Monday, August 26, 2013

Game Week!

It's that time of year again!!  We're about to kickoff football season!!  Whoooo hoo!!  USC kicks off the season this Thursday and we are ready!!  

If you've followed my blog for a while, you've noticed that the Monday downloads have disappeared. Not because I got lazy with them, just because I can't find a way to get youtube to share on blogger.  I loved being able to share my favorite music, so I'm researching how to fix this issue. In the meantime, here's a quote I saw on pinterest today that I thought was worth sharing.  Can't really argue with ESPN on this one!  


Happy Monday! 
XO, 

Friday, August 23, 2013

New Favorites

I've gone on a bit of a beauty buying binge lately.  I'm about to turn 34 and it's insane how after I hit 30, had a baby, and spent a good bit of time out in the sun, I felt like I needed a recharge.  This summer I've found some fantastic items that I just couldn't wait to share!

New favorites




Hawaiian Tropic After Sun Silk Hydration Lotion I love the coconut papaya scent and it leaves your skin looking nice and glowy.

Victoria's Secret After Sun Tan Enhancing Lotion There are no words.  I could use this stuff year round!  It's super thick and nourishing and has an amazing scent!

Lancome Teint Idole Ultra 24H Foundation  I haven't been to a beauty counter for my foundation in years.  After traveling with my friend Lauren (who is OBSESSED with skin care and has yelled at me since we were 16 about not washing my face before bed) I realized it was time to upgrade.  After all, I'm in my 30's.  I should be able to find a foundation that is perfect for my skin, right?  After shopping around and trying many different samples, I settled on Lancome.  The 24 hour formula is non transferable and stays on all day!

Glam Glow Mud Mask I've heard lots of hype about this mud mask and it's amazing results, so I had to try is as well.  After one use my pores shrunk considerably and my face was baby soft!! This stuff really does work!!

Bliss Youth As We Know It Anti-Aging Serum Hydrates Immediately leaves your skin feeling hydrated and fresh. A little goes a long way and I only apply this before bed.

StrVectin Eye Cream  Fantastic eye cream!!  I use this in the morning and at night.

StriVectin SD for Stretch Marks and Wrinkles  Who doesn't need a lotion for face AND stretch marks?  No lie, I can see more of a difference with this stretch mark cream than any I've tried so far!

Revlon Lash Potion Mascara I have quite the addiction to mascaras.  A new one hits the shelf and I'm the first to be the guinea pig.  This has been my favorite so far and I swear I can see a difference in the length of my lashes.  Good stuff and NOT expensive!

Tarte Pure Maracuja Oil I've only just started using this recently but really like it.  Just after reading the online reviews about this natural oil, I wanted to try for myself.  I only use it at night and sparingly, but I fell like it's helped reduce redness and dark spots already.  However, if you have super sensitive skin, you may want to try a sample of this before buying.  A friend of mine tried it and broke out, but so far, it seems to be helping my skin.

Tarte "Shades of Clay" Eye Palette  I'm on a Tarte kick, I realize.  After falling in love with the colors in this palette at Ulta (which was out of stock) I ended up ordering it from Tarte.com.  Great shimmer and just the right colors for a natural smokey eye!

Tarte Smoldereyes Waterproof Liner in 'Champagne  I use this in the inside corners of my eyes to make me 'look' awake....and it lasts all day!  Great as a lower lid liner for extra drama or for evening.
 
E.L.F. Brow Kit  Includes 2 shades for lasting brow sculpting.  And only $3!

Happy Weekend! 
XO, 

Thursday, August 22, 2013

Flash Sale Finds

Do you shop flash sale sites?  I've recently become quite addicted to shopping these sites and browsing the newest markdowns daily.

My favorite sites I frequent daily are: 


Today, My Habit is featuring one of my absolute favorite handbag lines, Foley + Corinna.  I have the bag featured below and it's one of my favorites because it's so versatile.  It can be worn as a crossbody or shoulder bag and is made of the most buttery soft leather!  I get loads of compliments and questions when I carry it. My Habit has a variety of colors available as well, but I have the camel (featured below).



