Smokin' Hot!

I've taken pictures with Instagram before but have never really played with the picture enhancements.  So the other day, I got bored and decided to have some fun with Instagram and take pictures of my fun shoes and fun new nail polish :-)

(What?  I was in my satellite office, all by my lonesome, waiting for a client with a slowly booting up computer and no music)....This girl knows how to make use of her time!  ;-)

These are super fun shoes that I've had forever.  Cute little Mary Jane style heels in black and white polka dot satin (who doesn't love polka dots?).  I don't wear them often (because they hurt....ouch blisters!) but I certainly get compliments when I do!  They were a Target find from before Lallie was even born! 

The fingers are my newest Essie color, Smokin' Hot.  I LOVE this color.  I never thought I'd be one for a dark polish, but this one suits my fancy just fine.  It's a dark gray, Smokin' is the perfect name (hot, hot, HOT!).  I won't venture to blues, greens and purples though.  Just not going there.

Speaking of nail polish.  What is your favorite clear topcoat?  I'm in serious need of help here.  I've tried dozens (okay, like 6) but all of them dry at a snail's speed and then they get dull after they dry, not shiny at all.  It takes away from the shiny nail color.  So I don't use it.  But then I end up chipping my nails after 2 hours.  Help!

Happy Thursday Y'all!

Birchbox - POREfessional

I've mentioned it before, I'll mention it again.  I'm in love with Birchbox.  For $10 a month, you get this nifty adorable little box (that I keep as they're the perfect size for Christmas gifts) filled with high end samples and sometimes full size products of the newest beauty craves.

I did a post a while back HERE about some of my favorite products I've sampled....take a look.  But the other thing I love about Birchbox are the points for free products!  Just the other day, with my free points, I ordered POREfessional (based on the 427 4+ star reviews on Ulta....my other favorite store, thanks to Ashleigh) to try it out.  After cross-checking it with my skin type, I think it would be very compatible for my skin, especially in year-round hot South Florida!

Have you tried POREfessional?  I'm SO anxious to try it!!

Let me know your thoughts!  I'm anxious to hear!

Happy Thursday Y'all!

Birchbox - Stila, Alterna and Melvita

I adore getting my monthly Birchbox in the mail.  Yesterday, when Lallie and I got home, we had to walk over to our neighbor's house to give the boys a thank you gift cards for taking care of U.K. while we were in the Keys.  I stopped by the mailbox first and removed my Birchbox.  I almost told Lallie we would go back over in a few minutes because I had to get inside to open my latest surprise!  I waited until after we went to the neighbor's house (and thank goodness for my neighbor's mother-in-law stepping out saying she needed something or I would have been there all day!  We southerners do love to talk! :)

Finally I walked in the door and tore into my Birchbox to find the most exciting thing.  My earbuds in pink and green no less!  I LOVE them! They are so comfy too!

Also included was Alterna BAMBOO® UV+ Color Protection Fade-Proof Fluide .  Seriously, how perfect is this for me?  I'm in the sun all the time either with work (as part of my job entails being outside in the sun) or on the boat.  Plus, I do have blond highlights so I can't wait to try this out.   Everyone knows the sun can seriously dry out your hair and this gloss is not only supposed to protect your hair, but keep your color bright for an additional two months! Yes please! 

I also received the Eyeko Skinny Liquid Eyeliner which I haven't yet tried out.  I don't wear any eye makeup except for special occasions, so this I'm afraid will go into my makeup box until that next special occasion comes around. 

Color Club® Summer Pastels Collection  I love this color!  I've never been a fan of green on the toes or fingers but this color is so light and pastel, I'm going to try it and see if I can pull it off.  This was Lallie's favorite out of the box too and she insists on having her nails done tonight in this color.  I'll get a picture for you tomorrow.  :-)

LÄRABAR® über - I ate my Banana Foster bar this morning.  It tasted great, very natural but my gums hurt!  Isn't that weird?  They actually stung.  I threw the wrapper away before I could read the ingredients to find out what could possibly do that so I'll never figure that out.  Any ideas out there or did this happen to anyone else? 

I also received one of the perfume samples but I forgot what it was and tossed it aside.  I don't wear perfumes.  I sneeze like crazy when I do, so can't  help you out there.

All-in-all, I'm very happy with my July Birchbox.  I'm most excited about the Alterna Bamboo Color Protection Fluide as I would likely use this daily. 

