My Friend

You guys, I meant to share the other day but I didn't so I am now. One of my very best BFFs has started a blog and it makes me laugh my butt off. I swear she reads my thoughts and puts them into words better than I could ever dream of compiling. Please, take a look and follow her. She's a genius. And if you're the kind of person who is kind of struggling, but not really, and you are stressed out about it she will make you feel better about yourself. She's in it a little deeper than Lena Dunham's character on Girls. And if you don't watch Girls then don't start. I am ashamed that I even mentioned it… anyway, 

 http://fannieflaggcool.blogspot.com

The Great Bread and Milk Scandal

I feel like I am the only person (other than those participating) who feels there is justification in going out and buying bread and milk before bad weather hits. For one reason, I buy bread and milk every other day or every two days. We go through it quickly and if I think it's going to snow or rain for the next 3 days, I will buy extra just so I don't have to leave my house to go get it. It just makes sense. My kids drink milk with their meals, if I'm binging I will eat an entire box of cereal in a day, and my kids practically live off of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. These two things are the staples on which we survive. I really don't have any other support for my argument. I just don't think it's so impractical and I become annoyed with the "everybody is out buying bread and milk before the big storm" posts. I even saw one that said "Went to the grocery store and I couldn't get bread OR milk, I guess everyone is getting ready for the big ice storm!" Well genius, you were there and trying to buy bread AND milk, why wouldn't anyone else. They may have been out and had been putting off going to the store, not unlike I do sometimes. 

That's all.

The Book of Eli

Last night at 7 pm I decided to go to Target. The boys were fighting and had been ALL day, so it just seemed logical. Having a Super Target 2 miles down the road is dangerous. But I went, and it was very relaxing just strolling around the store by myself looking at things. While I was digging around in the dollar bin I found this pack of blank books. 

I'm great at starting projects with the boys and not finishing them.  But you know what, they're boys.  And they are not going to care when they're grown that their baby books are partially done.  I probably will but we will cross that bridge when we get there.  

Eli and I started working on a little book about him.  First of all, he was incredibly upset that I had him write that he's 4 while he is obviously still 3. It doesn't matter that he will be 4 in two weeks to him. My bad.  It was easier for him to write, too. But, I thought it would just be fun to put together little things about him and maybe do it every year and see how things change.  These are the first two pages. He needed a break. It may take a whole year to do this.  

I plan on printing off pictures of things that whatever the page is about and letting him put stickers on it and color in it. He really has great handwriting for a(n) (almost) 4 year old. He knows what letters look like so if I tell him what to write he usually does it.  Sometimes I have to show him on another piece of paper what a certain letter looks like.  He was determined to have a page with Batman on it.  So here you go, folks.  This is the whole reason I am writing this post.

Eli is on the left and the devil Batman is on the right. Eli has just started drawing "bodies" on his people.  (The part that the arms and legs are coming off of.) The limbs use to come straight off of the head. 

I kind of wish I had grabbed a few more packs of these...

Where'd my waist go?

Since moving here, I have been hesitant about joining a gym. Mostly because after living on base for 3 years and not having to pay for exercising, I have a hard time justifying purchasing membership. Plus, I knew that the last couple months of 2013 we would be in AL and I would be paying for nothing. And then, I really didn't want to join at the beginning of the year to avoid the glares from faithful gym goers as a "resolution-er." 

So, here I am smack in the middle of January and I've done some crunches once this week. I'm not trying to get a bikini bod, I just want to fit into the jeans I was wearing before Thanksgiving. I read a statistic that on average people gain between 5 and 15 pounds during the holiday season. I am a testament that this was not made up. I texted a friend about a week ago to let her know that I was taking and writing down my measurements in hope that I would feel some sort of accountability to drop an inch off my waist and blog to you all how I did it. I might have expanded even more since then.

I start my days off great. I juice, eat a couple eggs. Then around 10 o'clock I'm all Cookie Monster hangry looking for anything I can get my hands on. A few nights ago I made a bunch of Auntie Anne's pretzels and the next day, ate a vast majority of them. With each one I was like, "Oh, I'm going to regret this." And that night, I looked 4 months pregnant- and not like "first pregnancy 4 months"… more like 4th or 5th time around 4 months pregnant. (If you have multiple children then you know what I'm talking about.)

