Show Us Your Life: Single Guy Blake

This is Blake in his element.  He's 20, single and one of the best singers I've ever heard.  (And I don't mean best amateur--I mean one of the best.  Period.)  I met Blake when he was a rascally 3 three year old.  We reacquainted ourselves when he was a senior in high school, and now he spends a lot of time with my family because he my cousin's best friend.

Blake is a strong Christian, and one of the funniest guys I know.  He laughs easily, acclimates himself to any and all situations and is a generally amiable personality.

He's been a fun addition to our family gatherings, because he randomly breaks into song.  If you sing with him, be prepared for him to switch parts a hundred different times.  (One time, I moved down to alto so he started singing the melody--in falsetto!)  He and my cousin, Jake, sing quite well together; their harmony never gets old.

In his own words, Blake is looking for this type of girl:

"She has got to have a personal relationship with Jesus, after that its pretty much just finding out if we are eye to eye. Jesus is number one in my life and must be in hers, too." 

Blake is not your run-of-the-mill guy.  He says, "I am probably most known for my sense of humor, but I try to be very thoughtful, kind, and sweet.  I really like/enjoy loving people and doing nice things for them. I am very unique and confident in standing out from the crowd."

If you just want to date, though, Blake isn't your guy.  He believes the dating/courting relationship is for the purpose of finding his wife.  He's not going to play the dating game and break your heart.  It's not his M.O.  Other deal breakers?  Women who don't dress modestly, women who aren't growing in their relationships with Christ, women who aren't encouraging and smokers need not apply.


Otherwise, I believe you'd be pretty blessed to spend time with this guy.  If you are interested in contacting Blake, shoot me an email:  cryshsmn@aol.com.

Show Us Your Life: Shopping

So my body?  Isn't shaped normally.  I am chesty, hippy and, this just in, have a gut that just doesn't quit.  (See what I did there?)  That means that buying clothes--correction--MODEST clothes can be a bit of a challenge.

Over the years I've learned a couple of things about dressing this body of mine.  Part of that means spending a little extra money for pieces that I will wear continuously that are also high quality.

That means that one of my favorite places to look for clothes is L.L. Bean.  I generally wait until they are having a sale, but I have gotten the best 3/4 sleeve cardigans out there.  They are classic with bright colors and look nice with work pants or jeans.  Occasionally, I will purchase shirts there, too, but only if they are on sale.

Recently, I've become a pretty big fan of Kohl's.  Here's the deal:  I like a lot of plus size stores, and since I'm technically a plus size girl, I should be able to shop there.  The problem is the shirts.  The shoulders are almost always too big for the rest of my body so they are ill fitting.  Pants?  Not generally an issue.  So a place like Kohl's gives me the chance to get my plus size pants and a regular size shirt so my entire body looks like it's dressed decently.

I look for mix and match pieces at places like Macy's and Penney's.  I like to know that what I'm buying isn't necessarily an "outfit."  I'm never sure what's going to be clean or if I'm going to have time to do laundry so I need my closet to reflect those needs.  My pants are generally black or gray and I have a couple of dark gray pinstriped versions.

But jewelry can make or break you.  I've bought several pieces from Lia Sophia and a few others were gifts from my husband over the years.  Jewelry is the route to go to dress up an outfit or make it a little fun or funky.  You can make a tshirt from Target look awesome with the right accessories.

That said, I do buy tshirts, cardigans and other types of shirts at Target or Walmart.  I think if you find something cute, there's no reason to pass it up because it's in a discount store!

Mostly, I think it's about the fit and feel.  I'm very careful to cover my chest area and I make sure my clothing has enough give so it doesn't cling to the less than desirable parts of my body.

At the end of the day, I guess I wear what makes me comfortable--no matter the price point :)

Suggestions for an oddly shaped fat girl?  Leave them in the comments or shoot me an email:  cryshsmn@aol.com.

Show Us Your Life: Favorite Bible Studies

Hi, Kelly's Korner :)  (I've got a bit of a preface here, and then I'll get to the actual purpose of this post.)

