks Kate!
________________________________
*On a slightly unrelated topic, is it dinner or supper? Some of the girls were laughing because several of us refer to the meal that takes place mid day as "dinner" (instead of lunch) and the last meal as "supper" instead of dinner. Some of the ladies were joking that they couldn't attend "supper" since they had no idea what that was or what time it was at. Is this a regional situation? This doesn't necessarily make sense as most of us are from the same area. Hmmmm... random thoughts. If you have any input, please do share.
Happy Monday!
This past weekend I was able to celebrate one of my closest friend's bachelorette party, and subsequently catch up with a lot of friends.
Sometimes there is nothing better than a full day of girl time-- and we certainly maxed out on that. Lunch, pedicures, supper* (see below), drinks, presents, out on the town...all in all, a GREAT day.
Maybe it's just me, but one of my favorite things is getting ready to go out together. The bathroom is packed with products, make up, curling irons, hair spray... and there is a lot of chatter. I can see how this actually sounds like a nightmare, but it makes me nostalgic for college days when getting ready together in a bathroom, with multiple other girls, was the norm.
It helps that I get strangely excited about new products and make up, so naturally this setting has a certain appeal to me.
Anyways, my good friend (and also ex roommate) Kate and I share a love for make up. We both received Naked2 for Christmas (YAY) and have discussed our passion for other products that we both believe are absolutely mandatory. Kate told me at one of our workout sessions that she also received NARS blush in Orgasm. Like so many of my favorite items, I have read that this blush is simply THE BEST. To be honest, I typically do not even wear blush as my bronzer (or warmth in Bare Minerals terms) does a pretty good job. But, regardless, it's good to have a blush handy. It was just one of those purchases I had not made yet. Of course, I was envious (in the healthiest way possible :) ) that Kate already had the blush.
So- as Kate and I are rustling in each other's supplies and comparing and contrasting, Kate announces that she just so happens to have a sample sized NARS blush in Orgasm. And that I can (wait for it...) HAVE IT.
Okay ladies, consider my day made. Kate was laughing at me because I literally bounded across the room to hug her. Seriously, it's the little things. Anyways, I really do love this color. It almost looks like it would be too bright/pink, but it's a great shade and requires very small amounts to do the trick. And in case you were wondering, the "sample" Kate gave me is actually really good sized and will probably last a long time. I strongly recommend giving this blush a try. If you didn't know this already, Sephora will always give out samples of any of their products to try before purchasing. Yet another reason to love that place.
So many wonderful things this weekend, and my new blush was just (another) cherry on top! Thanks Kate!
________________________________
*On a slightly unrelated topic, is it dinner or supper? Some of the girls were laughing because several of us refer to the meal that takes place mid day as "dinner" (instead of lunch) and the last meal as "supper" instead of dinner. Some of the ladies were joking that they couldn't attend "supper" since they had no idea what that was or what time it was at. Is this a regional situation? This doesn't necessarily make sense as most of us are from the same area. Hmmmm... random thoughts. If you have any input, please do share.
Happy Monday!
Friday, February 7, 2014
Confessional Friday
Hi everyone! Today we are linking up with A Blonde Ambition for Confessional Friday! (Check out her blog, so great!)
Alright...here we go.
1. What's your middle name?
My middle name is Ann. Random fact...my Mom's middle name is ALSO Ann, however her middle name is spelled A-n-n-e.
2. If you could live anywhere else in the world where would you live?
The honest truth is that I want to be where everyone I love is. Seriously. I don't care where that is. Also though, lets get real, it's about 7 degrees in Nebraska today and anywhere that is SEMI warm would be amazing. There are so many wonderful places and great things about all of them. I can't choose.
3. Tell us about your guilty pleasures.
How many do we get? If we are talking food... Oreos, dark chocolate, ice cream.
There are a few TV shows I watch (The Bachelor, anyone?) that are a little bit embarrassing. I get caught up in any reality TV pretty quickly.
4. What do you like best about your job? If you weren't doing that, what career would you have pursued?
My favorite part about my job (and the reason I do it) is seeing families overcome and succeed. Also, I have pursued other careers prior to this, and honestly, I wouldn't change a thing.
5. Five items you'd grab during a fire. (People and pets don't count. Those are a given.)
My scrapbooks/photo albums
My boxes of old cards/notes/letters
My computer
My phone (I should probably be calling 911, right?)
I think anything else would be completely replaceable, and I really don't want to start on fire.