As I said from my June Birchbox, the stila one step bronze was my favorite and how lucky was I to get a full size bottle!  Yes, this looks extremely dark (the picture shows it lighter than actual), especially for someone with my skin tone.  However, it works fabulously.  First, I always keep my face covered when I'm in the sun.  I don't want to be that 40 year old with 80 year old skin.  No thank you!  And I always wear sunscreen on the rest of my body, but I do tan.  So....my body is darker than my face and it looks weird. Enter stila one step bronze.  I cover my entire face and then apply my Pur Minerals powder over it which gives me that natural tan look.

In addition it doesn't clog my pores (it actually makes them look smaller according the Birchbox. Yes? Maybe?).  It's very, very lightweight, almost like a foam and it doesn't make my face shiny.  I love this stuff and think this will be a regular in my summer makeup routine going forward!

Oh yes...it also makes my face sparkle.  Gives it a little glow.  Always fun for a summer look.

 

I also LOVED the Melvita Floral Water.  When they talked about this floral water on the June youtube video and  how refreshing and uplifting this water felt, I was quite skeptical.  They were 100% on the money.  A little spray of this on your face and you immediately perk up!  A combination of the cool water and the rose smell just lifts you out of a funk.  I use it at work when I'm stuck in a rut and it perks me up immediately.  Who knew?  Birchbox did!

If you haven't joined Birchbox, click to join asap!  It's lots of fun and a great, inexpensive way to learn about new products and try them out without shelling out the big bucks.

Happy Tuesday Y'all!

Birchbox, Three Islands and Weekend

Good morning all! Hope everyone had a fantastic weekend.

I have a couple things I will tell you about very soon.  One...Three Island Clothing.  LOVE their tunics!  Husband and I went fishing a couple weeks ago and I wore my tunic on the boat the entire time!  It was so lightweight and breathable and kept my skin protected.  Loved it!  So, coming soon Lallie and I will be modeling our tunics for you (hopefully during another fishing trip)!  AND, I'm sure I'll be purchasing more in the coming months!

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Two - Birchbox.  Okay, raise your hand if your in love with Birchbox!  I am.  I am absolutely LOVING my Stila bronzer from the June box.  I can't wait to get the July box to try everything out.  Ashleigh doesn't get the whole sampling thing (she says she throws them into a drawer and never used them.) Me.... I tear into the box the second they come in and try everything out.  Love it!

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Lastly - our weekend.   

Friday night, we headed out in Barbie (the big truck) for ice cream.  I remember when I was a kid, my parents used to pile us in the mini van to head to the Dairy Queen for ice cream and blizzards.  If it was nice outside, we'd stay on the playground to let my little brother play for a little while.  We're carrying on the tradition by taking Lallie out for ice cream (after bath, after dinner, in her PJ's).  

In this picture:

Lallie:   "Mommy, I want to eat my ice cream!" 

Me:  "Okay, but one picture please?" 

Daddy:  "Yes, Lallie, take a picture because mommy HAS TO HAVE a picture of EVERYTHING!" 

I'm happy to see McD's brought back the dipped cone, but for a Lallie...it turned out to be a big mess, so Husband and I had to break off the chocolate and eat it ourselves (Darn!)

 

Saturday, we headed up to Lake Placid for the day with friends.  We beached, boated and grilled and headed back home that night.  

Of course, when we get with the K family, there's always some sort of incident (just kidding....or am I?)  Saturday after dinner around 7:15, M convinced us to stick around and take  a sunset boat cruise.  The boat belongs to A (our five year old buddy) and he captains it quite well (with Daddy's help of course)!  It looked like we had enough gas, but alas we did not!  So, R waved down a nearby boat who towed us back to shore (we have plenty of pictures to show R trying to paddle us back to shore, it was pretty hilarious).  No worries, it was a beautiful night for a sunset "tow" and it's not a big lake so it took maybe ten minutes.

Oh but wait, there's more.  

A HUGE cloud out of nowhere came upon us and it started pouring down rain.  Absolutely pouring.  So R and I hid behind a life jacket while M, Husband and the kids hunkered down underneath the bimini top.  If only I was dry enough to get a picture of the men with the kids.  They all were soaking wet and had completely blank stares.  They were pretty cute actually.  It was definitely an incident we won't soon forget!

 

Lallie and L.  L is about 16 months younger than Lallie, but lately they've become very close. 

Happy Monday Y'all!