If you've been reading this blog for a week, you know that we're in a season of change.  By "we," I pretty much mean everyone in my immediate circle of love.  Part of that, for a few of us, means finding a new church home.

I'm not super in love with the idea of looking for a new place, because I like being comfortable.  I like that I was dedicated in my current church.  I like that I know people, and their histories.  I like going to church with most of my family.

But more than anything, I have loved facilitating Women's Bible Study over the last several years.  I've tried to explain what they mean to me, but I feel like most of my words come up short.  Truly--there is nothing like sharing the word of God and your life with women who are making an investment in themselves, in you, in the Word and in a community of believers.

Leaving means I will be letting this ministry go.  I've cried more over the loss of that support system than I have over just about anything else.

In the time that I've facilitated Bible study we've done (that I can remember):
*  Breaking Free by Beth Moore
*  Living Beyond Yourself by Beth Moore
*  Jesus the One and Only by Beth Moore
*  Stepping Up by Beth Moore
*  The Patriarchs by Beth Moore
*  Esther by Beth Moore
*  Seeking A Heart Like His by Beth Moore
*  Believing God by Beth Moore
*  He Speaks to Me by Priscilla Shirer
*  Conversation Peace

I can honestly say that each study met me where I was and spoke to particular needs.  But the ones that continually resonate with me are Living Beyond Yourself and Seeking A Heart Like His.  The latter is the most recent study, and there are so many things that hit home with me (and likely more than I missed).  I just needed to hear those tender words.

I plan to revisit Living Beyond Yourself and Seeking a Heart Like His at some point in time.  And I'm praying that I will have the opportunity to get involved in a group like this when God leads us to our new home.

Show Us Your Life: Favorite Blogs

I love blogs.  It's probably sad that a little computer screen keeps me connected to reality (is that even possible?).  Oh well.  I guess I just love the fact that those who write about their lives tend to sit down and find the humor (or the lesson) in a situation before writing.  Personally, that's what I appreciate about blogging.  Well, that and the delete button.

People from "Real" Life

Kate is a friend of mine who is a guru in all things media--particularly celebrities.  Want to know something about a popular television show or band?  She's your girl.  Interested in life as a middle school teacher?  She knows where it's at.  Want information on how to cook raw meat?  I'd look elsewhere.

Sheena is my STBSIL.  She and my brother will be moving to Ohio to start a completely new life soon.  Her blog will be a necessity when it comes to communication.  Oh, and she's started talking about hilarious topics like torque and racing.  Who says ghetto redneck isn't a possibility?  (Only kidding.  I just think it's funny when girls from the ghetto comment on NASCAR.)

Eventually, my friend Casey is going to answer her calling in the food industry.  Until then, take advantage of her willingness to share her genius over the world wide web.

People I Stalk (And I mean that in the most Christ-like of ways)

E, Myself and I is a constant amusement.  She recently gave birth to her first child (a son--Sam), and offers full disclosure about her self esteem, joy and job.  AND, she manages to do it with a smile on her face.

Becoming Sarah is a blog about a girl and her girl.  She's brilliant and hippie and crunchy and all those wonderful things I fail at every single day.  She recently suffered a miscarriage, but walked her audience through the process with such brilliant works of prose, I wanted to ask her if she's a published author. 

Who doesn't love Young House Love?  Not only am I a fan of their DIY craziness, I'm caught up in all the amazing pictures they've posted of their home.  I've been in mine for almost a year and my guest bath still doesn't have a mirror.  Do they make house calls?

Over at Mabel's House, Liz has just sent her sister back to Japan for another year long adventure.  Her posts are always short, picture-filled and positive.  Her pictures of food make me salivate.  Oh, and she might be the reason I insist on eating tomato salads in the dead of summer.  (PS.  Mabel is actually the dog...)

Chapters is a blog about a girl.  A girl who is physically fit.  A girl who helps others become physically fit.  On top of those things (which are feats in and of themselves), she's a Christian who is gracefully dancing down the road of infertility.  And I mean that exactly the way it sounded.  If I could do anything in life with as much grace as she's handled that horrific situation, the Catholic church would saint me while I was still breathing.

