Archive | March 2011

Soft Skin Tricks

Mar27

Who doesn’t want to have soft skin? As we get older, it gets tougher to keep our skin feeling baby soft. Here are my soft skin tricks that have worked great for me.

~ Make sure to have a good body wash/soap/gel that works for your skin. I use BubbleBabez’s Land of Milk and Honey. It leaves my skin clean and soft.

~ Exfoliate! I try to do this every other day. I like to use a body scrub – again from BubbleBabez. They have great bath products and their body scrubs smell fabulous as well as leave my skin super soft.

~ Once I’m done showering, I stay inside the shower and pat dry my body. I don’t let my body get completely dried out.

~ Before getting out of the shower, I apply a body oil. I usually take my showers in the morning so I use a light weight body oil. If I take showers at night, I use one that is a little thicker. I don’t like strong-smelling oils so I use Neutrogena’s Fragrance Free Body Oil. It’s very lightweight and easily absorbs into my skin.

~ I put on a robe when I step out. It helps keep my body warm and helps the oil get absorbed into my skin.

~ I apply lotion. This is where I use pretty smelling stuff.  One of my faves is Lotion Bars from BubbleBabez. I work from the top down.  I use a thicker lotion for my feet. Then I put my robe back on and throw socks on.

My skin stays soft all day. I don’t use perfume because I use my pretty smelling lotions and the fragrance lasts all day. I also put lotion on my hands, arms, and feet before going to bed. What is important is to find products that work for your body and that you like.

Time for Color

Mar26

Spring is finally here!! But you wouldn’t be able to tell that with the weather we’ve had in Bay lately. It’s cold, rainy, and gloomy. To help cheer myself up, I painted my nails a bright shimmery pink :-) I wanted to try out zebra stripes but they turned out tiger stripes. lol. Oh Well. I tried and I still love how they turned out. It’s pretty with attitude. I look forward to playing with more bright colors for the Spring season and I hope the weather brightens up too.

“Rango” Movie Review

Mar25

I have mixed feelings on this one. I am big Johnny Depp fan and this was a funny movie. I guess I figured it was a kids movie. And it is, but there was a lot of adult humor that my 5 and 4-year-old couldn’t appreciate. At the same time it was silly enough for kids to enjoy. I think they were trying to reach out to all ages.

Basic storyline: A lizard (Johnny Depp) – whose name is not mentioned in the beginning – winds up in the Mojave desert after his “home” (typical terrarium) shatters because it was thrown out of a car who hit a possum crossing the highway. The possum is somehow still alive and is on some spiritual journey to the “other side” (of the highway) where the “Spirit of the West” is. The lizard winds up in a town named Dirt and decides to invent a tough hero character named Rango for him to play.  By sheer luck and his awkwardness he kills a hawk and convinces the townspeople that he’s not to be messed with.  The mayor makes him the sheriff because he knows Rango is a phony. All Rango wants is some water but it turns out that Dirt is all out and he gets pulled into the mystery of finding the town’s missing water. First they think it’s a band of thieves, but it turns out it’s the mayor.  The mayor calls on a rattle snake outlaw to take care of Rango and tell everyone that he was lying to them.  Rango gets kicked out of Dirt and he heads back to the highway. Somehow he gets across without getting run over and sees the  “Spirit of the West.” He gets some enlightening advice and finds how the water was being stopped.  He calls on the thieve’s family (a band of prairie dogs) and goes back to Dirt to save the town.

There was plenty that my boys enjoyed.  Gio loved the silly Rango character. Actually the Rango character reminded me a lot of Gio. Same skinny slightly awkward movements :-) I enjoyed the adult humor. Seppe did not appreciate me laughing when he didn’t understand what was so funny – again he’s only 4. I think it’s a good family movie to go to – especially if you have kids that are 8 and up. It’s a movie about self-realization that is just a little too mature for younger kids to grasp. It is a what I would expect an animated film with Johnny Depp would be – a little strange with some deep meaning. But like I said, there is plenty for kids to laugh at and has a happy ending. All in all a 4 out 5.

My Job

Mar20

Being a Stay At Home Mom IS a job. A very hard one . And I Dare anyone to say different. I think a lot of people take it for granted. When someone asks me “What do you do?” or “What is your job?” I proudly say “I’m a Mom.” Being a Mom Is a full time job, even if you have what I refer to as a “second job.” You never stop being a Mom.

Not everyone can be a Stay at Home Mom. Some of us have to be both Mom and Dad to our kids. And some of us are just not meant to be Stay at Home Moms. It takes a certain mentality to handle being at home with kids by yourself all day long.

