Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Mary Kay® Redefining Elegance Collection

Mary Kay® Redefining Elegance Collection

Wow, every year when Fall rolls around, I am soooo excited to see what new products Mary Kay will be introducing for its Fall/Holiday catalog The Look, and this time they have out-done themselves!!!!

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Weekend Project: Painting Table & Chairs Black

This weekend, I decided it was time to update our kitchen table & chairs!  The cushions were stained and disgusting, and I thought it would modernize them a little to paint them black.  It was actually quite simple.  I spray-primed and painted the chairs, re-upholstered them, and my husband helped paint the table (which ended up being a little more work than we anticipated thanks to a suprising "wrinkling" effect the spray paint began doing at the very last coat).




Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Closet Cleanout

Oh gosh, my closet was an absolute disaster!!!  I had so many clothes that I don't wear anymore and things that shouldn't even be in my closet (like framed photos of the kids, a medicine bottle, and my daughter's shoes!!)!  Our closet is pretty small, so I should be doing a big clean-out like this every few months. 
So....I spent about two hours bagging up clothes for charity, organizing my winter shoes & boots (my summer sandals and flip-flops are still down in our shoe container by the garage), and going through my mess of necklaces.  Here are some pics of the before/after! (Oh, btw, I didn't touch my husband's stuff!!!)






Here is a video I found with some de-cluttering tips!

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

The Hot Pink Swimsuit

Ok, I found this fabulous swimsuit online: http://tinyurl.com/3f2gffn on Sunday and was so excited about it.  I am leaving for vacation this weekend, so I knew the shipping would be outrageous to get it here on time (the swimsuit is sold online only), but I was relieved that I had a coupon.  Well.....I got a little busy Sunday and didn't order it, then Monday came and my coupon had expired.  Big bummer!!!

So I went to Target and settled for a pink and white polka dot bikini top that didn't have a matching bottom, to which I bought a black bottom and white "swim shorts" that would match.  I came home and tried it all on...YUCK!!  I am very flat chested, not to mention that I have a straight boyish figure and a not-so-f"AB"ulous stomach, so this was awful.  Definitely returning it.

Then today I decided to pack up the kids and go into Macy's.  I could not believe my eyes...there was the fabulous pink swimsuit.... in my size!!!!!!!  I tried it on, loved it (it has tummy control, so I felt much, much better in it!)!!!  AND...it was only $44 after my coupon!!!  The lady who checked me out explained that someone had purchased it online and returned it to the store!!!!!  God bless her!!!! 

Saturday, July 9, 2011

How Do You Have Time to.....

...leave your house every day in FULL HAIR & MAKEUP???

As a busy, busy mom, it is sometimes extremely difficult to get it together.  By "it," I mean hair, makeup, jewelry...your total self.  But if you're like me, you won't even think about (or consider, even if paid money) leaving the house in anything less than total hair, makeup and a nicely put together outfit (well...I might cheat on that one a little depending on where I'm going!).

Let me clarify though.....I do this for one reason only....MYSELF!!  I don't put on makeup for my husband, other people, to appear something I'm not, or anything like that.  I do it for me.  I feel better about myself when I wear it, my self esteem is better, and it just makes me feel more confident.  This is not how everyone feels or should feel, but it's my own personal feeling!

So, how do I have time to do it all with a 4 year-old and a baby boy? 
1. Multi-tasking
2. Organization/Preparation
3. Chaos and Craziness

1.  Multi-tasking:  I often take my shower while the baby plays in the empty bathtub next to me.  Then, as long as he's happy, I will keep him in there while I brush my teeth, put in contacts, apply self-tanner and any other morning routines I have.

I have a makeup bag that has all the basics packed at all times that I carry around the house with me.  Lately, I put on my makeup while Mason is in his high-chair eating breakfast...or I'm feeding him breakfast since he's only 9 months and not totally self-sufficient when it comes to feeding himself.

2.  Organization/Preparation: My vanity has everything that I need in the exact place that I need it.  If Mason is taking his morning nap, I will get myself ready at my vanity where I have a drawer for makeup, a drawer for round brushes & combs, a place for hair gels & mousse & hairspray, and my deodorant and perfumes all sit right on top.  It gets sticky, messy, and dirty every time I sit down, but it's so easy to clean up since each and every thing has a place!  (I do have to Windex the glass several times a month, however!)

3.  Chaos and Craziness:  I don't get myself ready with two kids in a nice, calm, reality-tv-show manner.  I mean......come on......there's always some place where we're getting ready to go, or someone who's coming over, or the baby crying, or the 4 year-old whining....it's almost always chaos!!  But it doesn't matter...I still make time for it.  I still make time each and every day for me.  For ME!!!! 

Friday, July 8, 2011

Our Summer...so far!!

