Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Summer Skin

One of the best things about the start of the summer season is getting a bit of color!  However, as we all know, getting too much sun can be terrible for your skin.  Getting a good faux glow without sun damage is tricky, but I've found a few products that can help amp up the glow!


Jergens has recently reformulated the Natural Glow line with a less harsh odor.  If you're used to getting your tan from a bottle, you understand how hard it is to find a self tanner that doesn't leave behind that horrible self tanner smell.  I've tried plenty, and even when they claim to have no odor, within 30 minutes of applying, I usually just want to run take a shower!  I recently grabbed a bottle of the fair to medium trial size Jergens from the drug store and was amazed at how faint the smell was.....and I have a hound dog nose, so that's saying something.  I've also tried the medium to tan version, but I've noticed that it's more of an orange color.  I've been very pleased with the fair to medium color and after applying 2 days in a row, noticed a difference! 


Need a great bronzer?  NARS "Laguna" is my all-time favorite.  NARS also makes a blush/bronzer duo with their famous "orgasm" blush.  This bronzer is amazing and is the best color for my skin to get the most authentic 'tanned' look.  The colors are bright and shimmery, however at $41, it's a bit pricey!

If you're not in the market for spending 40 smackers on a blush and bronzer, try e.l.f.'s version in "St. Lucia"  This blush/bronzer duo has recently gotten great reviews as a nice dupe for the NARS version.  And it's only $3!!!  I was pretty skeptical when I saw reviews of this product, but after trying it, I was pleasantly surprised.  The colors are a little less pigmented than NARS, but the price difference is amazing.  It blends really well and the colors are great! 
While you're in the e.l.f. section, go ahead and grab a tube of the Shimmering facial whip.  I dab it on my cheekbones and temples after bronzing to add a little extra glow! And.....it's 99 cents!!  You can't beat that.


Happy Bronzing!! 
XO,

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Slip Sliding

If you saw the "Lake Fun" post from last week, you'll remember that after the kids had such a blast on the waterslide at the lake, we looked into purchasing one.  After doing a little research, we decided on a slide that was a smidge smaller since Beckett is a bit younger.  I have to say, I think I was more excited than anyone to get it!  It's so unbelievably hot here in the summer, you can't be outside without a way to cool off!  I would love more than anything to one day have a pool, but since my parents have a pool and live very close, this was definitely the way to go!   

These things are amazing!  They come with a pump and are blown up completely within two minutes.  Chad and I set it up Friday afternoon and had it ready to go Saturday morning.  Since we had such a fun new toy to play with, we had some friends over for some backyard fun!  Amanda, Hagen, Lauren, Anna Wallace, Christy, Carson and Uncle Beau all helped Beckett break in the new slide!!  We grilled hot dogs for lunch and the kids played on the slide ALL DAY!  We were all completely worn out and in the bed by about 9:30.   


If you're in the market for your own slide, Target has some of their models on temporary price cut right now.  

I can't wait to blow it up again this weekend for some more fun in the sun! 

XO,

Monday, June 17, 2013

Curl It Up

I had a request from a friend to do a tutorial post on how I curl my hair.  I was flattered that she liked my hair enough to ask for a tutorial post, so I obliged and took some pics to illustrate exactly how I do my 'do!'

PS, I feel that these pics are ultra cheezy, but how does one take pictures of themselves and smile, all while holding an intensely hot curling iron and heavy dslr camera?  I almost burned myself numerous times!!

First off, I'll start by telling you I have intensly thick, dry, bleached hair!  underneath all that blonde is a mane of very dark locks.  For the last few years, I've refrained from washing my hair every day and have now reduced my washing routine to about twice a week.  I use either PSSSSST dry shampoo or Suave on the days that I don't wash it.  These pics were taken the morning after I washed my hair, and let dry overnight.  

Depending on the look I want to achieve, I take a different approach.  Sometimes I wash my hair before bed, apply serum, towel dry and go to bed with a damp head, other times I dry it with the hair dryer and if I'm looking for a smoother curl, I'll flat iron before bed and then curl it in the morning.  The first technique gives the curliest look.  The steps below are after I slept on it wet:  

First I have my tools ready.  After washing, I always apply Biosilk serum.  I either use a 1 or a 1.5 inch barrel T3 curling iron and I use two separate hairsprays.  I use Loreal Elnett before I curl it to create the curls and Redken forceful 23 to keep it in place! 