Of course, I read a ton of other things that are hilarious (Hyperbole and a Half, anyone?).  You only need check my sidebar to find a few of them.  But these are the ones I never, ever miss.  (Of course, I also read Kelly's Korner, Katie's Keepers and BigMama religiously.)  Check them out.  Leave them a comment. 

Oh, and just so I feel important, leave me a comment, too?

Show Us Your Life: Blogging Tips and Vaca Update

Hey Kelly's Korner :)

I am clearly a professional blogger--what with the last two weeks and a total of three posts.  Ack.  What has happened to me?

Truthfully, though, I think blogging comes down to one thing:  honesty.  We all want to know that what we're reading is real, because those are the connections we want to make with other people.

Honesty doesn't mean you lay absolutely everything out there for the entire world to read.  I have a husband who is a fairly private person, and there are certainly subjects I am unwilling to broach with the public at large.

But when I am ready, I do share my heart.  My phrasing isn't always smooth, and my delivery isn't always funny, but I do aim to write the way I talk to people in my real life.  Hopefully, some of that comes across here.

Like, for instance, the fun time we had when we finally made it to Florida yesterday.  Favorite (my husband) and I aren't willing to drop a small fortune on hotel rooms; however, we aren't willing to drink brown water, forgo showers and pick bugs out of our beds either.  That means we ALWAYS check the recommendations of other customers and proceed accordingly.

For this trip, we chose to stay in a simple Howard Johnson--clean, simple and fairly inexpensive for the five days we'll be here.  It's certainly not the resort we stayed at in Orlando (holy beejeezus.  I'll have to tell you about that place later...but suffice it to say most of the women stared at me when I walked through in all of my Old-Navy-and-flip-flop-glory), but it's comfortable--and we don't spend much time here anyway.

BUT...when we got here, the room key wouldn't work.  So Favorite went back down to the desk.  She fixed it.  Except she didn't.  Then she came up herself.  Still nothing.

So we've just driven in excess of 10 hours and we now cannot get into our hotel room.

Frustrated might be an understatement.

The lady asked us if we could grab a bite to eat and by the time we came back, her manager would have everything under control.  Except that didn't happen.

They had to scan us in on a security card and then fix it in the morning.

We laugh about it now...but last night?  It no so funny.

Stay tuned for updates from the road.  Favorite shaved his head in an attempt to out wit his hair follicles since they've refused to work.  There will definitely be pictures to follow.

(PS.  If you ever have to drive for a long distance in the car, I highly recommend a book on tape.  Favorite and I bought Game of Thrones and I'm completely mesmerized.  Made the trip so much easier.  I didn't have to try to give him a bruise to entertain myself.)

(PPS.  Yes, I did actually do that once.  Don't judge me.)

Show Us Your Life: Marriage Advice

Welcome, Kelly's Korner visitors :)  Leave a comment and let me know you've been here.

Favorite and I celebrated our 8th anniversary in May, but they have been a full eight years.  We were young when we got married (a mere 21 for me and he was 22), and while I often think several of the things we faced were due to our youth, we've had the privilege to grow together through quite a discovery period.

But the best advice I received (and now pass on) is the advice that came in handy because of our youth.

A woman from Favorite's childhood church told me this:  When you get married, you will be a family.  It will be up to you and Favorite to make decisions for your family, but remember, because you are young, there are other people who will try to make your decisions for you.  There's nothing wrong with asking for advice from people who have more experience than you, but, in the end, it is your decision and no one else's.

We had difficulty with that advice for the first two years, and then we figured out exactly how important it is to make decisions together--without the interference of other people who may not know all the details of our situation.  It doesn't mean we've never asked for advice, but it does mean we've learned to trust each other and our instincts.

Have any marriage stories to share?  I'd love to hear them as I have several of my own.  Give me the link in the comments :)

Show Us Your Life: Announcements

Welcome Kelly's Korner :)

I feel like I have allowed myself to become a victim of taboos that shouldn't be allowed to own me.  Today, I'm taking one of those back and talking about something that meant the world to me--even though it didn't end the way I would've preferred.