Wow, it has been too long since I've sat down and updated this blog!!  My life is practically lived out in pictures on The M&Ms and Pregnant Twins, but it's no excuse!!

Our summer so far....

For the last several weeks, I have been spending every "free" second watching the Casey Anthony trial (since I don't get much "free" time during the day, that equates to just having HLN on in the background of my day).  Wow, what a SHOCKER that verdict was to me.  Sooo disgusting!!

Anyway, here are some pics of some of our summer highlights so far:

 Me & Jim at the Kenny Chesney Concert

My twin sister Sarah, her daughter Reese, Mason & Me

Family Pic!  4th of July parade in our neighborhood

A family tradition in my family...a handmade sign and pic on 4th of July!

And a new tradition...contest for the silliest pic!  Yes, we won!!

Jim and Mason

Our basement is done!  Here are just a couple pics.  More to come when we have it all decorated!

The little bathroom in the new basement!

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

How Many Beauty Products do you Use Daily?

Okay, I decided it was time to count the number of beauty products I use on a daily basis....so here they are, in order of application!

1. Shampoo
2. 3-in-1 Facial Cleanser
3. Shower Gel
4. Soap
5. Conditioner
6. Day Solution
7. Moisturizer
8. Firming Eye Cream
9. Eye Primer
10. Foundation Primer
11. Foundation
12. Concealer
13. Mineral Powder
14. Creme Eyeshadow
15. Mineral Eyeshadow (usually 2-3 colors)
16. Eyeliner
17. Mascara
18. Cheek Color or Bronzing Stick
19. Hair Gel
20. Texturizing Taffy
21. Hairspray
22. Lipstick
23. Lipgloss
24. Oil Free Eyemakeup Remover
25. 3-in-1 Cleansing Bar
26. Night Solution
Wowee.....I didn't realize it was this many!!!  Or maybe that's average??

Saturday, March 5, 2011

I'm Loving.....

My loves of the week:
1.  College Basketball....and March Madness hasn't even started yet!!!
2.  Kenra hairspray: It has rained a ton here lately, so I don't know what I would do without it!!!
3.  Plastic Bins: We are getting our basement finished, which means completely clearing it out before they begin in less than 2 weeks!  Thank goodness for plastic bins!  Now...if only I was good at organizing!!
4.  My diary from 1989: As I've been filtering through all of our "stuff" in the basement, purging and de-cluttering, I came across my diary from when I was 11 years old!!!  Oh, the fond memories of life before the internet, cell phones, iPods, etc!!!  Almost every day I referenced playing outside!  In one entry, I wrote how our electricity was out because of snow.  Then the next day, I wrote that it came back on and how I was so disappointed because I wanted to sleep another night out in the living room by the kerosene heater!!!! 
5.  Bagel Thins: I eat one every day...the whole wheat ones, love them!! Only 110 calories :)

Sunday, February 27, 2011

Mom-Appropriate Tops...

I used to be so embarrassed to go into "teen" clothing stores like Forever 21 with a fear that I would look like I dress too young for my age (since I'm 33!!).  But I heard a celebrity recently say that you should dress your body type, not your age.  So, with that, I did some shopping to find these great "mom-appropriate" tops!  The short shorts that the models are wearing scream "teenager" to me, and are not my style, so I would wear them with jeans of course.  You can't beat these prices!! 
Forever21 top
forever21.com

Forever21 wrap cardigan
$15 - forever21.com

Forever21 chiffon top
$23 - forever21.com

Forever21
$28 - canada.forever21.com


Saturday, February 19, 2011

I LOVE Pepperoni Pizza!!

I loooooove Pepperoni Pizza!!!!  But I hate the calories that usually come with getting one delivered!  So, I came up with my own little secret way to cut major calories.

First, order the thinnest pizza you can order (Dominos is cracker thin), since regular or pan crusts are packed with added calories.

Second, order it with CHEESE ONLY.

Third, when it arrives to your doorstep hot and delicious, heat up some of your own Turkey Pepperoni (which has about half the calories as regular pep) in the microwave and put it on the pizza. (TIP: only heat it for about 10 sec, as it will burn easily.)

Sometimes I order the pizza with one or more veggies instead of just cheese, then put my own pep on top.  

I am loving...

1. Coffee w/chocolate milk- I've never really liked coffee, but thanks to Tim Horton's Cafe Mochas, I'm now addicted to half coffee/half chocolate milk!
2. My new popcorn maker -Jim bought me a popcorn maker for Valentine's Day, so I'm already expecting to gain a few pounds by eating it daily!  If I would only be so consistent with my workouts...!!
3. Not being pregnant!  This time last year, I was suffering from nausea and packing on the pounds! I swear that I'm flatter now than when I was 12...in the chest!!  Gosh, I miss the extra enhancement!
4. The warm weather we've had!  http://twitpic.com/415p58
5. Sleeping through the night, kind of!! Mason has been sleeping 9PM-5AM!