I always curl or straighten in 3 sections.
I start by piling 2/3 of my hair on top of my head with a clip.
I always start with the pieces beside my face.
I spray the piece that I'm about to curl with Elnett. 
I run the curling iron through the hair--sort of like a flat iron first to smooth it out.
Then, on the second pass, I start by curling the first piece in the middle
AWAY from my face,  leaving the ends exposed.  
Here's where it gets a bit trickier.
Next I loosen the barrel a smidge and twist it so that I now am curling
more of the hair that was exposed at the bottom. 
I loosen again and curl the remaining piece of hair. 
....continuing around the remaining hair until I reach the back of my head,
then I start over again on the other side of my face.
Again, I always curl away from my face! 
I repeat the process with the other two layers
until I've finished.
Non-frizzy curls!!
This is the result with a 1 inch barrel iron.
The below pic is the result from using a 1.5 inch barrel and leaving the ends exposed. 
Using the 1.5 inch barrel and not curling the ends, gives it a more natural, wavier look. 


Hope this helps for those of you that have asked! 

Happy Monday. 
XO, 

Monday, June 10, 2013

Lake Fun!

I have a confession to make.  I bought another camera!  I've invested so much money into my 60D, I have a hard time traveling with it for fear I may end up breaking it.  I've been looking at buying a backup for the last few years and finally broke down and did it last week.  Crazy enough, I settled on a Canon Rebel xsi, just like my previous one that I sold a few years ago along with a 50 mm 1.8 lens.  I found one on Amazon used that was in excellent condition that was a fraction of the cost that I paid back in 2010. 

I have to say, I'm SO glad I finally did this!  With plenty of kids around and spending so much time around the water, It's nice not to freak about taking it on the boat, or making sure it's high up on a shelf away from little hands.  I could relax and snap away!  

Friday afternoon we packed up and headed to Santee Resort with our friends Katie and Darby.  They have two precious girls that Beckett adores and they all had a blast together the whole weekend! 
Molly Catherine just turned 5.  Beckett let her play with his new Buzz Lightyear and Woody
while he checked out the tractors. 

Molly Catherine is a ham.  She LOVES the camera and loves to pose.
Since I had a camera I wasn't going to have a heart attack if it got messed up, I let her
snap a few pics over the weekend too.
She calls this her "royal smile" 
"Shay Shay" just waking up. 
They brought the inflatable slide/pool with them and the kids had a BLAST!
Beckett repeatedly ran up to me with is arms in the air yelling: "Mommy, I having SO much FUN!"
I'm now in the market for an inflatable slide.

As if the big pool and slide weren't enough, they had to have a kiddie pool as well. 
Molly Catherine needed a hat, so she borrowed mine.
He was scared to go down the slide.  Most of the afternoon he just climbed up and slid back down
the ladder with Chad's help. 
Crawling UP and sliding down the slide seemed less scary. 

Molly Catherine taking a quick 'spa' rest.  
Having so much fun together! 
We even fit in a boat ride Saturday afternoon.
My boys having some boating fun! 
Molly Catherine was beat!
She curled up and took a nap on her Daddy on the ride home. 
Captain Beckett steering us home!  

Where is my baby??
This boy has grown so much in the last few months, it's scary! 
Saturday night, they all curled up in the bed and watched Toy Story together.
They were so well behaved and played so good together!  
We went out on the boat for a little while again on Sunday
Beckett just couldn't keep his eyes open! 
Soaking in the sun....and every memory of him at this age!

Happy Monday!
XO,

Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Finally!!

Finally a photo post!!  Due to the demise of our laptop, I've been stuck with no way to edit or upload my photos until recently and finally had a chance to sit down last night and weed through the 2,000 that were on my memory card.  Here are a few that were taken in the last few months. 
Experimenting with 2 different lenses.
I love catching shots of those blue eyes.
 
Easter party at Ms. Pams.  ALWAYS a load of fun.
He had a blast bouncing in the bounce house again. 

Easter craft time.
Check out the scratch on his nose.  I edited it out in the later photos,
but can't help but keep the boo boo in some of the pictures for authenticity. 
Easter egg hunt (ahem, pick up) 

Nonna made him a special bunny cake for Easter. 
Nonna and Poppa gave him an Easter basket with some Black and Decker tools which was great because
Gigi and Doc sent him yard tools which included a weed eater and a chainsaw. 
The set Nonna and Poppa gave him came with goggles.....that he didn't understand how to put on correctly.....or why we were laughing so hard at hi
m. 
My sweet, handsome little man!


Giving Nonna big squeezes! 
While daddy, Uncle Beau and poppa napped, Nonna and I went outside for some bubble fun. 
Getting tired! 
Watch out, Nonna's got the camera.  

Little ducktail in the back.  

In early April, Christy and Carson came for a night and the kids played.
They had a blast together! 
This picture cracks me up because this was probably the only time Carson even pouted. 
Quick make up!
So cute!

Happy Tuesday!
XO,