Tuesday's List : Beauty Products!

*I originally posted this on August 11th, but since Jessica is having this for her list topic today... I just reposted! :) Enjoy!!*

Well, I have found a new love!! It is bareMinerals! Yes, I finally gave in and bought some. Dont get me wrong.. I have wanted to try it for the longest time. I was just skeptical. And I just couldn't bring myself to spend the $60 on the starter kit on the slight chance that I might hate it. Luckily, while perusing Sephora one day, I spotted a "mini" starter kit.. and only $15!! YAY! Well, all they had was Tan (and i am FARRR from Tan.. ha!) So, I headed over to Ulta and Horray! They had it! I've used it for about a week now and I.AM.IN.LOVE!

Seriously, it's fabulous! All of you Moms know that when you have kids you only get about 2.5 minutes to get your entire self ready! And when you're trying to get TWO kids off to school in the morning.. it can get a little scary! So, my weekday makeup is minimal to say the least. I need something quick and easy. And boy, does bareMinerals deliver! It takes a total of less than 5 min from start to finish and i look completely "make-up'd" when I'm done. Now, I can't wait to to buy the real starter kit when I'm finished with my current kit!

My current beauty routine consists of:

{1} Origins A Perfect World Moisturizer w/ White Tea (LOVE this stuff! Best ever!)

{2} Erase Past by Benefit - Being of the fair-skined breed, I tend to get dark circles under my eyes. (kids make this only that much worse!) So, I do put a little concealer on under my makeup. I love Erase Paste!! (and all things Benefit!) It's magic in a bottle!

{3} bareMinerals Kit - foundations and mineral veil

{4} MAC Mineralize Skinfinish - basically a bronzer. I have both shades and love them equally. I just gives your cheeks that "sun-kissed" glow! :)

{5} After that just a little mascarra and I'm DONE! My favorites are Origins Fringe Benefits (for ordinary days) or Benefit's BadGal Lash (when you need a little extra OOMPH!) :)

I absolutely LOVE my new quick easy Mommy make-up routine! Just a few simple steps and I'm ready for the day! And ALL day at that.. I dont get one free second the rest of the day to "touch-up" and this stuff truly holds ALL DAY! Gotta love it!

This is me with my old make-up. Yes, you can tell a difference, but who needs to look this "made up" every day?! Not me! Being raised a Southern girl, you get taught early on that you must always look your best. There is no excuse for wearing sweats and no make-up ANYWHERE! You just don't do it! Lord only knows who you could run into when you're looking your worst.. horrifying! This was only ingrained into my brain more during my time at Ole Miss! So, this definitely solves my issues of looking my best and not taking all day to apply!

Just in case you're wondering...

My old make-up routine (and the one I will still use if I'm enjoying a night out on the town!) :

{1} Origins A Perfect World mousturizer

{2} Erase Paste by Benefit

{3} Clinique Supermoisture Make-up in Linen

{4} MAC Blushcreme in Posey - blended with fingers

{5} Physican's Formula Muli-Color Powder in Healthy Glow - you can actually find this right at Walgreens! It's my favorite face powder!!

{6} a little bronzer, if needed. (MAC mineral bronzer) and a little mascarra (Orgins or Benefit)

*My favorite eyeshadow is the Bobbi Brown Nude Simmer Brick. Can't go wrong!! I also love the MAC shadows. I tend to stay with the really neutral/browny-beige colors.. like Omega, Gleam and Tempting.

*I always, ALWAYS curl my lashes!! My lashes are ridiculously long, but BOARD straight.. and BLONDE! If I dont curl them.. I can't see!

*My secret trick for straightening out stray brows... a tooth brush! Yep, just a plain ole kid's tooth brush. Works everytime!! :)

*IF I wear eyeliner, which usually doesn't happen, I like just a good ole pencil.

*I don't typically wear lipstick. I feel stupid in it! haha! So, Bert's Bees does me just fine! (and it makes my lip UBER soft! always a plus!)

*I am also a complete believer that the right brushes make the application! You just can't get the same results. I have used several brands of brushes over the years and these two are by far my faves: Bobbi Brown and Eco-Tools. Bobbi's are a little pricey, but well worth the money. Eco-Tools are more cost-concious and are really good too! You can't go wrong with either!

