What I'm Loving (5/25/2012)

I know I've been pretty MIA in the last few weeks.  I'd like to blame it on the constant activity in my life, but my lack of presence is mostly due to being inside my head for a bit.  Trying to figure things out.  Working on this guest post that may be the worst piece of writing I've ever generated.

But today's post?  Is bright and cheery and includes recommendations for several products I happen to think are fantastic.

This is the Fossil Satchel my parents gave me for Christmas, and after carrying it for five months, I think it's safe to hand out my reviews and opinions.

In short?  Love it.  It's really a classic bag with clean lines and tons of room for all the stuff I carry with me.  I highly recommend it.

I used to be able to do anything to my hair with few consequences.  Unfortunately, as I get older and my skin gets drier, so does my hair.  It's a problem because my hair is curly, fine and color treated so even though Suave thinks they are as good as the professional brands, I can assure you my hair does not respond to their formula.

I've paid a lot of money for hair products that were...eh.  And I was pretty skeptical when my mom told me how much she loves this product.  It was $10 for a bottle, so I thought it was a pretty safe risk.

Thankfully, that was $10 well spent.  Jennifer, my hair lady, commented how healthy my hair looked the last time I saw her, and I really believe it has a lot to do with the shampoo and conditioner.  I get it at Sally's Beauty Supply (do they have those all over the country?  Or just here in the midwest?).  Liters go for $20, but anyone who has bought professional shampoos or conditioners knows that's a steal for that much product.

Earlier this week, I got a sunburn through my jeans.  I know it sounds crazy, but it's a true story.  That said, it's clear my skin is super sensitive and crazy dry.  Most body washes make my dry skin worse, so I decided to try something that was made for sensitive baby skin.

It really is awesome.  Plus, it wasn't as expensive as the Body Butter wash I was using so that's a real bonus.

To the left is Barky.  To the right is the newest addition to our family:  Corky.  I probably should've posted about him sooner, but we took him on a trial basis from a local animal shelter to see if he would jive with Bark's possessive personality.

He's six months old and the sweetest puppy, but he's super active and wants to play all.the.time.  The first few days he was here, Bark wouldn't have anything to do with anyone.  He was mad we brought this baby into his life and he sure let us know he was less than happy.  But over the course of the week, he's gotten used to him.  Sure, they've fought.  But I think Bark is adjusting well.

Oh, and if I believed in reincarnation, I would tell you that this puppy is Alex in someone else's body.  It's been serendipity--that's for sure.  We're going to finish paper work for Corky today, and then he's officially part of our House.

Now that we're on summer break, I'll try to post a little more often.  And I'm working on things of substance that may require feedback.  You'll be here, right?  To help me perfect inperfect writing?

Things I'm Loving 3/3/12

Laundry is getting done.  Papers will be graded.  Laundry lists will be completed and fulfilled.  Lesson plans will be written and projects revamped.  Material will be studied.  All before the end of the weekend.  I declare it so.

Suffice it to say, I need to set some ambitious goals for myself.  Instituting change is so ridiculously overwhelming fabulous, and it's my hope it works wonders on my attitude and my physical well-being.  That said, I thought it might make me smile to share a few things I have really enjoyed recently.

Source

1.  Olive oil.  The more I read about olive oil, the more I believe it is one of the most beneficial things any person could include in his/her life.  I use it in cooking and for flavoring, because it contains good fats that are beneficial for a number of health conditions (PCOS among them).

But it isn't just a food, either.  Olive oil is a pretty amazing moisturizer.  As I've gotten older, my skin will not hold moisture.  It doesn't help that I have adult acne to endure, and acne treatments aren't known for their moisturizing properties.  After a bit of reading and discovery, I stopped using Pro.Ac.tive and started washing my face with a mixture of olive oil, castor oil and tea tree oil.

So far, my face is more clear than it ever has been.  Break-outs happen less often.  My skin is more moisturized.  For more information, check out this site.

Source

2.  I'm a big fan of the Brocato line.  Most of the time, I use the Swell Volume products, and I think they are perfect for my fine, curly hair.  But in the last year or two, my hair has gotten extremely dry.  It was weird, because I've never, ever had issues with healthy hair.  My hair has always been strong.  I rarely get split ends.  Repeated highlighting and coloring didn't even seem to affect it.

Until recently.  When my hair broke after minimal highlights, I knew I had a problem.  My hair lacked moisture, so I went back to the line of products I trusted and looked for something specifically for dry, damaged hair.  I found Cloud 9 Miracle Repair Treatment, and within a week, my hair felt completely different.