Back when women were expected to stay at home, I can see why many felt trapped and wanted out.  No one likes being told they have to do something or be someone. Plus when you’re told that you can’t do anything else, it’s no wonder staying at home seemed like a prison. I’m sure so many women were depressed back then. But that is no longer the case. Women, have broken free from the kitchen and are now free to pursue their dreams, interests, and their heart’s desires. We no longer have to stay at home. We can be  superwoman with a career and be Moms at the same time.

That doesn’t mean that being a Stay at Home Mom isn’t a Job that you can be proud of and dedicate your life to. I think that in acquiring freedom from the house, some have gotten the wrong idea about being a Stay at Home Mom. I don’t have tons of “free” time. I’m not a lazy bum with no goals or motivation. I choose to be a Stay at Home Mom.

My days start early – even the weekends. I get myself and two boys dressed and ready, make breakfast, drop Gio off at school, entertain Seppe while I try to clean and organize the house, pick Gio up, make lunch, do homework, entertain both boys, make dinner, give baths, ready stories, and hopefully get them in bed by 8p. I manage to get in a workout during the times Ben is home. You might as well count Ben as a kid too. I may or may not have some peace and quiet after the boys go to sleep. Still have to put leftovers away, dishes, and pick up the toys the boys left out. If I’m lucky I’ll be in bed before midnight and the boys will sleep through the night (which rarely happens – one of them always wakes me up for something). Then I get to wake up and do it all again… Add in grocery shopping, practices, games, play dates, and birthday parties. I am always planning for something. I am always doing something.

It does take a toll on me. I am always tired. My only adult conversations are with Ben or short talks with parents from Gio’s class. The boys test me every day. I worry about them. I want the best for them and I’m not always sure that I am doing what’s right. I make mistakes and I lose my cool and of course feel guilty for it. But despite these challenges, I still Love my Job.

I have been there for every moment. Their first smiles, first word, first laugh, when the crawled, walked, and ran. I’ve watched them learn and grow. They’ve made me laugh and cry. They’ve amazed me. They keep me young. They remind me every day just how precious Life is. And there are going to be even more wonderful moments. Even though I do think of getting a “second job” – mostly to help with finances – there is no job out there that I would trade any of these moments for. I will be there for all of them.

I am truly grateful for Ben who works hard at his job so I can do mine. It is the Best Job in the world.

Favorite YouTube Beauty Gurus

Mar20

I know alot of us watch YouTube. I didn’t really get into it until about a year ago. And now I’m hooked. There is just something addictive about YouTube. I started watching one makeup video, then another and another. I saw a lot of makeup gurus and follow quite a few now. We all have our favorites and here are mine:

This is no particular order – but these are the gurus that I watch the most and look forward to watching.

angeec03 – Better known as Mommagee. Of all the gurus, I watch, I relate to her the most. She’s a mom with two boys, lives in the bay area and kicks ass in makeup. Most of the looks she’s done, I would wear and I’ve tried quite a few of her looks out. I also got a chance to meet her in person and she is just as sweet as I thought she’d be.

mzmakeupartizt – Alondra is raw and a true artist. She can create a masterpiece with makeup. It would take me lots and lots of practice to even get close to pulling off one of her looks. She’s also done very wearable looks that are just so beautiful. I am mesmerized by her. I love how bold she is.

EnkoreMakeup: Koren is who I look to for advice and tips. I’ve learned so much from him. One day, I will have enough money to go one of his classes.

manwomanfilm: I just recently discovered her and I don’t know why it’s taken me so long to. She is amazing, cute, and funny.

petrilude: Josh is gorgeous and I love watching his videos. He is so talented and I love how to the point he is on his videos.

vintageortacky – Cora is fabulous with makeup. I love her personality and her attitude.

exoticmimi921: Love this girl. She is very talented. Not only in makeup, but she has amazing drawing skills. Plan on hitting her up for a drawing of my kids and family.

stillglamorous: Kasey is beautiful and I love her makeup line. Her looks are gorgeous. I also watch her StillGlamMom channel for meal ideas and to watch her pregnancy blogs. I am very happy for her and her family.

pursebuzz: Elsa is just so sweet and she always has neat tips and tricks. I like watching her reviews.

makeupgeektv: Marlena is very sincere and sweet. I love how brave she is for sharing some of her personal life. Love watching her tutorials and I love how her blog has alternatives to the high end makeup she uses for some of her looks.

andreaschoice: Andrea has great hair tips. My hair is similar to hers so a lot of her tips and tricks work great for me. I’ve also come to love my naturally frizzy, wavy, and curly hair by watching her.

michellephan: Michelle is one of the first ones I started watching. I like all her tips and DIY videos.

bubzbeauty: Bubbi was also one of first gurus I started watching. She had hair and makeup tutorials that were easy to try. I love her clothing line.