Well, I hope you enjoyed my rantings about bareMinerals.. I hope you all go out and buy some! I HIGHLY recommend it! :)

Tuesday's List: Current Obsessions

Today, my friend, Jessica, is starting up a new blog carinval called "Tuesday's List". I absolutely love her idea and am so excited to participate! This week's topic... Current Obsessions! And oh, do I have plenty of those!! ha! So.. enjoy my current obsessions and go over to Jessica's blog and take a peek at her's!

{1} Fall tv lineup

Ok.. I actually dont get to watch these shows while they're showing, but that is why i LOVE DVR! We dont watch television in our house in the evenings, so Chris and I will typically catch up on shows after the kid's have gone to bed. My faves... Fringe, House, Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice.

{2} Grilled Chicken Sandwiches

OH, the yummy goodness!! Seriously, I can not get enough of them these days! My favorite is the "Hyde Park" from J.Alexander's.. but honestly just one homemade on the grill is good enough for me! :)

{3} Coke

No.. not the illegal substance!!! Just the good ole fashioned Coca-Cola (fountain, prefered!) I know.. I know.. it's terrible for me! And I promise that I do try to set a limit! But sometimes, a Route 44 during Sonic's Happy Hour is enough to just make my day!!

{4} Cardigans

I dont know what it is with cardigans this year, but I just can't get enough of them! I have one in particular that I promise you I have worn almost EVERY SINGLE DAY! Seriously, people are going to start thinking that I have no other clothes in my closet! ha! This is probably why I have refused to walk into J.Crew for about a month now.. every time I do.. I come out with another cardigan! What is wrong with ME?!

{5} Organic Nighty Night Tea

I found this at Whole Foods, while shopping, the other day! I decided to give it a try. The kid's LOVE it!! (and i really do think it helps to calm them down a little before bed!) It's has a nice flavor and is super easy to make! They have several different teas to choose from! Go to Whole Foods and grab one! :)

Ok..... I could go on and on and on and on.. trust me! I'm just going to stop there though! I hope you enjoyed my current obsessions!! Thanks for the idea, Jess! :)

10 things I couldn't live without . . .

Ok, so.. with the weather changing this time of year, I tend to find myself wearing the same things over and over. It's almost like I get "closet favorites" and certain things are always my go-to items to put on. (i'm sure everyone does this!) Don't get me wrong.. my closet is literally busting at the seams with too much stuff. And honestly, not even half of it gets worn!! I'm terrible at that! But especially this time of year, you know, when it's chilly in the mornings and evenings but blazing hot in the middle of the afternoon, I need stuff that I can layer and can adjust with the temperature. So.. I guess when I find something that works well.. I just stick with it!

I noticed on Kelly's Korner the other day, that she was talking about her obsession with ruffles this season. I have to admit.. I'm loving the ruffles too!! I've recently bought several pieces with ruffles on them! (i think it's just in our "girly" nature to love a good ruffle from time to time!) So, I thought I'd share with you some of my favorite, go-to items in my closet right now! You'll start to notice that I'm definitely going for comfort and easy these days!! Luckily, this "mommy" style (as I call it) has been the "IT" style recently! Oh, thank goodness I can still be stylish even though I have spaghetti sauce running down me! ;)

So.. here are my Top Ten Faves right now!! I'm sure you could see me in any one of these outfits on a given day!

{10}

Ok.. this is more of an outfit.. a sweater with shorts! Love it!

My favorite sweater right now is the cotton/silk Banana Republic v-neck. It's lightweight and perfect for the chilly mornings. I typically wear a light t-shirt underneath for when the afternoons warm up. I pair this up with a cute pair of shorts and it's perfect!!

I have to admit that until this summer, I didn't wear shorts! I just was never a "shorts" type of person. But I love the clean lines of this style. The pair I typically wear is from Express, but look identical to the ones below. I also love a pair of Bermuda shorts from Gap that I have. So.. I'm learning to embrace shorts and with the cute sweaters above.. how can you not love them?!

{9}


Cotton skirts!

I bought several of these from Old Navy one day in the late spring and FELL IN LOVE!! They're just easy going cotton skirts! You can't go wrong with them! They're great with everything! The best part is that I paid $10 for them!! Love it!

