Summer Regimen

Y’all know how I LOVE skin care and products.  And, I’m always out there reviewing something or other.  Well, I’ll let you know what I’m using now.  Some things I’ve been using for quite some time and don’t plan on deviating anytime soon.  Some things are fairly new products.  However, as you know, I’m not one to rush into a review, so I’ve been using these products for a few weeks now. 

Let’s start with skin care.  Morning routine:

Recently I discovered Clean & Clear’s Morning Burst.  I use this with my Clarisonic and I love this stuff!  It feels great and invigorating, giving the face that caffeine boost (much like my body needs).  It is not overly drying and doesn’t spread oil around.  The Clean & Clear website has a $2.00 off coupon right now!

Next I use M.A.C. Lightful Deep Ultramoisture Crème.  I’ve been using this product for about a year now and there is nothing better.  It is very light, I don’t know I’d even call it a lotion or crème as it’s so light.  It also brightens the skin over period of use.

Nighttime routine:

Of course, using my Clarisonic again (and if you’re using this, be sure to change your brushes regularly!), I use Neutrogena’s Clear Pore Cleanser and Mask.  I use the mask twice per week (5 minutes y’all!) and the scrub every night.  It keeps those pores squeaky clean.  It might take some getting used to if you’re not used to using a pore cleaner.  Start with every other night and work your way into every night.  Don’t use the mask too much!

A couple times a year (like now), I complete a Retin-A regimen to rid of dead skin and clean those pores extra,extra well.  I use it every other night for a couple months and then give my face a four month break.  This helps with wrinkles too!  Gotta stay young!

On the nights I’m not using the Retin-A, I use Pur Minerals Mineral Moisture Complex, anti-aging crème with Co-Enzyme Q10.  Co-Enzyme Q-10 also comes in an oral vitamin if you didn’t already know.

MAKE-UP:

I love the Pur Minerals Color Correcting Primer in green.  I tend to have a red complexion in the cheek area, so the green balances out the redness.  This stuff is SO light you hardly even notice you’re putting it on!  That’s what I love about the Pur Minerals collection, it is not pore clogging!

Next up the Pur Minerals 4-in-1 foundation.  This is a powder folks…..no liquids for this girl.  This foundation is AMAZING with a large capital “A”!  I’ve never seen anything correct redness and spots as well as this powder and it hardly even looks like you’re wearing any!  Perfect for summer when you want that au-naturale look.  And, since it’s not liquid, you’re not sweating it off, it stays put.

Thus the same for the blush powder.  Pur Minerals Marble Mineral Powder is wonderful and very natural looking. Unfortunately, they have been out of pink for a while, which is great for summer.  But I will be trying the bronze for a winter look.

My go-to mascara for YEARS!  And I mean, since high school (and I know this is true of lots of you gals out there).  Maybelline Great Lash (the BIG stuff).  If they ever discontinue this mascara, Maybelline will have a run on all stores and will sell out immediately and then I think women will picket to bring it back on the market!  This stuff is that “great!”

For my lips, I almost always go natural, only using my Nivea Kiss of Smoothness chapstick.  It’s always in my pocket (unless Lallie steals it away, she loves chapstick).

And that’s it.  I really don’t wear too much makeup.

I hope this helps you with your summer regimen, ask questions and/or check these products out.  I believe ULTA is running a free Pur Minerals gift with purchase when you go into the store!

Happy Summer Y’all!

Lallie Got a Hair Cut

 It's never been this short since she was born and it grew out.  I cut it a little shorter than Husband and I had discussed.  However, considering she's had her hair cut a mere three times in her whole four years of life, hair cutting is stressful for her (and me).  So, I just said get it done (over her crying) in order to move quickly.  Once it was done, she had a thin strand of pink sparkle tied in and she loves her short hair!

Mommy loves it too because it's not cotton candy and hard to brush.  Plus, it stays out of her beautiful face.

Saturday is her birthday, but she's not attending summer school tomorrow.  So she took the cupcakes we made last night to school today and insisted on wearing her "Happy Birthday To Me" shirt.

Pictures and details of her Saturday pink, purple and rainbow Hello Kitty swimming party coming next week!  (Yes, she helped me plan.  Hey, it's the first party she's been able to make decisions on, so why no!)

Happy Summer Y'all! 

Godspeed Little Brother: "The Nose"

My brother and I couldn't be more different. 

I am the preppy, pink and green, Lilly-loving, Florida living, pampered girl.

My brother, on the other hand, is the rock climbing, non-materialistic, thrill seeking (and crazy!), outdoorsy paramedic.

The only thing we have in common is music.  I'm a violinist, he's a pianist.

We don't get to see him much.  He's young and busy with his own life right now.  But, I keep tabs on him through facebook. Here's a picture of him the day Lallie was born.  He was high up on a mountain out west (I think) and took this drawing wishing her a happy birthday.  I told him I expected the same this year, a happy birthday wish for her from the top of El Cap.  (Her birthday is July 30th).