There really is no point to this post today, just wanted to let you all in on what's been weighing me down…no pun intended. 

New Year, New Jewelry!

You guys, I cannot even explain how GORGEOUS the new items are for the 2014 Spring and Summer line. I JUST placed my own order.  The items will be available for viewing on the Stella&Dot website on January 13th.

I will send you everything you need for a successful catalog show. Just message me on Facebook and we will get your new year started with fun and FREE jewelry! 

And we rejoiced, for we never had to buy diapers again

It's been a very exciting week over here! Last Sunday afternoon Andrew decided he wanted to go peepee on the potty, and he did. He had been mentioning over the past couple of weeks every time he would get his diaper changed that his cousin Powell went peepee on the potty and I would tell them that he could too because he is a big boy too! 

I can't even begin to describe the change that I have seen in this child. He has always been the one to get into trouble for instigating fights with his brother, being the messy one, the stubborn one. We would say, "Drew, you're so bad!" Jokingly of course, but I think he began to believe it himself.  After he potties he gets to put a sticker on his chart and gets an M&M. But immediately after he goes, before getting off the toilet a look of sheer excitement and pride comes over this precious child's face and he reaches his sweet little arms out for the biggest hugs he's ever given. 

This little bit of praise he has been receiving shows me how LITTLE he was receiving it in other areas. I'm so afraid of what damage I could have done had I not noticed this. It scares me and breaks my heart.

He's a wild little BOY with so much energy, determination, and love. I'm so proud of what he's done in this week. He really did it all on his own, and you can see that each day he's just gotten better and better.  I thank God for this child, and for his brother too.  They're my sunshine. 

                Excuse the drool! :P

A little personal…Warning, TMI.

I don't encourage Daniel to read this blog. I don't tell him if I've posted anything new, 

and hopefully that will keep him from reading it. 

You see, I have no shame. He, however, does.

I was raised in a family that locked the car windows when someone farted. I don't know if Daniel's family ever discussed farts.

Anyway...

This weeks' events have worn my soul thin.

 I'll start from October when Daniel first went to SOS, I asked if I could have whatever money was left over from his per diem. Not to blow on myself, but buy some new curtains for our living room, a few new things to hang on the walls, and stain and knobs to go on our very outdated kitchen cabinets. Not that I thought I would be able to buy ALL off it, but I had my wish list. He said sure. He hates the curtains we have now (they were hanging in the house when we bought it) and he agrees that our cabinets are not overly appealing to the eye.

I was shocked that the amount he had left over from his school was so high. He didn't eat out a lot though and I know he probably didn't for a reason. He's such a good man.

Fast forward to now, we had a few unexpected things to pay for. Daniel got a new (used) truck back in December. In Oklahoma when you register a car for the first time, the price isn't determined by what you paid for the vehicle, but it's actual worth. So, we paid a lot more for the tag that we would have in Alabama since we paid a lot less than the truck's actual worth. You follow?

We also couldn't get our gas fireplace to ignite. Had to have a guy from the gas company come out and light it. 

And now, you'll get to know me better than you could have ever wanted to. Stop reading now.

On Friday afternoon around 12:30 I was in my room folding laundry (WHAT!) and I kept hearing my toilet gurgle. I went and checked and thought that maybe I had been washing too much laundry that morning and it had something to do with that. I don't know, I'm not a freaking plumber. 10 minutes later I here the water running in the toilet. Overflow. I can't get the valve to turn off and I call Daniel (being a super B, because I know deep down this is ALL his fault) and tell him its stuck. "Get a pair of pliers." Click. I hung up on him. I'm not stupid, but why didn't I think of that. This made me even more mad at him.

It worked. So I went to the boys bathroom and turned off their water just before it overflowed too. 

I went to my neighbors' house to see if they were having any plumbing issues, hoping maybe it was something to do with the cities' line and not just my own. 

It was just my own. When I walked back into the bathrooms, my tubs and shower were filled with…

dirty water. 

Daniel called a plumber, and they wouldn't be able to come until after hours which is more $$$.

What were we suppose to do? Not shower or poop all weekend? 

I then had a looming feeling in my stomach.