{8}

Flip Flops

Gosh, do I love flip flops! Don't be surprised to see me in the middle of January wearing flip flops! I, of course, own way too many! Here's a pic of one of my faves...

{7}

Gap Favorite T-Shirt

I think I probably own close to 20 of these.. different neck styles and colors. You can never go wrong with one of these greats!

{6}

Target Kimono Dress

I bought this dress a few months ago and absolutely love it!! I just happen to see it while shopping in Target and snagged it up. I think it was around $20.. great deal! It is super comfy and easy to wear anywhere! I have a soft purple color.

{5}

Gray shirt from Banana

I don't know what the name of this shirt is and it's no longer on their website.. but I LOVE IT! It's just a gray soft cotton, loose fitting t-shirt! I tried to find a good picture, but couldn't. This picture is as close as I could get. I might just have to take of picture of mine one day! ;)

{4}

J.Crew Twist Dress

I found this dress at the J.Crew store for $20.. can you believe it.. $20!! It's been one of my absolute favorite items of the summer. You can wear it ANYWHERE! I've dressed it down, I've worn it to the pool and I even dressed it up and wore it in our family pictures! Seriously.. best item I bought this summer.. hands down!

{3}

Orange leather sandals

I bought a pair of leather sandals from Banana earlier in the summer. I have fallen in love with them and wear them almost every day! I couldn't find a picture of the ones I bought, but they look similar to the ones below. The straps on mine are a burnt orange color and the sole is a harder brown leather, but the style is the same! They are super comfy and look great with anything!!

{2}

Seven For All Mankind jeans

You can never go wrong with a good pair of Sevens!! I have a pair that I've literally had for YEARS.. and they show it! But it's my favorite pair! They're soft and worn now.. perfect!! Always the jeans I'm looking for in my closet!! This time of year, they're perfect with a tank top!

{1}

It's a tie...

The first thing is my pink scarf.. I love cute lightweight scarves this time of year.. the perfect accessory for a great pair of jeans and a tank top!

The second item is a cotton cardigan from Banana! Again, couldn't find a pic.. but this one is close! My cardigan is just a cotton jersy material.. not so much "wooly" like this one. But the style is similar. I LOVE IT!! Great for those cool mornings and easy to remove for the afternoon!

Actually though.. cardigans in general are probably my favorite clothing item going into fall! I absolutely adore cardigans! I think they're going to be a big hit this fall, so I'll probably start stocking up on some more!!

Well.. those are my Top Ten Favorite items right now!! What are yours?? What can you not live without right now?! What are you wearing over and over and over and..... you get the idea! ha!

a little down-time

Do you have any pets? we have a chocolate lab, Dixie and two new OUTDOOR kittens, Oliver and Max

What is the last book you read? I am currently reading Sunday's at Tiffany's. It's good.. I just never have time to read!

What's your favorite sport? College Football! Baseball is my fave to watch though! Love it!

Do you enjoy sleeping late? "Late" for me is 8am... And yes, when I get to, I love it.

What's the weather like right now? Hot.. and getting hotter!

Do you like your eggs scrambled or sunny side up? Scrambled with cheese

Is your room messy? My entire house is a mess right now! That's what happens when you have two kids!

What do you like better: oranges or apples? oranges

Are you a good guesser? I have really good intuition if that's what you mean.

Can you read other people's expressions? Sometimes

Do you have a job? I work about 20 hrs a week at a "real" job! (while my kiddos are in school) And then I get to go home and be a full-time Mommy! I love it!!

What time did you wake up this morning? 7:30

What did you eat for breakfast this morning? a bottle of water.. exciting, huh?!

What do you plan on doing tomorrow? hopefully something fun with my hubby! :)

What's your favorite day of the week and why? I like Sundays, dont know why.. just do.

Do you have any nicknames? Mommy

What's your least favorite color? hmmm... until recently you would have never caught me dead in yellow or orange. I'm learning to broaden my wardrobe horizons though! :)

Would you ever go skydiving? not sure.. first thought, NO! second thought, maybe?!

What toothpaste do you use? Crest! I've always been a Crest kid! (never had a cavity either!) :)

Do you enjoy challenges? I do!