I am subscribed to many more and I know that there are many many more talented gurus on YouTube. I am not saying that these are the best. I am saying that these are my favorite and I am sure that I will find other talented beauty gurus that I will be adding to my list.

So who are your favorites?

If the World Ended Tomorrow

Mar19

Today was a crazy weather day. Tornado warnings for the bay area?? WTH? I watched as the rain poured down and created a white sheet that we could barely see through.  The wind blew the rain around so having an umbrella was pointless. I couldn’t help but think that Earth, or some higher power was angry.  I thought about the earthquake and tsunami that was affecting Japan and the rest of the world.

It seems like so many bad things have been happening lately – doesn’t it? We’ve all heard the theory that the end of world would be in 2012. For the most part, I’ve just shrugged this off as hype, like Y2K.  I guess it was just hard to accept that everything could just end all of the sudden. Lately, I’ve been reminded just how short our time is. So, if the world ended tomorrow……

If the world ended tomorrow, I would be happy with the life I’ve lived. We tend to focus on the bad, but I think that in the end, we would all remember the good. My life wasn’t perfect, but I had alot of great experiences. I have a loving family and great friends. I made mistakes but I learned from them . I’ve laughed. I’ve cried because I was sad, happy, and mad. My heart has been broken and mended. I’ve experienced lost and I’ve made new friends. I may not have everything that I want, but I have everything I need. My dream has come true – to be with the man that I love and have a beautiful family. Nothing else really matters.

If the world ended tomorrow, I would want to be with Ben and our sons. As long as we’re all together, I know we’ll be ok. And who knows maybe we’ll be lucky to survive the end of the world.  I hope that people realize what’s important whether the end is tomorrow or next year or millions of years from now.

Haters

Mar18

Haters. Why do we use that word? Is it because they actually “hate?” I’m sure some do, but I think most are just Critics. You know what they say – “Everyone’s a Critic” – and it’s true. We all criticize or “hate” on something. I don’t why we do it though. Why the hell do we care so much about what someone else is doing that we feel compelled to “hate” on them?  Yes, we are all entitled to our opinions. But do we really need to be so concerned about what other people are doing? I think jealousy has a lot to do with it.

We see someone who is better looking, has a little more money than us, or has something we wish we had, and we just have to find something about them to “hate.”  They probably got plastic surgery to get that good looking.  They probably did something low to get all that money or waste their money on materialistic things.  So? Who cares? Why care? Why judge?  How does what they do really affect you? What gives you the right to judge anyway? Yeah, so you don’t agree with their choices. Fine. Have your opinion and move on!

And remember – it’s your opinion and no one else has to agree with you. Don’t try to impose your opinions and spread your “hate.” I wonder what the world would be like if we all just minded our own damn business and focused on our own happiness. I think it it would nice if we were happy that someone else is doing well or blessed.

Hey, I’m just as guilty as the next person of being a hater. Lol. But after all that’s going on with the world these days, it just seems like a complete waste of energy. I accept that I am not a super model and that I am not a billionaire. Good for those people who are gorgeous and rich. None of us are perfect so no one has the right to judge.

Get Your Shoe Fix!

Mar13

From My Personalized Boutique: Bethany

Attention fellow Shoe Addicts!! There is a great and easy way to feed our addiction: JustFabulous Shoes. I was on Facebook a couple of weeks ago and saw a really cute pair of shoes on the sidebar where all the advertisements are. I usually don’t click on those side links, but these were really cute shoes and for $39.95, I had to check them out.  After making sure that I wasn’t going to be charged just to sign up or that I was going to get spammed, I decided to give it a try. I  answered some questions about my style preferences and  a minute later  I had 6 personalized selections. There was even a “shoe therapy” section that had a few more selections for me to choose from in case I didn’t like any of the six. I couldn’t decide on what to get because there were several that I wanted.  I checked back about a week later and some of the ones I wanted, were sold out.  What I love is that they also have “Sold Out Solutions” where they replace any of the 6 selections if they sell out in your size. How awesome is that?? If there is absolutely nothing you like, you have the option of getting new selections sent to you or skipping that month.

I skipped my first month because the shoes I wanted were sold out and it was only a few days before my next selections were going to be sent anyway. But after I skipped, I found two pairs under their “Haute List” and “Featured Styles” sections that I just had to have.