This was all my fault. 

I am a woman... and I flush way more stuff down the toilet than anyone else.

(Still there?)

Oh, I knew this was going to be embarrassing.

Please let there be a little Buzz Lightyear or anything, ANYTHING else stuck in our pipes.

After the plumber finished his job, which took a maximum 8 minutes, he and Daniel were sitting in the kitchen and I heard him quietly say,

"You might let your wife know that maybe she shouldn't be flushing her tampons down the toilets." 

So, now that all of my shame is gone, I can share this with you all. It doesn't even phase me. 

At first I was angry that all of my house money mostly spent, but now I'm just so thankful that we had it. Isn't that how it goes though? 

You get some money saved up and then your period ruins everything!

Favorite Things

ecards always make me feel so much better about myself...

One of MY most favorite things is when people share THEIR favorite things. I love when someone shares a new favorite musician, comedian, food (actual food, then the recipe), products that make their life simpler, more entertaining, more organized, prettier… you get the picture. 

It comes of no surprise to my family that some of my favorite things are makeup. When I am at home with my parents and siblings are around to watch my babes, I take my precious time getting ready. Shower to walking out the door can easily cost about 2 hours of my life. It's not that I have a really strenuous beauty routine, I'm just slow.
Side note:  I and my sister (and I have recently found out that even several of my cousins) like to turn on the hairdryer and place it on the counter blowing towards us while we get ready. I have no idea why I do this. I've done it for as long as I can remember. It's very comforting though. Try it.

But anyway, I love makeup. I love face cleansers, moisturizers, face brushes... 

I imagine that most people reading this are also followers/friends of mine on Instagram. Today I took a few pictures of my face from fresh out of the shower to ready to walk out the door. My routine when it's just the boys and me is pretty speedy, about 30 minutes from start to finish. And that's with interruptions from my little angel faced children.

I was completely surprised by the number of people that took interest in my post today. And really the fact that 4 people wanted to know what and how I was doing what I did was astonishing to me. I was really just posting because I thought it was funny/sad how dramatically different I look before and after makeup. I have always felt like makeup should be used to enhance your features. I am TOTALLY changing the way I appear when I wear it. It's a little unsettling. But, this is the reason I do not participate in No Makeup November. Sorry. I am thankful for the canvas that God gave me though.

So, to the point of my blog… Some of my favorite beauty supplies:

1. Concealer! As of late, my skin has become what you would imagine a 15 year old boy with raging hormone's skin to look like. I have no idea what is going on. I am currently using Clinique's 3 step Acne Solutions cleaner, toner and lotion. It really hasn't made a HUGE difference, but I wake up with only 1 or 2 new pimples now as opposed to the 15-20 at a time I was dealing with. The concealer I use is Clinique Acne Solutions. I use the green one. (I can only find it in stores). They also have 3 more in light, medium, and dark shades. I've just always used the green and it works so, why change? It goes on really well, and once it dries I sometimes add another layer and then my foundation. 

2. Foundation. Duh.  I won't elaborate. For the past 5 years I have been using MAC's Studio Fix Fluid. It was beautiful coverage and lasted a very long time.  Since my skin has gone on this not so fun adventure, I am currently using the Clinique Acne Solutions Liquid Makeup and I really love how well it goes on with a brush. The brush I use isn't really intended for foundation but a girl at one of the MAC counters used it and it's really soft and light. You can find it here. I find that my foundation lasts much longer when I use a brush.

3. Blush, blush, blush, blush, BLUSH. It's my favorite. If I ever have to go to the store without makeup, there will be blush (and mascara) on my face. I've been wearing the same two colors for a couple years now. MAC's Warm Soul and Love Joy are the only two blushes I own. The $25 price tag is hard to swallow at first but they. last. for. ever.