What's the worst injury you have had? Ethan bruised my ribs when I was pregnant with him. I literally thought I was going to die! It was awful!!

What's the last movie you saw? Chris and I watching Knowing last night... soo good!! (and kinda creepy!)

What is your dream vacation? I'd really love to go to Australia.. swim the Great Barrier. That's something that's a little less attainable than the other places I want to go. (Cabo.. Spain.. Tahiti.. haha!)

What is your favorite animal? Dogs or horses.

Do you need to do laundry? Oddly enough, no. My only load is in the dryer now!

What color are your bed sheets? red. we only have one set that chris likes.. so they get washed over and over.. MEN!

How do you like your coffee? I dont like it at all.

Do you watch cartoons? only with the kids. LK likes anything on Disney. E likes Bob the Builder and Toy Story.

Name three things in the world you dislike: right now it's hard to limit this list to 3! here goes... liars, water spots on the sink and yellow teeth/nails

Would you ever have plastic surgery? I have to get my deviated septem repaired.. my nose is WAY crooked (at least to me it is!) Other than that.. no. I'm good!

Name 10 things you'd like to accomplish within the next year:
1. Go pick up my Volvo XC-90 that they're holding for me down at the dealership.. ha! yeah right! (really just a new car for mommy!)
2. Get Dixie a friend (maybe Christmas!)
3. Finish painting & decorating all the rooms in my house (seriously, we've been there a year.. it's about time!)
4. Take the kids to Disney World (we're planning now!)
5. Go to the beach!
6. Get the kids more active in things
7. Find a great church home
8. Take horseback riding lessons with LK
9. Work my way up to running my 5K!
10. Do more volunteer work

My Favorites:
Restaurant: Bonefish
Season: when summer is turning into fall
Type of weather: fall weather
Emotion: a nice "happy" cry
Color: green
Candy: i dont like candy
Fruit: strawberries
Veggie: asparragus(sp?)
Dessert: cheesecake
Type of cake: strawberry
Magazine: Southern Living & BHG
TV Show: anything on Food Network
Holiday: Christmas-time
Sport to watch: baseball
Flower: lillies & daisies

Baby, we were born to run . .

My friend, April, has convinced me to run a 5K with her. Yes... we have both lost our minds!! I am NOT a runner.. in the least! I can count on one hand the number of times I have been in a gym. (and if "working out" consists of complaining of sweat and exhaustion.. then i guess I "worked out"!) I barely WALK around the block, yet alone RUN! Growing up I would spend countless hours in a ballet studio, usually around 6-8 per week. Between tap, ballet, jazz, gymnastics, baton twirling, etc .. I got PLENTY of physical activity! Bottom line.. I've never HAD to get in a gym or learn to run. So... why not do it for fun?! I've always said that I'd like to run. People I know who do it , LOVE it. They say it's a great stress reliever and a great "me" time for thinking! And after spending 8 hours a day with 2 kids.. you need a little "me" time! :) So, when April asked.. I said, YES! That means I have 8 weeks to work myself up to running 3.1 miles. AAAHHHH!!! Where do I even start! GOOGLE! (dont you love it?!) I googled "how to train for a 5k" and what do you know.. there are people out there just like me!! And I found exactly what I was looking for.. an 8-week training schedule! HORRAY!



How perfect?! I will probably do my running on Monday, Wednesday and Friday though.. those days are easier for me! I might even be able to convice my husband to do this with me?! :)

So, my next step was to find out the distances in my neighborhood. (there is NO way I could do the treadmill with my lack of patience!) So, I found MapMyRun. You find your neighborhood.. find your starting point.. and then map your route! It'll tell you how many miles it is! Here's my route:


One complete loop around my neighborhood is 1.6 miles. So, 2 loops is 3.2 miles. If i can get up to 2 loops in 8 weeks... I'll be ready for my race!! :) Wish me luck!! I'll keep you all up-to-date with my progress!

All about ME!

So, a friend of mine, Caroline, posted this little "Get to know Me" thing and I just had to follow along! How fun?! Once you become a Mom, you dont really get to talk about yourself anymore. It's always about the kiddos! So.. here's a little bit about me!