Chris, Lallie and I - Christmas 2008

Anyways, this Friday, he's leaving for Yosemite in California to attempt and hopefully accomplish a major feat.  He and a few of his expert climbing buddies will be climbing El Capitan a/k/a The Nose.

Godspeed little brother, I can't wait to see the view from the top!

Keys Trip and Other Fun Stuff

Last weekend, we headed down for the Keys for a quick three-day trip.  We took the boat on the three hour ride down to Tavernier, stayed at one of the bayside resorts and chilled all weekend long.  The boys went fishing every morning while the kids, Rachel, Nini (Rachel's mom) and I all hung out by the pool.  We didn't wear makeup.  We wore tshirts and grungy shorts (whenever we weren't in our bathing suits) and we grilled out every night.  As Lallie put it "this is SO nice and SO relaxing."  We absolutely hated to leave.  BUT, we only live three hours away, so I think we'll be seeing a lot of the Keys in our future!

Fishing off the pier.  The kids fished as well and caught quite a bit of little needle nose fish and rainbow fish.

Lauren and Lallie.   These kids are three peas-in-a-pod!

It is impossible to get all three of them to look at the camera at the same time!

The resort we stayed at had the most beautiful spot for watching the sunset.  The kids were in awe!

Yay!!!  See you tomorrow sun!  Lauren was waving.

Lallie kept getting closer to the ground as the sun set, she was following it.

Adorable and fun to look at, but when they hang out on your porch and poop all day long.....not so fun!

Rachel skiing.  I tried, goodness knows I tried!  I'm one of the hopeless ones :(

Hanging out in the hammock for some mommy/daughter time while Daddy was out fishing for our dinner.

On the way home, one tuckered out (and slight pink from chlorine) little Lallie!

Back at home, it was back to our usual Princess routine.  Note: I'm getting ready to cut her hair to shoulder length.  Another inner battle for me, but it must be done.  It's too long and stringy.

My little fairy flying down the street.

Looking for the seven bunnies wesaid were hanging out in the backyard.  I had to go hop in front of the
window to clear up this little fib!  :-)



Playing with Granny over Skype.

Have a great week y'all!





Wedding Pictures

Hello Y'all!  Hope everyone's summer is going well!  We just got back from a lovely Florida Keys vacation (pictures coming soon).  In the meantime, Jess and Patrick finally got some of their wedding pictures!  Here's a few from our side of the family including my amazingly gorgeous new sister-in-law, Jess (the bride is always the star of the show!)



Husband, the Best Man



Jess' dress was absolutely stunning!

What's a Kentucky wedding without guns?

....... and a donkey?  (Clem is Lallie's pet)

The flower girls did so well!   We were all nervous, but they did perfectly and Lallie got good practice
for Ashleigh's upcoming wedding (yes, she is a flower girl and I'm the MOH)!

Lallie and her Grandaddy, what a fantastic picture.

Candid moment, they didn't know their picture was even being taken.

LOVE this picture!  Everything about it is perfect!

Happy Summer Y'all!

Celebrating the Fourth of July!

We had a fabulous and busy Fourth of July weekend.  My parents were down for the holiday, so we spent all day Sunday on the boat.  We headed out to the sandbar first and met some of our friends out there by coincidence.  We have a lot of boating friends so we almost always run into someone we know.  Look how gorgeous the water is right now!

Lallie chilling with daddy while munching on some lunch.

After the sandbar, we headed down to a little lake area south of the sandbar.  There you can run the boat up on the lakeside beach (and it was busy, the boats were stacked up!) and then walk across the dunes to the ocean beach side.

Here Husband and my dad body-surfed the waves.  I have a video, but Husband made me promise not to post it.  It's really funny to watch body surfing.

Lallie hanging out on the beach.  The big waves were a little too much for her teeny little body.

Dad relaxing on the boat as we head down from the sandbar to the lake.

Monday afternoon, Grandma and Geezer (yes, that is what Lallie calls my dad) gave Lallie an early birthday present.  They gave her an adorable brown and pink giraffe print bathing suit because she LOVES bathing suits, and an abacus.  Lallie is learning how to add on her fingers so she was quite interested in this new learning toy!

Monday night, we headed out to dinner on the water before going out on the boat for the fireworks.  Of course, Lallie had to be all decked out in her red, white and blue! 

And here we are all anchored up waiting for the fireworks.  We picked the perfect spot!  We weren't too close to the boat traffic so it was relaxing and an easy get-away after the show and we weren't too close to the fireworks that the loud noises would scare Lallie too much.

She was SO excited about the fireworks!  Just a happy, happy little girl!

The Captain finally relaxing after a couple days of navigating!

Ready for the celebration!!

And, what do we do with a toddler on a confined boat for two hours?  Watch Cinderella!

Once the little fireworks around town started going off, Lallie started getting really excited!  She loved seeing the sparklers and had been waiting for it all day long.

The fireworks lasted a full 25 minutes!  They were fantastic!  But Lallie was super tired after and said "It's way past my bedtime mommy."

Happy Summer Y'all!