4. Mascara. Mascara is SO tricky. You see the ads of Drew Barrymore's thick luscious lashes and go out and get whatever Cover Girl tube she was "wearing" and you're (I am) left disappointed.  Everyone has their own preference when it comes to mascara. It all depends on what you're going for: volume, length, both… My go to mascara for the past few months has been  Maybelline's Volum' Express the  Mega Plush Mascara. They look so much thicker, longer, it doesn't  clump, it isn't waterproof but my children make me cry a lot and it never runs. Now earlier today I was at Sephora and since it is my birthday month they gave me a free sample of Benefit's They're Real! mascara. My MIL gave me a tube for Christmas last year and I seem to get a free sample every time I go to Sephora. It's really awesome! But, my Maybelline does just as good for a lot cheaper!
I'm not going to put this in it's own category but since it's something I have done for my lashes before (and it worked) I feel I need to share! Around the time we moved back to the states I noticed that my lashes had started becoming thinner. It doesn't help that in the evenings I start picking at my mascara. It's a horrible habit. I had looked into the prescription lash serums but I had heard awesome things about the Peter Thomas Roth eyelash treatment. It went on at night right before bed, and I saw results in a little less that 3 weeks. I only used it every other night, mainly because I forgot a lot. I didn't have any eyelid discoloring or burning or any side effects, other than thicker lashes!
So, in case you aren't on Instagram ...
Here are the photos that I posted today. This is truly one of the most embarrassing things I have ever done. But, if you think I always look the way I do on pictures I post on social media, then I am just being a big fat liar.

This is why I try not to judge people too harshly by their mugshots.
I could easily pass as a meth user. And not in
the cute Jesse Pinkman sort of way. 

Concealer

Foundation

Blush. I always get complements on my cheek bones.
You can clearly see here how they're made.

Eyeliner (which I didn't discuss because, it's eyeliner.
  The .99 from DG is no different from any other brand IMO) and
eye shadow. I use Urban Decays Naked pallet.
 I was drooling in envy over everyone posting pics of
 the new ones Santa brought them.

This was just to show that I fixed my hair :)

So, I know I am not a beauty blogger by ANY means (in case the poor lighting and iPhone selfless didn't make it obvious enough), but I really do love finding new products to use with my basic makeup routine above. 

So, if you have any beauty tips, tricks, or new inventory in your own makeup bag, let me know! 

Note: I have to give 100% credit of my makeup knowledge to my mother. When she first let me start wearing makeup she showed me how to apply foundation without looking like I was wearing a mask, how to apply blush without looking like a hooker, and how to apply eyeliner without looking like a raccoon. I am positive that I've had many bad makeup days but it wasn't because I didn't have the knowledge! So thanks Mom for helping make me look purdy.

 

New blog!

I had become so discouraged with my lacking of blogging on "across the lake" I decided to start fresh with this (already) second day 2014 with a whole new blog. 

It seems appropriate though since we are now back on the western side of the Atlantic ocean. It is so hard to believe we have been back for 7 months now.  I am going to try and recap as efficiently as I can. 

• We bought a house. This makes me so unbelievably sick/nervous I can hardly stand it. We always said it was crazy to buy knowing that we will be moving in as little as 2 years. But, I LOVE, love, LOVE our little house. I wish I could take it with me everywhere we move. And it's so awesome being able to paint, stain, and add whatever we want without asking a landlord. 
• My babies have grown into real little boys. Eli knows his ABCs, how to write and identify them, he's got a good grasp on telling time (the hour anyway), he can ride a bike, and he's VERY good at playing pranks on people. Andrew can say his ABCs up to "O" if no one is paying him attention, count to 10 (also if no one is listening), he got rid of his pacifier, and he is doing a pretty good job potty training. They fight constantly. Whatever Eli says he wants to do/be, Andrew does as well.
• We adopted a puppy back in July. While a my parents, I forgot to put him up and he was run over. We told the boys he found a new home with little kids who really wanted a puppy and are taking good care of him. I just wasn't ready for all the death questions. However, Eli reminds me that his Papa is going to beat up the people that took his puppy. I am not sure if I made the right decision in what I told him. For Christmas my parents got the boys a Border Collie. He's smart, thank God.

Well, it seems these 3 bullets are all I've got. I am making it my goal, or whatever, to update less on social media and blog more. It's just always easier to click a pic and post whatever is going on at the moment, but then I've got nothing to talk about on here once I do that!

I feel like 2014 is going to be an awesome year, my stomach is in knots (good ones) for some of the things we are working towards this year! I'm tempted to post about them now…but I will wait :)

I hope you all had a wonderful 2013 and that 2014 brings you much happiness!