Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Top 10 Tuesday: My favorite products.

1.  St. Ives Apricot Scrub  -  I heart this facewash!  I have used it for many many years and it is my absolute favorite thing!  I've tried others, but I always end up coming back to this old faithful.  It's the best exfoliating scrub (in my opinion), it's super cheap and you can find it anywhere! 

 2.  Burt's Bees Lip Shimmer  - 
If you thought any other chapstick/lipgloss was it... well, you're wrong.  Sorry to tell it how it is, but this is the clear winner and oh so wonderful!  Not only does it make my lips feel amazing, but the shimmer looks cute too!  It's perfect!  

3.  Mr. Clean Magic Eraser  -  
Love! Love! Love!  I'll never forget my first experience with this amazing product!  It came out right around when I was moving out of my Lynchburg apartment and moving on to the great city of New York.  I bought it because I had to clean and try to get as much of my deposit back as possible and that magic eraser did things that a sponge and soap never could have done!  And still it never ever disappoints!  If you have never tried to use it to clean the bathtub/shower door or tile in the bathroom or kitchen, you must do it immediately!  Stop what you are doing.  Put down the ice cream and GO CLEAN YOUR BATHTUB!   I'm telling you... nothing else works the way the magic eraser works on that funky scum!  It's incredible!  

4.  Oil of Olay Complete  -  
I have also used some form of this product for years... it takes me back to watching my MawMaw dabbing it on her face in the bathroom in the morning.  She would call it her "oil of old lady".  It always made me laugh.  It still does, especially since I'm the old lady using it now.   :-)  But I love this moisturizer.  It works just like it's supposed to and it makes me happy. 
 
5.  (One more Olay product too) Olay Quench Body Lotion  -  

I'm partial to Olay products, but this one just does it for me.  It makes my skin feel so good and it shimmers just a hint!  I love that! 

6.  Olde Cape Cod Parmesan and Peppercorn dressing  -  
This is a new one on my list.  My friend Kim came up a while back and we were making a salad for dinner and she picked it out.  It was just dumb luck.  Neither of us had bought this brand or had this dressing, but it is SO stinkin' good!  I've already gone through two bottles of this stuff since her visit just over a month ago.  It makes me crave salads.  wow!  How many dressings make you say that?  It's just THAT good!  

7.  Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Squares -  
YUM!  This is my treat just about every day!  I'm a chocolate lover and really good chocolate makes my belly happy!  

8.  Pamper's Splashers  -  
Caroline is just about potty trained completely, but I still am not ready to take the chance in the pool.  We have used these since she was a baby whenever we have gone to the pool and they just work.  My aunt gave us our first pack and we have been fans ever since.  They are wonderful!  I'm sure Huggies brand is good too, but we have just been a Pamper's family from the beginning and they have always worked for us.  We love these swimmy diapers! 
 
9.  L'Oreal Bare Naturals Foundation  -  
I had been a Revlon girl for years!  Never even bought a L'Oreal product.  Then my mom introduced me to this just a mere few months ago!  I love it!  It covers better than any kind of mineral foundation I've ever used, even the expensive ones and it stays on for much longer than most foundations.  It is light and natural looking.  This product is just plain great!   

10. Mack's Soft Foam Earplugs
Laugh.  It's okay.  :-)  I give you full permission to make fun of me for this one.  I know this is totally weird, but there's a story behind it.  When I met Andrew way back when, I realized early on that I was going to either have to become a more sound sleeper or we would be destined to a life of sleeping in separate bedrooms.  So, our first trip together to the beach, I couldn't handle it.  I couldn't sleep AT ALL.  I was a mess and so was he.  I thought this was for sure the end for us.  How could I spend the rest of my life with someone that I couldn't even sleep in the same bed with because of his snoring.  (Sorry for calling you out Love, but you know it's true.)  Anyway, I found these earplugs and they have been my lifesaver!  They work wonders!  It is difficult for me to sleep without them now!  I love them and if you live with a snorer and toss and turn all night because of the noise, I'm telling you, you MUST get these!  They are amazing!  

I'm sure I could list so many more than this, but this list makes me happy.  I love all of these things and use them almost every single day.  

Tomorrow we're off to the parent's house!  Yay!  

Sunday, June 28, 2009

A Very Merry Un-Bloggy-versary to Me

I just realized that my last post was my 100th post.  I should have had a party like they do with TV shows!  Called Ace of Cakes or something...  Dang it! ... 101 just doesn't have the same ring to it, so I guess I'm too late.  Maybe on 200?  You know what else I realized?  My one year bloggy-versary was on June 18th and I didn't even know... sad.  Not that anyone cares... who even reads this thing anyway?  And clearly I didn't care enough to celebrate... So... let's move on, shall we?  

I basically just want to show off cute pictures of my girl and her cousins at the pool yesterday!


Can I tell you how much I am loving our pools this summer?  



Yes, I said pools (plural) ... we have two!  (It's okay for you to be jealous.)  ;-)  We mainly go to the one by our house, but one day a week it's closed while the other one is open and we did venture over there one day this week.