By the time my husband and I found out we were pregnant, we had been trying for more than five years and had been married for more than seven.  People no longer asked fun questions like, "When are you two going to have a baby?" and moved on to a reminder that we were no longer as young as we used to be, and we wanted to be able to keep up with our children when they were young.

Truthfully, WE had started to believe it wasn't going to happen for us.

That weekend, as a means of relaxing, we took a weekend trip.  I was sure I was getting sick because I just couldn't keep my eyes open.  Anytime Favorite would suggest a particular activity, I would have to pull myself off the bed in order to get going.

By the time we got back home, I started to realize that I wasn't sick in the traditional sense.  My body was just different--in a way I'd never noticed before.

So like any good wife, I waited until my husband left the house and I immediately peed on a stick.  Then I stood at the front door for 45 minutes and waited for him to come home.  Stood.  The entire time.

He was flabbergasted.  We made a trip to Walgreens for a digitial (you know, just to make sure).  (Ok, ok.  It was actually 3 other tests.  It was nice to look at a positive as opposed to all the negatives we'd seen in the past.)  It also gave us that magic word we'd been waiting to read:  pregnant.  I took a picture of it on my camera (because carrying around a pee stick is gross).

A few days later, I took my mom to lunch to show her the picture of the front door on my camera, because Favorite and I were currently building a house.  As she scrolled through the pictures, the "pregnant" stick showed up right behind the red front door...and her face matched the color of the door once she realized what she had read.  She was thrilled.

For Favorite's family, we wrapped up baby frames.  We also gave some people large Hershey bars wrapped with a label that said

He or She

TBA December 2010

Finally, my father, who still didn't know, received a tape measure (because he'd been helping with the house).  When it pulled it out, it said, "We're adding two extra feet to our house."  He didn't understand why we were only adding two feet to a 3600 sq. ft. house, but when it hit him, he almost cried.

I know we went to a lot of trouble to give everyone a different story, but we'd had a lot of time to plan.  And it was so great that everyone was excited--my little brother whooped across my aunt and uncle's driveway when we told him. 

And those are the things I want to remember when I think about my son.  I want to remember how happy and excited we were.  I want to remember all the hope I felt then, because even though we lost him, that baby has been one of the best things that ever happened to me.  And frankly, I think that's worth talking about.

Organizing a New House

I think organization has to be simple or it doesn't work for everyone in the house.  And I think the first place to start is to have a place for everything.

Since my husband and I just built this house, I feel like I'm still trying to find places for all of the random stuff we use, but need to store.  That annoys the garbage out of me.  But here are a few things that have really helped me keep things in relative order until we are fully "moved in."

*  Baskets:  A good basket can hide a multitude of junk.  Favorite and I have baskets in our credenza.  Those baskets are designated for DVDs, XBox games, controllers, Favorite's Rosetta Stone and any cords that go to computers, etc.  In the sides of the credenza, we have several picture storage boxes.  In those boxes (which are hidden from view by the doors), we have our DVDs organized in alphabetical order.  Anytime we get a new one, I simply put it in one of the baskets and when I have time, I re-alphabetize them.  It may sound time consuming, but I only do that about once a month and it certainly keeps everything in it's place.

In my hall closet, I have a couple of canvas "baskets" to hold old washrags for cleaning, light bulbs, etc.  Mostly, I just like that baskets keep a variety of items in ONE PLACE for easy access.  Below my kitchen sink, I have several cleaning supplies organized for easy access.  And I plan to get metal mesh stacking baskets to put below my bathroom vanities.

*  Bookshelves:  Books will create more clutter in a home of readers than just about anything else.  It's money well spent to invest in a couple of really nice bookshelves.  That way, when a book is finished, you know EXACTLY where it belongs.

*  Accordion Files:  I have an accordion file sitting on the chest of drawers in my laundry room.  As soon as I come in every day, I sort the mail and file the things I need to keep for the tax man next year--insurance statements, Mary Kay information, receipts, etc.