The Red Lorelei’s:

The Black Cassidy’s:

Even if you skip ,you can still place an order any time.  I absolutely fell in love with the Lorelei’s and couldn’t resist the Cassidys so I ordered both. A week later however, I received a call saying that there had been a problem with their systems when I placed my order and both pairs were sold out. I was really bummed, but the Customer Service was very friendly and I wasn’t charged for the shoes so I didn’t complain. I knew I would find more great shoes from them. My new selections came in and I had more shoes to choose from. Again it was hard for me to decide.

I finally decided on the Bethany wedge.  I really liked the mixed print on the straps.  These are going to be great for the Spring and Summer to play up casual outfits. I look forward to wearing them with shorts or a jumper. The wedged heel is going to make them more comfortable to walk in.

Here are the pictures I took of them:

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This time around, no problems. I got a shipment email a couple of days after placing the order, and a couple of days after that my new shoes were at my door. So far, I am a very happy customer. I know that there are several online companies that do the same thing, but since I’ve  found JustFabulous first and have had no problems, I’m sticking with them. Their website is very easy to navigate and you can easily track your orders. I also love how there was a Thank You note and a shoe bag with my shoes. They also have a BagFabulous section for those who love bags or just want to find a bag to go with the fabulous shoes you just ordered.  I highly recommend JustFabulous to all my fellow shoeaholics. If you can afford it, get all the pairs you like, but if you’re on a budget like me, you can easily set aside $39.95 a month to get one pair of great shoes.

A little info: You can find all of this on their website, but I thought I’d highlight a few points:

*It’s free to sign up and receive personalized shoe/bag selections.

*You will not be charged until you place your first order.

*After your first order, you must decide to either get new selections or skip by the 5th of every month to prevent being automatically billed $39.95.

*They have a rewards program that gets you a Free pair of shoes after reaching 100 points (You get 20 points per bag or pair of shoes you buy)

*Returns and Exchanges are free.

Happy Shoe Shopping!!


Gabrielle’s Night Out

Mar9

Gabrielle's Night Out
Gabrielle’s Night Out created on Polyvore

Gabrielle from JustFabulous inspires this outfit. These sexy shoes are great for a Night Out on the town. It comes in black and the red shown above.  Red is my favorite color so I just couldnt resist using the red shoes to make a sexy outfit. The Jersey snakeskin-effect mini dress goes great with the print on the shoe and will definitely make heads turn. Throw on this Thakoon / Mongolian Fur Gilet and you’ll be warm on a cool night and stylish. Gold accessories is a must. I love the Floral Metal Bangle Pack and the ASOS Articulated Metal Tubing and Chain Necklace on Cord Tie is a great accent piece around your neck. Keep your eyes soft with a neutral brown smokey eye using Stila’s eyeshadow trio in Gilded. Let your lips do the talking using bold red lipstick like YSL’s Rouge Pur Couture – 1: Le Rouge.

You can see that I am having so much fun on Polyvore.com creating outfits :-) So go check them out!

“Burlesque” Movie Review

Mar5

I watch a lot of movies so yes, I will have a bunch of movie reviews :-)

I know that Cher and Christina Aguilera’s “Burlesque” movie was not an Oscar winning movie, but I enjoyed it. I guess it’s mostly because I didn’t expect much from it.  The acting was believable – not great but believable.  Christina was a little over the top with her singing at times, but I love her voice. I think she’s a great singer that gets overshadowed by a lot of drama and hype. She’s a way better singer than Britney and this movie was lot better than Britney’s “Cross Roads.” Yes, the plot was all too predictable, but I still found myself rooting for Ali (Christina Aguilera) to get her dream job of being the star of the Burlesque show. Cher does a good job of being the tough but loving Burlesque Lounge owner (Tess). I was never a big fan of her voice but for those who are, she has a nice solo. Stanley Tucci (Sean) as Tess’s gay best friend is funny and lovable. I almost didn’t recognize Julianne Hough with red hair as Ginger. I know she probably had a hand in some of the choreography and she didn’t do a bad job with her role. I enjoyed watching the dances – that kind of stuff entertains me. The costumes, hair, and makeup were fantastic. There was plenty of eye candy for both guys and girls. The dancers always had super sexy outfits and Ali even has a number where feathers are what’s only covering her. Cam Gigandet (Jack) even strips down and uses a box of Famous Amos cookies as cover. Cheesy scene, but I thought it was funny and sweet at the same time. No big surprise on what happens next  between Ali and Jack.

All in all it is entertaining if you enjoy watching dancing movies like all those “Step Up” films. The music is great. Don’t expect too much and you won’t be disappointed.