We went to the pool every day except one this past week.  It was awesome!  



The greatest thing was that Thursday and Friday and even Saturday (the day these pictures were taken) it was almost empty!  AHHH-MAZING! Caroline and I are so tan!  It's fantastic!  


Next week (Wednesday) we're off to the 'noke to see my parents and friends!  I can't wait!!! The three "F"s will be involved... Fairs, Food, and Fireworks!  It does not get much better than that!  Oh... I thought of another F ... funnel cake!  mmmm or Fried Oreos.... oh my gosh! My diet is down the toilet!  sheesh 

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Having too much fun to blog!

I've been thinking about blogging and wanting to do it, but there has just been too much to do and too much fun to be had!  We've been going to the pool, watching movies, going to the library, singing songs, having school time, making yummy food, having cookouts, and so much more... It's been great!   I'm loving summer so far!  I'm trying my best not to stress about things (i.e. - wanting to move to NC).  I'm just taking it all in stride and enjoy every moment!  


I do have a secret though, I'm on a diet AGAIN.  yep.  My weight had gotten out of control!  I'm trying something new this time.  I'm doing the Weight Watchers Core plan and so far I'm loving it!  I have not been hungry and I have not felt cheated!  It's basically just a list of foods that I can eat, plus I have 30 flex points for the week.  I'm doing really well and in only a week (almost - I started last Wednesday) I've lost 4.3 pounds.  AMAZING!  Next week we go to my parent's house for the 4th! That will be the true test of if I'm really all in on this diet!  I can't wait, but I really want to keep it up!  I can do it!  

For now, it's time to hang out more with my kid... we're watching Mary Poppins and drinking strawberry and banana smoothies!  This is the life!  :-)    

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Summer! - And look what I made!

Holy cow!  I'm done!  The day has finally arrived!  Praise THE LORD!!!  Today was my last day and I couldn't be happier!  (If you can't tell!)  I have plenty on my agenda for the summer and I can't wait to get started!  

We enjoyed having my amazing Mom here with us since Saturday! We went to the pool and she helped me make these beautiful creations... 



Cupcake Hamburgers and Sugar Cookie Fries... 


I made them for our end-of-the-year potluck at school and they were  so much fun!  I LOVE the way they turned out!  Much better than I expected!  


For now, I'm relaxing and waiting on my celebratory pizza to be delivered, before I start my diet tomorrow.  Sad.  Good thing I have all the good things that go with summer to make me happy about dieting... 

My Top Ten Favorite Things About Summer

1.  Vacation! 
2.  Going to the pool!   
3.  Watermelon!  
4.  Cooking out on the grill! 
5.  Laying out and reading a good book! 
6.  Wedding Season!  
7.  Going to the beach!  (Though I don't know if we'll make it this year.) 
8.  Celebrating Independence Day with the family!  
9.  Fresh fruit and veggies! 
10.  And last, but definitely not least, hanging out with my awesome kid!!!   

Sunday, June 7, 2009

So close...

Hello all! I've been slacking in my bloggy updates lately!  But have no fear, I'm still here!  :-)  

I am so close to the end of the school year, I can taste it!  


Three full days a three half days!  I can handle that!  The great thing is that I'm just letting go!  I feel so calm and relaxed already.  It's amazing!  I've been thinking about all that I want to do this summer.  Here is a list in no particular order.  

(I think I should make two lists...)

Here are the things I WILL be doing this summer.  

1.  Going to visit my parents over the 4th of July!  And this year I'm going to keep my girl up to watch fireworks!  I think she'll love it!  
2.  Spend as much time at the pool as possible!  


3.  DIET!  woo hoo!  I'm thinking of going green. (Well, at least part time anyway.) Check out this book that my sweet Colorado friend Hannah recommended.  Green For Life  


4.  Have school time with Caroline.  I've already bought an awesome workbook that we're going to give a try!  I'm excited!  


5.  Have my Aunt Donna, cousin Erika and Mom visit to go see The Color Purple at the Kennedy Center!  YAY!!!!  I CAN NOT WAIT!  
6.  read! read! read! Finally finish HP!  Maybe finish Twilight.  And read a ton of other books I have my eye on... The Help and Three Cups of Tea... probably more.  :-)  


7.  Look for NC jobs!  
8.  Go to Texas to see my awesome brother-in-law and his family!!!   - This trip also marks Caroline's very first trip on an airplane!  Any advice of traveling with little ones would be greatly appreciated!  

(This is brother-in-law Steve and his son Stoney (who is a recent high school grad, by the way! woo hoo)
 

9.  Maybe a wedding or two.  
10.  And some kind of awesome anniversary excurision that Andrew and I always seem to take!  Like last year's Philly Trip!  


I have plenty of other things I want to do... 

...like crafting, decorating (or re-decorating), trying to sell our house, exercising more, take lots of naps, making different kinds of cake pops (oops... forgot about my diet for a minute), making a trip or two to see my Lynchburg girls, going into DC for lunch dates with the hubby... the list could go on and on...  either way, I'm PUMPED UP about this summer!  I can't wait!!! I have very high expectations!