Not only did it feel moisturized, my curl gained new life.  It had been flat and dull for a while, but this product changed that completely.  I leave it on my hair for about 5 minutes before I rinse, and then comb it out in the shower.  I highly recommend it.

Source

3.  My wretched skin makes the perfect foundation nonexistent.  Recently, I found Smashbox's Camera Ready BB Cream.  It's light.  It's moisturizing.  It doesn't sit on the top of my skin, and they have colors that match my transparent skin color.

Thank you, Smashbox.  Thank you.



Source

4.  Once Upon A Time.  I don't get to watch much television, because I don't have time to sit.  Sure, I turn the television on when I'm home and I putter around the kitchen--cooking and cleaning.  But actual watching time?  Minimal.

But I will make time to watch this show.  Thank heavens for the DVR.

5.  Church.  It's nice to be part of a vision.  And while it's painful, it's been a blessing to learn and feel the weight of conviction.

I'd been struggling for a while with what relationship was supposed to mean in Christianity.  God's call on my heart (particularly the call to move away from my carefully constructed egg of safety) was to move beyond the pew, outside the walls of the building and into the lives of people I loved.  I pray that call continues.

As encouragement, here's the video my church has been playing as a reminder regarding the importance of relationship:

"And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity" (Colossians 3:14).

Things I'm Loving: November 2011

My cousin, Jake, is in massage therapy school so I had him work on my shoulders this morning.  Verdict?  Even if I never work out again, I've got to get back to stretching.  That's the one thing I really appreciated about gymnastics and swimming--it was a way to stay limber.  Jake was impressive, though.  He stretched me and massaged until my head at least stopped hurting.  I'm grateful.

And if you were wondering, he's single and a catch.  Jake will be using massage therapy to pay his way through grad school.  AND, he plays the guitar and sings.  Oh, and he's good at all those things.  Plus, he's one of my favorite people--he's funny and loyal and, above all things, cute.  Sometime in the next month, I'll be promoting Jake's buddy, Blake, who is also a catch, but I thought it necessary to say something nice about Jake here.

But I'm mostly writing this post to tell you about a few things I'm currently loving.  I think it might be a nice turn from the serious nature of the last few posts (though, I have all of a sudden gained a fairly large following from my hometown area over those last few blogs), and I don't think it hurts to smile over things from time to time, either.

Source

This is Fossil's Vintage Re-Issue Large Satchel.  I love it for a couple of reasons.  First of all, I'm a big fan of any bag that holds its structure without the owner filling it to the brim.  Secondly, this is a classy looking bag.  It would go well with jeans or dress pants, and would travel to a wedding or McDonald's.  Plus, I actually really like the color.  Reminds me of a comfy pair of jeans.

Source

Not long ago, I told you guys that I was looking at a new winter coat.  This is what I bought, and I'm really pleased with it.  First of all, it's lined with thinsulate, so it's definitely going to be warm.  I also really love the color.  Maybe Stacey and Clinton are right--red is a neutral.

Now for something revolutionary.

Source

This, ladies and gentlemen, is the Nook Tablet.  I never thought I would join the ranks of those who no longer hold actual books, but I'm starting to see a benefit. 

One major benefit is the fact that books for ereaders are cheaper than buying a regular book.  Since I'm in grad school, that's a HUGE benefit.  Plus, if I finish a book, and there's another in the series, I can buy it and start reading right away instead of waiting until I can find the next book in the series.  Also, since I read a lot (like, a lot.  I haven't updated that book tracker thingy in quite some time), I think this may be a more economical way of getting books.  Will it keep from from ever buying a book again?  I don't know.  I don't totally see that happening, but we'll see, I guess.  (Oh, and you should also know that this version of the Nook allows readers to borrow ebooks from their local libraries.  Pretty cool, right?)

And, last, but not least, these people:

That's me on the end.  The other two guys are my brothers.  In the last few weeks, I've just been reminded how much I appreciate my family.  Not just these two, but their significant others (SILSheena and Nutmeg), my parents, Gloria & Jason, Jake and Blake (because I'm pretty sure Blake may be part of the family now?).  I realize not everyone has been blessed with a supportive family, but I have and I don't take enough time to tell you how great they are.

This Thanksgiving, enjoy the people who surround you.  Love them.  Appreciate them.  And thank God He's given you others.