*  Bills:  I don't have a desk system set up at my house yet :(, but that is my next real goal.  I plan to get a small desk to put between my bookcases in the front room.  I think a good organizer is key, but I think you have to create a system that works for that organizer.

Something like the above picture is actually really nice for keeping everything visible, functional and neat.  Frankly, that's one of my major rules for my desk:  keep it visible but neat.  I've found it keeps me from purchasing doubles, etc.  (In fact, I don't use my middle desk drawer at school.  I have various tin buckets on shelves behind my desk that store pens, pencils, paperclips, etc.)

*  Favorite's junk:  When Favorite comes in from work, he has a wide variety of things that he simply threw on a junk table in our trailer.  I solved that problem in the new house by moving our chest of drawers to the laundry room.  The top drawer has a really nice organizer in it (I got it from target.  Picture below) and he can throw spare change, his wallet, his watch, his name badge, etc in there and know exactly where everything is the next time he sees it.  PLUS, I can shut the drawer and not worry about the madness inside!  The other drawers in that chest are going to be used for extra sheets, towels or things that Favorite needs (bullets, etc).

*  Closets:  I hang everything I can (we have a pretty big closet), and I make sure it's all facing the same way.  Then (and you might find this a little crazy), I order my clothes like the colors of the rainbow.  It makes it easier to find red when you feel like wearing red.  Currently, my clothes are separated like this:  cardigans together, pants together, dresses/nice shirts, tshirts.  We have drawers in our closets that hold socks, under armor, etc.  Oh, and we were bright enough to invest in a closet organizer system that is adjustable.  So if our needs change, our closet can, too.

Clearly, this is not my closet.  But it's the system we have (Rubbermaid Homefree) and it was money well spent.

*  Make-Up:  All of my make-up, skin care, brushes, etc. goes into one of these:

That organizer goes into a drawer in my bathroom vaniety.  Every morning, I can pull everything out together and put it all away together.  It stays out of sight, and, bonus, when I travel, all I have to do is grab the tote.  It has everything I need.

(NOTE:  I do have extra make up that I don't use on a regular basis.  I organize that stuff below my sink and get it out on an as needed basis.  But let's face it, most of us have a regular routine that doesn't include 47 products every morning.  Organize those things together so you can cut your morning routine down and get out the door faster...or sleep longer).

Next steps?  I need organize my laundry room.  It's been kinda neglected because we're still finishing some projects so it's the first room that gets muddy or nasty.  I haven't put up shelves to put my cleaning supplies on yet, but I intend to do so and I just bought a sign that says "Laundry" to make the room look really cute :)  Oh, and I did invest in a boot rack and a boot tray.  they are awesome because Favorite keeps all of his shoes (all 3 pair) in the laundry room and I keep a few pairs of flip-flops at the ready.  The rack keeps them out of the floor and the tray keeps water and mud in one place.

Oh, and if you are just putting a laundry room together, I highly recommend a utility sink.  It honestly helps keeps our house clean because we can wash shoes, the dog, etc. out there, dry it off and then come into the house.

Any questions about how I create systems that work for me?  Just ask :)  Oh, and leave suggestions.  I love finding new systems to encourage organization.

Show Us Your Life: Show Us Your Family

I'm not sure how to start when it comes to my family.  We're that fun mix of crazy and logical, sweet and sour...but dinner at my parent's house is always an event.

This is my dad.  Other people call him Tom Selleck, Wade Boggs or Dale Earnhardt.

Occupation:  Disabled Iron Worker

Special Gifts:  Getting ridiculous discounts during shopping adventures.




Loves:  Shoes, Watches, Coats, Clothes, his dogs, his family and Jesus.

Hates:  Jeff Gordon, spaghetti and people who can't match their own clothing.

Interests:  NASCAR, aggravating people he likes and helping finish my house (ha!)

This is my mom.  We don't have nicknames for her.