Retail on this bag is $395 
My Habit price is $166!  

Click HERE for details

Hurry before they are gone!  

Mexico!

Vacation, vacation, vacation!!  It was faaaaaar past time for this 'ole gal to hop on an airplane and take a trip somewhere tropical where I could lie around and sip cocktails while someone waited on me! Chad goes snow skiing in Aspen every year and because I'm not fond of the cold (or falling all day and being sore on my vacation), I choose to stay at home and let him go by himself.

Before we became parents we traveled constantly!! We spent every other weekend in Charleston. We've enjoyed cruises to numerous islands in the Carribbean, trips to New Orleans, New York, Colorado, Jamaica....  With no children or pets, it was never hard to plan any getaway.....until now.  We were always spontaneous and could easily jet away, but since Beckett has been born, I've only traveled as far as Charleston overnight for a wedding.

My biggest requests were service, spa and sun.  No sightseeing, no excursions.  I cared nothing about what kind of gym was offered, zip-lining adventures or swimming with dolphins.  I wanted to lay my white self in the sun and have someone repeatedly ask me questions like "what can I get you to drink?" or "may I take your order?"

I was so excited that our friends Lauren and Glen decided to go with us. It's never fun to travel alone, we needed amigos to accompany us on our vacation!  Excellence Riviera came highly recommended as a great all-inclusive, so after reading tons of glowing reviews, we decided to book our trip to Mexico!!
The swim-up suite was so wonderful!  It was so nice to be able to walk out on our terrace and enjoy pool access and lounge chairs just steps away!  
The resort offered a variety of restaurants to choose from.  I think we all agreed that the French restaurant, Chez Isabelle was our favorite, but Spice Hibachi restaurant and The Grill were excellent as well.

Really?  Can we take them anywhere?  
Old friends making new memories together!  
Take me BACK!!  
Enjoying champagne and music after dinner at Agave Mexican restaurant
(Where Glen tried the roasted grasshoppers).
Yes, you read that right, GRASSHOPPERS! 
He removed the legs because he "didn't want them getting stuck in his teeth" 
2 mamas enjoying adult time.....but missing the kids like crazy!!  
A lady we met right after we arrived suggested the "Banana mamas" on the cocktail menu.
These became the pool drink of choice for the few days we were there! 



Glen was dying to see the magic show.....until the magician disappeared with 
the $20 bill he gave him for a magic trick.  






Lauren and I decided long before ever booking this trip that we wanted to find a resort with a great spa. The second day we were there, we walked to the spa to book our massages.  Wow!  What a palace!  I absolutely HATE that I didn't get a picture of it.  It looked like a white temple with 2 story panels of breezy curtains flowing at the entrance.  We booked an 80 minute massage that included an extra hour of hydrotherapy.  We were so excited to be spending more time at the spa than we anticipated, we literally skipped across the resort to meet back up with the boys.  

As wonderful as the hydrotherapy sounded, I have to say, it was a bit different than what we both expected. I assumed we'd be sitting in some sort of pool or spa that massaged our backs, but that wasn't exactly the case.  It's more of an obstacle course in water massage/detox of steam and dry saunas, ice cold plunge pools and water jets.  Not exactly the most relaxing hour of my life, but I'm glad I got to experience it!

After our hydrotherapy experience, we were ushered upstairs to the massage waiting room.  The atmosphere was calm and tranquil and after we both had fantastic massages, we were given champagne and chocolates since we (haha!!) booked a couples massage since we ARE a couple of crazies! 


Lauren woke up from her massage with braids....I, however, never turned over and
had the masseuse work on my back the whole time.  
I do have a disclaimer to add.  I knew I would miss my child terribly, but by the second to last day, I was in tears and was ready to get home to put my heart back together.  I kept thinking; why on earth did we decide to leave the COUNTRY for our first vacation away from him?!  

We had a few days in paradise, but in all reality, the paradise is right here! 