I love polka dots.. like, really, really love polka dots. It’s an obsession. If I could have everything polka dotted, trust me.. I would!

I absolutely love my husband. I think how life works out is sometimes a mystery, but I’m glad mine has worked out exactly the way it has! I think God had a plan for us.. we just had to stop being so stubborn to finally see it! He’s my best friend and probably the only person in the world who can put up with me and my ways. :) I am extremely lucky to have him.

I love to travel. I have been almost everywhere in the US, so I’m thinking Europe and Australia are next on my list! (hint, hint Christopher! Ha!) So far, San Francisco is my favorite! I love everything about it.. the food, the shopping, the weather.. everything!

I can’t cook. Seriously.. can’t do it! Believe me, I try and I can do simple things, but cooking an entire meal is enough to make me break out in hives! I can bake though and I love it! Funny thing is, that I don’t eat what I bake b/c I don’t like sweets. I’m strange, I know! :) I just enjoy the exactness of it. The measurments and the fact that if as long as you follow the recipe, you can't mess it up!! I dont like to fail! :)

I love buying new things for my home. I am constantly coming home with something that was “just a great deal”!! (I think everything is a great deal when I want it.. ha!) I am always painting and redecorating rooms and thinking of news ways I can re-do furniture. I think the ladies in PB and PBO know me by first name now. (not the mention the UPS guy!)

I’ve pretty much lived in Memphis my entire life. I don’t necessarily love Memphis, but I love living in the South. I would really like to move to South Carolina or the Georgia coast. I love everything about the South and being Southern. I wouldn’t want my children to grow up anywhere else! I want to be just like my great-grandma Mae one day… still growing vegetables and gardening at 92! When I was little I would watch Gone With The Wind over and over and pray to be just like Scarlett! Haha.. oh, what imaginations little girls have! :) (and I think I kept that “scarlett attitude” with me!)

I happen to think that my children are the most beautiful, photogenic kids in the world. I may be a bit bias, but have you seen them?! I absolutely love my kids and I love that I get to be home with them as much as I am. Growing up, I never really wanted kids and I wasn’t exactly “motherly”. Once I became a Mom though, my entire outlook on life changed and my world revolves around them. I love that my Lilly Kate may look just like her Daddy, but she is truly me on the inside! I love that Ethan has Hercules upper-body strength and is destined to be a linebacker, but still bashfull and sweet! They’re polite, fun-loving and have the best smiles in the world. They’re growing so fast and I strive to make each day a happy one for them and give them all the things they want. Yes, I spoil them, but spoiling is a way of life for me. I’ve been spoiled for 26 years! They keep me laughing and can make any bad day better!

I miss my grandfather more than anyone will ever know. He was my most favorite person in the world. To this day, I still walk in my grandmother’s house and expect him to be there.

I have recently come to terms with learning to forgive. (and I say that loosely) I have struggled with this for such a long time. There are not many people in this world whom I dislike or judge. I don’t like to be judged, so I don’t do it.. bottom line. In saying this, I wasn’t always so good at doing so. If you know me, then you know what I’m talking about. I wont go into specific detail about it, but I will just say that I held a grudge and I judged certain people. I thought not-so-nice things about this person and couldn’t seem to forgive the childish, selfish acts that were put against me. However, I have come to realize that not everyone is perfect (no matter how perfect they think they are) and that karma always comes back to you... times 10! I am happy with my life and that’s all that matters. I think faith in God and having a kind, Christian heart are the most important attributes to posses.. truly forgiving is the first step!

I couldn’t think of a #10, so I’m just going to list some of my favorite things… kate spade. shopping. big sunglasses. oversized purses. the lake. margaritas & hurricanes. high heels. sushi. "me" time. road trips. going to dinner. southern etiquette. black & white pics. Pat O's! San Francisco. pearls. polka dots. baking. designer jeans. my cashmere gloves. pottery barn & PBKids. my maclaren buggy. crab cakes. traveling. taking pictures. attempting to cook. snowflakes. the derby & mint juleps. pedicures. tennis. Christmas shopping. Audrey Hepburn. dressing up. fishing. anything monogrammed. weddings. baseball. whiskey on game days & tailgating! retail therapy. online shopping. huey’s cheese fries & ranch dressing. closet and office organization. bubble baths and a glass of wine. Macy’s cosmetic counters.