Occupation: Social Worker

Special Gifts: My mom has what we refer to as a split personality.  You have "regular mom" and "insurance mom."  She can make insurance representatives tremble in their shoes.  I don't know anyone who knows how insurance works better than she does.  And I include the people who write the policy in that statement.  Seriously.  Insurance problems?  Call her.  She's a beast.

Loves: Her family, Jesus, her dogs, her swimming pool and piano.

Hates: People who get mad when she cleans their house (even when she's just a visitor) and dirty houses.

Interests: Scrapbooking, piano and reading

This is my older bro.  When we were little, I called him big brother.  Now, I just call him by his name.

Occupation: Master's Degree student, occasional substitute, student worker

Special Gifts: Compassion for people who annoy me, amazing knowledge about a variety of random subjects, impressive Biblical knowledge and the ability to clear the room in a short period of time ;)

Loves: Jesus, Reading, American Apparel,  car engines, charitable giving, his fiancee, his family and his Sunday School class.

Hates: People who are messy or who try to do his laundry or a wet toothbrust before he puts toothpaste on it
.
Interests: Books (just not ones I suggest), cars, Sheena, engineering and whatever you seem to be interested in (because he's cool like that).

Relationship Status:  Engaged to Sheena (check out her blog)

This is my lil bro.  I call him by his name.

Occupation: Secretary for an officer in the United States Airforce; Veteran

Special Gifts: Karaoke, Public Relations (or BS with the general public...or people in general)

Loves: Xbox, free food, reading and chewing.

Hates: People who tell him what to do.

Interests: Fantasy football, Xbox games, the Airforce, How I Met Your Mother

Relationship Status:  Seriously dating NutMeg.

This is Favorite and we've been married since May of 2003.

Occupation: Correctional Officer (former social worker...how's that for a change of pace?)

Special Gifts: Laughing at basically anything and aggravating me.



Loves: Farming, Xbox, his huge television and his family.

Hates: His job, lazy people, stupid people and other people.

Interests: Finishing the house, growing a beard, enjoying our new bed, and reading.

This is Archimedes or Barky.

Occupation: Resident Guard and Protector

Special Gifts: Barking at the most inopportune moments to scare the bejesus out of anyone within hearing distance.

Loves: Biscuits, his "baby," sleeping on the bed, outside and his mommy

Hates: Most people, but especially the dog groomer.

Interests: Anything that allows him to be outside, finding ways to get outside and looking sad so someone will pet him.


My brothers and I are never allowed to play Trivial Pursuit on the same team and I've never managed to get Favorite to sing karaoke.  We spend a lot of time sitting around the dinner table (not always with food), laughing and occasionally filling out crossword puzzles together.  All of us love coffee and we are a loud group when we're all together.  We love movies and (mostly) care deeply about the welfare of the others.

I'm blessed to know them.  I'm especially blessed to call them mine.  And one of these days I hope to add to the brood.

University of Illinois--Champaign/Urbana

Today, over at Kelly's Korner, she's hosting "Show Us Your Life:  Show Us Your Alma Mater."  Since alma mater can refer to any school you attended OR one from which you graduated, I chose the former.

I am a blue and orange girl at heart.  I only attended U of I for a year (hated the weather), but I know all the words to the fight song and I still update myself on their football and basketball teams even while I'm not a sports fan.

I transfered to U of I from a small community college.  Unfortunately, this was one of those schools that would've been easier to attend had I started as a freshman.  By the time I transferred, most people had determined their friend groups and Greek life was a pretty big deal.  I wasn't Greek and found it difficult to make friends given that I was only going to be there for two years.

But I got a great education.  My professors were on all ends of the spectrum--from suit and tie to tie-dye.  My major at the time was Advertising and I certainly learned a lot about looking at life through a hundred different lenses.  In fact, when I transferred to a university closer to home, I received ALL of my credits because the professor in charge said the education I received at U of I was heads and tails above the advertising department at this school.

It was the first place I learned about really taking care of myself and compromising with a roommate.  I cried because I missed home, but I had something that was uniquely mine.  The weather in Champaign is frightful.  I swear it snows up from the ground, but when the weather is nice, you'll never see a more beautiful campus.  The campus is also extremely pedestrian friendly.  I loved that aspect of it.  The quad was gorgeous and there were a ton of groups to get involved in (including a great chapter of InterVarsity).