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Sweat Pants

I woke up in the middle of the night last night with a terrible stomach ache.  I blamed it on the two chocolate lava cupcakes I ate for Valentine's Day, but it could have been some virus.  After Tums, Pepto, Tylenol and a heating pad, I felt well enough to fall back to sleep!  So today I'm not feeling my best, and I'm even considering a wardrobe piece that I normally would NEVER, EVER wear out in public...sweat pants!!!!  The only place I have to go today is to drop off Mya at preschool, then pick her up later on.  I did my hair & makeup, so you would think I could muster up the energy to at least put on a decent pair of jeans, but the thought of jeans around my gurgling stomach is enough to make me feel sick again!!  We'll see.......I might just have to commit a fashion crime today, and I know it won't be the end of the world!!!  :)

UPDATE: Yes, I did it.  I went out in public in yoga pants!  I really don't think it was all that bad!

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Review: Sally Hansen Polish Strips

Okay, I posted this pic a couple weeks ago and was soooo excited that I finally found these polish strips.  Well, I have worn them for a week, so here is my review:

PROS
-cute, stylish, fairly easy to apply
-feel like nail polish
-keep my natural nails from peeling or chipping
-no drying time at all (this is FABULOUS for us moms!)

CONS
-they tear easily
-did not stay on as long as I had hoped (one week and they started to come off around the tips), but my hands are in water a lot with 2 kids
-kind of expensive to use weekly (I got them for $8.99 at Target), but it's cheaper than a professional manicure
-wish they had them for toenails too!!!!

As I'm typing this post, I have on the pink glitter ones....getting tons of compliments on them!  They really are beautiful.  People keep asking me how I have my nails done with a new baby and 3 year old!!

Saturday, January 29, 2011

Organize Your Bathroom Vanity

Yay! Found the Sally Hansen Nail Strips @ #CVS


http://twitpic.com/3uish1

They were pretty easy to apply--much easier than I expected.  My only complaint is that one of the packages (they come with two 8-packs), there was a light white line across the stickers.  It's hard to notice, and it was probably just something with the manufacturing.  Other than that, they're great!  They were about $10.00.  I'll update on how long they last!!

Friday, January 21, 2011

Sally Hansen Salon Effects

I just saw these in the February issue of InStyle and can't wait to try them!!!  Says they last 10 days!!!


Tuesday, January 18, 2011

New Workout

Last year I posted about how I was doing Jillian Michaels's 30-day Shred workout and loving it!  Well...then I got preggo and took a little (okay...long) break!  Now I have found a fun, new workout thanks to my husband's Play Station 3.  He got the Active 2 Program for Christmas and I have been using it and loving it!!

I'll go back to Jillian's DVD when it gets closer to summer, since I was sooo pleased with the results.  But for now, I'm going to continue the Active 2.  Each program is a series of lots of quick, one or two-minute segments related to basketball, soccer, aerobics, and even boxing.  You wear an arm band on each arm and one on a thigh to keep track of your heart rate and to track moves and motions throughout the program.

The one negative: apparently you can only keep track of one person's data.  So my husband and I cannot both track our progress separately.  No biggie though....calories burned are calories burned, no matter how they're tracked!!

Friday, January 14, 2011

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Speedy Hair & Makeup

Why do so many women leave the house without doing their hair & makeup?  I guess some think they don't need it....but, come on, don't we all need it??  I think a major reason is because it "takes so much time."  It does not have to take lots of time!!!!  I'm just as busy as the next woman, and I never leave the house without it.

Here is my one, major tip for quick & easy hair & makeup:  Have your products organized and accessible!!

I hope to add pics and video of my own personal vanity & products at some point, but in the meantime, here is an example:

1.  Get a vanity or desk specifically for your makeup & hair products.  This can be a small, simple desk from a garage sale, or you can invest in a real vanity.  Either is great!  You could even designate a few drawers from a chest or dresser you already have.
2.  Trays!  I have my makeup organized in my vanity drawers in litttle trays.  Cheap and easy to grab quickly.  I keep hair brushes directly in the drawers.
3.  Crates!  I use a small crate for hair products like gels, hairspray, etc. 
4. Purse Hanger!  Since I use my hair dryer almost every day, I like to keep it out.  So I have it hanging on a purse hanger on the side of my vanity.  Again...very accessible!
5.  Vases!  I use vases for makeup brushes.  I used to keep them tucked away in cases, but it's so much more convenient to have them sitting out.  Plus, it reminds me to clean them more often when they are out!