Things that are not my favorite! - Mr.Edd & bangs! storms. chocolate & sweets. liars/hypocrites. 5 o'clock traffic. dust. a messy kitchen. feet. yellow teeth. bills. drama. cigarette smoke. bad manners. beer - esp from a can (trashy). fake nails. public restrooms.

OK! Now it's your turn... tell me all about you! :)

late-night-ology

So, I was doing Ethan's thank you's and got bored (not unusual!). I came accross Jessica's page and found the fun little "ology" below. I haven't done one of these since the old MySpace days, so I thought I'd participate too! Thanks, Jess! :) Just the little break I needed!


FOOD-OLOGY

What is your salad dressing of choice? huey's ranch
What is your favorite sit-down restaurant? bonefish! crab cakes, bang bang shrimp and incredible mango salsa salmon... mmmm.. i'm suddenly hungry!
What food could you eat for 2 weeks straight and not get sick of it? cereal
What are your pizza toppings of choice? i'm not really a pizza eater, but if i had to choose then just plain ole cheese
What do you like to put on your toast? butter and strawberry jelly

TECHNOLOGY

How many televisions are in your house? 3.. living room, bedroom and playroom. usually at least two are playing Bob the Builder simultaneously.. BOYS!
What color cell phone do you have? red blackberry.. hopefully a black iphone soon :)
What does the first text message in your inbox say and who sent it? i dont have it near me but probably something about ethan yelling at lilly
Who was the last person to call you? my mom

BIOLOGY

Are you right-handed or left-handed? right
Have you ever had anything removed from your body? wisdom teeth and a baby
What is the last heavy item you lifted? ethan

RANDOM-OLOGY

If it were possible, would you want to know the day you were going to die? absolutely not!
If you could change your name, what would you change it to? I wouldn't.
Would you drink an entire bottle of hot sauce for $1000? i don't think i'd be able to...

DUMB-OLOGY

How many pairs of flip flops do you own? about 4 or 5
Last time you had a run-in with the cops? when i got my first speeding ticket since high school a few weeks ago!! i was going 45 in a 40!! ridiculous! it was a $24 ticket.. really, was that even worth giving me a ticket in the first place???
Last person you talked to in person? chris
Favorite Month? these days.. one where every weekend doesn't have something planned!

CURRENT-OLOGY

Missing someone? my pop
Mood? worn out.. tired.. bored.
What are you listening to? commercials on tv
Watching? jon and kate plus 8
Worrying about? ha! there is definitely not enough room on this page for all that!

RANDOM-OLOGY

What’s the last movie you watched? Gran Torino
Do you smile often? i do! my kids make me smile and laugh alot!
Do you always answer your phone? i try too.
It’s four in the morning and you get a text message, who is it? my phone automatically turns off from midnight till 7am, so i wouldn't get it!
If you could change your eye color what would it be? i like my green eyes!
Do you own a digital camera? i'm obsessed!
Have you ever had a pet fish? we've had a few! elvis, pricilla, lisa marie and the memphis mafia!
Favorite Christmas song? Judy Garland's "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas"
What’s on your wish list for your birthday? Nikon D-60 and my Kate Spade eyeglasses
Can you do push-ups? most definitely not!
Can you do a chin up? ha! this makes me laugh.
Does the future make you more nervous or excited? excited
Do you have any saved texts? can't say that i do
Ever been in a car wreck? only one.. college. nothing serious.
Do you have an accent? i'd imagine i sound southern to someone from another part of the country.
What is the last song to make you cry? i have no idea
Plans tonight? kids and mommy are going to bed early!
Have you ever felt like you hit rock bottom? oh yes!
Name 2 things you bought yesterday. actually i didn't even leave my house yesterday. today i bought a $1 mcdonalds coke and some chicken for dinner
Current hate right now? that i can't find my green PB lamp online anymore... ethan broke mine! :(
Met someone who changed your life? yes. Lilly Kate
What song represents you? i really like the Darius Rucker song "Alright" right now!
What were you doing 12 AM last night? going to bed
What was the first thing you thought of when you woke up? my back hurts from ethan kicking me!