It was an experience.  There were arguments about Chief Illiniwek.

I always thought it was mildly interesting that the students fighting to rid the university of him were white kids...particularly given that they felt he was insulting to Native American students.  Truthfully, U of I used the Chief in an honorable way.  The dances the mascot learned were actually taught by a Native American man and they were traditional Native American dances.

There was the cafeteria guy who knew exactly what kind of sandwich I wanted.

And there was the literature class I really didn't need to take, but wound up in anyway.  I actually believe that my blind professor and his regular mockery of the TA was one reason I ended up going back to school to major in English.  They had such great banter about the books we were reading.  It reminded me how much I loved to read.

I'm grateful for the experience.  I learned a lot--and not just in the classroom.  Mostly, I learned that we hate all things Michigan ;)

Go Illini!

I Need A Cover Up

HEY, KELLY'S KORNER...

My skin is albino and my hair is curly.  Beauty products are obviously a necessity in my life.

But because of my odd skin color, and my horrible skin composition, I have to be really careful about what I use on a regular basis.

Skin Care Routine
I have to admit that sometimes I get a little lazy and forget to wash my face.  *Collective Gasp from the audience*  I read somewhere that little acts like that actually age your face 2 weeks.  So instead of my mere 30 years, I'm like 60.  The days add up when you're a rebel.

I also have really sensitive skin.  Not only is it sensitive, but due to the joy that is PCOS, I get adult acne, AND, in my late 20s, noticed that it was getting drier.  So what do you use for such specialty skin?

1.  I wash my face with Cetaphil and occasionally mix up that routine with the three steps in ProActive.  I can't use ProActive every day because it irritates my already sensitive skin.  Cetaphil is a mild alternative that still gets my skin clean without drying it out.  Generally, I use a little scrubber sponge with the Cetaphil.

2.  Moisturizer.  It's a must ladies.  Skin that is oily benefits from moisturizer because your skin will overproduce oil in an attempt to balance itself.  I'm a big believer in MK moisturizer and I use it religiously.  Occasionally, if my skin is really dry, I'll also use the MK Intense Moisturizing Creme.  Makes a huge difference in the way my skin looks and the way my make-up goes on.

3.  Eye Make-Up Remover.  Please tell me that you are not taking your eye makeup off with soap and water.  Vaseline?  Even worse.  Your eye lashes need to be conditioned JUST LIKE YOUR HAIR.  So you need something that will take care of your makeup AND offer that conditioning.  I use Mary Kay's eye makeup remover religiously, too.  It's awesome.  And my eyelashes look great :)

Adding Color
Is now the time I should tell you that I love makeup and Sephora might be my mecca?  Seriously.  I see bright and shiny lights every time the black and white sign comes into view.  So here are a few of my favorite things.

Foundation.  I have tried just about every foundation known to man.  I have problems finding one that works because HELLO?  Sensitive skin that is the color of paper.  In fact, I had a lady at the Clinique counter make fun of me when I asked for foundation in the color albino.  ANYWAY...I like Bare Minerals, but I can't use it with any consistency.  After a while, it starts to dry my skin.  Then I found a foundation I LOVE.  It's the Make Up For Ever Mat Velvet +.  There's great coverage, but it doesn't clog my pores.  In addition, I found a color that matches my skin tone but doesn't make people wave and say, "Hi, Casper.  Heard your last movie was a flop."  Occasionally, I will add the Bare Minerals mineral veil over my foundation.  But sometimes that's more effort than the day deserves ;) 

Concealer.  I don't use it.  I don't like it.

Foundation Primers.  Ew.  I have yet to find one that doesn't make my makeup peel off in what looks like kleenex residue.  It's gross. 

Blush.  I prefer cream blushes and stains.  I don't really have a favorite.