We really did have an excellent time and the resort gets 2 thumbs up.  I'd love to be able to return one day and do it again!!  

If your'e interested in info on Excellence Riviera, visit their website at: 

Hasta Luego!
XO, 

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Beckett Chatter


We've been working on responsibility lately.  I've been trying to give Beckett some small chores and tasks that not only help teach him the importance of pitching in, but that ultimately help ME out! And.....maybe his future wife will give me a big 'thank you' for teaching him how to help out around the house.  

One of his favorite things to help with is the laundry.  I open the lid of the washer, turn it on and tell him it's his turn to wash his clothes --he runs and grabs his laundry basket, pulls it into the laundry room and loads it up!!  Once the basket is full he yells, "finished!"  and asks for me to hold him up to see the water fill up the washing machine!!  He'd rather load a washer any day than pick up books and toys. Somehow I need to find a way to make picking up toys fun.  Suggestions are welcome by the way.... 

Now, on to the randomness that flows from his mouth lately:  

After picking up Beckett from daycare; out of the blue:
Beckett:  "My Nonnah gets on my NERVES!" 
Me:  "What?  Why would you say that?" 
Beckett:  "Be-CAUSE (he always stresses the 'cause') she told me to get off that tractor with Poppa!!"  
Me:  "That was weeks ago." 
Beckett:  "I know!  She got on our nerves!!"
Little boy doesn't forget a THING! 
_________________________________________________________________________________

Unbeknownst to Chad or I, while we were in Mexico, Poppa took Beckett on a short trip to the hardware store where he fed him chocolate milk and cookies.  Last Saturday, Chad tried to plan an outing to Lowe's and take Beckett with him.  
Chad:  "Beckett, do you want to ride with me to the hardware store?" 
Beckett:  "Yes!!!  I can get cookies and chocolate milk!"
Chad:  "Beckett, we aren't going to the grocery store, they don't have cookies and chocolate milk at the hardware store." 
Beckett:  "Yes they DO!!  Poppa took me and got me cookies and chocolate milk at the hardware store!" 
Hmmmm.....looks like poppa has some explaining to do.....
_________________________________________________________________________________

As he and Chad sit at the bar eating dinner.... 
Beckett:  "It's like mommy is a chef and we are at a rest-o-rant"
If only.... 
_________________________________________________________________________________

Chad:  "Beckett, tell mommy what you used to keep the dog from jumping on you? 
Beckett:  "An umbrella!" 
Chad:  "Yep, he used mommy's umbrella." 
Beckett:  "Daddy!!  An umbrella is shaped like a hectz-o-gon!"  
A hexagon?  Well close....I'm just amazed he knows that a hexagon is a shape. 

It might also be time for a vehicle upgrade.
_______________________________________________________________________________

I recently ordered a good bit of cosmetics online and had them delivered to the house via FedEx.  Then...I remembered that we now have a dog that likes to take cushions off of the outdoor furniture and scatter them around the yard.  
Conversation while picking Beckett up from daycare: 
Me:  "Beckett, we have to get home to see if that puppy ate mommy's makeup!" 
Beckett:  (Gasps)  "Ate mommy's makeup??"  
Me:  "Yep!" 
Beckett:  "You're gonna need to pop her REAL good!!"  
Me:  "What?"
Beckett:  "You're gonna need to POP her real good, then tell her NO, NO, NO!" 
Well......my thoughts exactly, actually.
_________________________________________________________________________________

As he helps me carry groceries in the house, but cant get the strap of the bag over his shoulder...
Beckett:  "This is IMPOSSIBLE!" 
_________________________________________________________________________________

Can't get his french toast to stay on the fork:
Beckett:  "MOOOOOMMMMY.......would you come in here?
Me:  "What is it?" 
Beckett:  "I'm having trouble with this french toast" 
I'm glad he's using "I'm having trouble" instead of "I can't..."  I can't take credit for this one...maybe Nonnah or Mrs. Pam?

Happy Wednesday! 
XO,