6. Marathon running...something you'd like to pursue or just plain crazy?
Not a fan. I truly admire those who train for these events and I can imagine the sense of accomplishment is like few other things. However...I feel accomplishment in other ways. I'm not ruling it out ever, but I feel no immediate need to marathon.
7. If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?
With no repercussions....pizza.
8. Last person you spoke to...annnnnd....go!
Someone from work.
9. Favorite childhood toy
My Barbies. All one million of them.
10. Breakfast cereal of choice
Crispix. Plain. With skim milk.
Alright...here we go.
1. What's your middle name?
My middle name is Ann. Random fact...my Mom's middle name is ALSO Ann, however her middle name is spelled A-n-n-e.
2. If you could live anywhere else in the world where would you live?
The honest truth is that I want to be where everyone I love is. Seriously. I don't care where that is. Also though, lets get real, it's about 7 degrees in Nebraska today and anywhere that is SEMI warm would be amazing. There are so many wonderful places and great things about all of them. I can't choose.
3. Tell us about your guilty pleasures.
How many do we get? If we are talking food... Oreos, dark chocolate, ice cream.
There are a few TV shows I watch (The Bachelor, anyone?) that are a little bit embarrassing. I get caught up in any reality TV pretty quickly.
4. What do you like best about your job? If you weren't doing that, what career would you have pursued?
My favorite part about my job (and the reason I do it) is seeing families overcome and succeed. Also, I have pursued other careers prior to this, and honestly, I wouldn't change a thing.
5. Five items you'd grab during a fire. (People and pets don't count. Those are a given.)
My scrapbooks/photo albums
My boxes of old cards/notes/letters
My computer
My phone (I should probably be calling 911, right?)
I think anything else would be completely replaceable, and I really don't want to start on fire.
6. Marathon running...something you'd like to pursue or just plain crazy?
Not a fan. I truly admire those who train for these events and I can imagine the sense of accomplishment is like few other things. However...I feel accomplishment in other ways. I'm not ruling it out ever, but I feel no immediate need to marathon.
7. If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?
With no repercussions....pizza.
8. Last person you spoke to...annnnnd....go!
Someone from work.
9. Favorite childhood toy
My Barbies. All one million of them.
10. Breakfast cereal of choice
Crispix. Plain. With skim milk.
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
Secret Camouflage by LM
I feel the same way about concealers and foundation that I do about mascara...even though I have my absolute favorite go-to, I still always think there could maybe, just MAYBE, be something better out there.
Well, I read a lot of positive reviews about Laura Mercier products. Many of my favorite beauty bloggers have noted it to be "their absolute favorite." If you read this blog, you know that I live and die by anything Bare Escentuals. Their products are equivalent to a first born child for me... they do no wrong in my mind. So...I always feel a little bit unfaithful when I try a different foundation/concealer. But I had to know.
I picked the Laura Mercier-make up counter-helper-lady's mind for about 20 minutes before I decided what would be a worthy purchase. According to her, their most popular product is their "Secret Camouflage." This very helpful woman informed me that LM's motto is that your skin should "appear absolutely flawless" (hmmm..this seems unachievable) ...but ..sign me up! Anyways, she showed me the product, which looks like the below image.
She color matched me (I ended up being a #2), and explained that you actually mix the colors (on your hand) before applying it to your skin, with a brush. The combination of the yellow tint with the pinkish tint is apparently the "secret" part of the camouflage.
As previously mentioned, I love, love, LOVE Bare Escentuals. The majority of their products are a very fine, loose, mineral powder. For that reason, I am always hesitant to try any cream based concealers or foundations. I will hand it to LM on this product.. .I have never experimented with a cream based concealer that is so lightweight, non greasy, and matte. Almost the second this product touches your skin, it is dry, and almost takes on a powdery consistency. Consider me impressed!
But, here's the disappointing (I guess?) news. I still love my Bare Escentuals the most. I can't help it. Also, this could be because of the winter conditions and the devastation that is ensuing on my skin (read: MESS), but this stuff is not working with my dry skin. The product itself is VERY drying, and so lately, when I have tried it, it doesn't really absorb well and kind of looks weird and flaky against my skin.
In conclusion, if you are looking for a serious concealer, I would definitely consider this purchase. It will run you approximately $32, which seems a little steep, but makeup-counter-lady said her concealer lasted over a year. That's $32 dollars worth, right?!
For the time being, it is just not a good fit for me. However, I think me and LM SC (Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage, obviously) will be reuniting in approximately 4 months... when summer rolls in.
What are your favorite concealers? Foundations? Does anyone have any MUST have LM products? Let me know...and happy Tuesday!
Love,
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