Eye Make Up.  Oh, girl.  This is where things get nuts in my house.  I LOVE eyeliner and have become a whole hearted convert to all things Urban Decay.  First of all, their Eye Potion (eye primer) is awesome.  My eyeshadow never looked better.  Secondly, their 24/7 Glide on Pencils are UH-MAZE-ING.  They are easy to use without being super greasy.  Oh, and they dry a few minutes after application.  Go get one.  If you hate it, I'll eat my words.

For eyeshadow, I truly believe in Urban Decay.  Their colors are true and they go on nicely.  But, on a whim, I decided to try the Bare Minerals shadow honestly believing I was going to make a big mess in my bathroom.  In two words?  Worth it.  The color is true.  They blend really nicely and they are easy to use (provided you have a nice set of makeup brushes).

For mascara, I will only use Buxom.  In the name of experiment, I did try the DiorShow and it was awesome.  But I constantly felt like a stripper because my eyelashes were just a little TOO much.  Know what I'm sayin'?

My Hair is a Mess
Hair is a big deal for me.  My hair is fine, but I have a lot of it.  It's also curly and I color it every so often.

Cleanliness.  I prefer sulfate free products because 1.  they preserve color and 2.  they make my hair lighter so the curl isn't weighed down.  My favorite is Prevana, but I'm willing to give others a shot.  In the past, I've also used the orange BedHead (I can't remember the name of it).

Volume.  Big Sexy Hair Root Pump Plus.  No competitors.

Curl.  I use cremes and mousses because I don't like a lot of crunch in my hair.  Right now I'm a fan of the Brocato line.  Tomorrow, that may change.

Set.  Always Sebastian Shapers Plus.  Always.  It keeps things together without making it so stiff it won't move.

It sounds like a crazy routine in the morning, but I've gotten it down to a science.  And I'll occasionally skip a few steps or add a few depending on what is ahead of me that day.

If you drop in, leave me a comment and let me know your thoughts :)  Oh, and welcome.

She's My Friend

This friday at Kelly's Korner, Kelly is hosting Show Us Your Life:  Show Us Your Singles.  Originally, I hesitated to be a part of the posting, because even though I have a great something to post, my friend can be a little on the shy side.  But since she posted about herself first (click here to see what she said), I felt I could do a little more justice to her description.

This is Kate:

I've known her and her beautiful smile for the last 12 years or so.  We met in junior college and became good friends when we started singing together a year or so later.

Kate has one of the most gorgeous voices I've ever heard.  On top of that, she loves all things music and listens to a collection of artists that would keep the most eclectic of people entertained (although, I believe her favorite is the soundtrack from the Big Chill--something about learning all the words when she was 3...).  She probably has one of the coolest music collections I've ever heard.  Plus, she performed in community theatre (musicals) at a community college until she was about 20 (and she was good!).  And I also feel the need to mention that when we go, she's a karaoke staple.

Kate loves pop culture.  She is a trivia guru and would whip my butt at Trivial Pursuit if I didn't get to team with my brothers.  She likes to read and while our tastes vary on that front, she's recently picked up a book that's been on my "to-read" list for the last year (Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil).  Don't be fooled by that title, though.  She loves chick-lit, most things funny and biographies in general.

Of course, her love of a good biography might come from the fact that she teaches junior high social studies.  She loves her kids and isn't just a teacher who punches the time card and then leaves.  She volunteers her time with concessions, Beta, Track and a hundred other organizations that I can't even keep straight in my head.

Kate loves resell shops and is a fun decorator.  She has a great eye and has put together some really fantastic rooms in her house.  She laughs at all my jokes (which makes her a perfect in my opinion) and is, in general, entertaining company.

Mostly, she loves Jesus.  Kate isn't about walking someone else's walk there.  She's forging her own relationship with her Savior.  She works in our church nursery (she loves kids) and regularly participates in our Women's Bible study (I should also mention her mother regularly participates and is a great person.  Kate has a fantastic family!).

If you're interested, feel free to contact me or contact Kate through her blog link above.

(I made her wear that crown.  It was my birthday.  I don't care that I was 30; everyone wears a crown on my birthday.  But isn't she cute?!)