Jeans + a tee, but extra
*dusts off blog*
So, we’re in Texas! I’m assuming most of you know, but
if you don’t follow me on Instragram or Facebook
you might live under a rock
this might be news to you! We love it here, but Mark is working at best binary trading app in india, Zoey is back in school (all day!) and I’m no longer
working full-time. If you were to assume that I’m a bit
lonely and have more time on my hands than I’m used to, you
would be right. I’m officially a SAHM. And while my mom
duties mostly include keeping the kiddo fed and clean, doing
laundry, copious amounts of dishes and the occasional errand,
I’m still a Beautycounter consultant and now I’m
buy bitcoin in india to become a Pilates instructor. So what is that? SAHWM?
SAHSWM? That acronym could get kinda crazy. Anyway, let’s
review. Some days I don’t get shit done. I drink too much
coffee and end up watching terrible daytime television. And when
Mark gets home and very genuinely asks what I did all day, I get
super defensive. Ha! Marriage. Other days I am a freaking
multi-tasking machine and if he comes home and
doesn’t notice, he’s in trouble. He
can’t win. Most days I wake up, slip into my active wear,
throw on a hat and give myself a pat on the back because at least
I’m not wearing sweats and does a sports bra count as a
bra? My dog is my best friend.. she’s a great listener.
Sometimes I go to the grocery store just to make sure humans still
exist outside of my TV, but also to practice making eye contact
and smiling at strangers. At what point is that considered
creepy/stalking? Asking for a friend. There are days when I
literally look at the clock and wonder if 10 am is too early for a
glass of wine. what is the best binary option trading platform, moms? OH! Guess what? At Meet
the Teacher Night I signed up as room mom thinking it would be a
great opportunity to connect with other moms.. nope. Turns out
I’m the only one who checked the box on that one. So
I’m actually a SAHSWRMM. My mom badge is really expanding.
Listen, I’m not complaining. I’ve been the FTWM and it
made me miserable. So here I am.. getting a healthy dose of that
grass being greener thing. I’m determined to make the
most/best of this because sometimes I want to go back to work full
time! I know, right? (I promise I haven’t been drinking.)
Also, I have all this extra time, yet.. where does the
fucking time go? No matter what, it is always 3:12 a lot faster
than it should be.
Long story short, this is all so new to me – new place, new routine.. I have stuff to fill my day, but I struggle some days with managing my time.. I’ll get it. And being on both sides of the mom fence – it’s apparent to me that whether you work full time or part time or stay at home.. we all make sacrifices, sometimes we fuck up, sometimes we need a moment, but ultimately we all kick ass.
What does all this have to do with what I’m wearing? Well it was the most effort I had put in all week, (see above about active wear) but also a very simple mom uniform. How can you go wrong with jeans and a tee? I Paige’d it up with a scarf and a dope Gage Huntley necklace, but that’s as fancy as it gets! My hair isn’t technically “done”.. I ain’t got time for that. Air dry is the way to go. And lucky for me Beautycounter has a 5-Minute Face set, so my makeup was quick and easy. And how pretty is the background? It’ll be a housing development within the year. I feel like that’s my own made up North Texas housing/growth humor. Ignore me.
I’m rambling. Which means it’s time to wrap this up. But I do miss writing and I might just have enough time on my hands to make a comeback.
When your five year old is goals af
If you’ve been following me for awhile, you know how sassy
and independent this chick is. She’s fearless, she’s
confident, she’s got attitude for days, but she knows who she is and she owns it. And I fiercely admire that. I hope Mark and I (or her peers)
don’t fuck that up for her because it’s so rad.
Anyway. There’s a story behind this photo.
I’ll set the scene.. it’s later in the afternoon, we’re all home from school and work, hanging out in the living room, being lazy. Out of the blue, Zoey stands up on the couch and strips down to her tank top and underwear, flinging her clothes across the room. (Oh how I wish her shirt would’ve landed on Mark’s head or something. LOL) This is a new thing for her.. walking around the house in a tank and her undies. I don’t know who she gets it from *side eye* but it’s pretty freaking funny.
About 30 mins later she disappears into the kitchen. We can hear her open the fridge, she’s moving stuff around, whining that she’s hungry. Mark suggests (from the living room) that she grab an apple or something healthy. No response, but she’s still in there, opening drawers and cupboards and we’re both looking at each other like, “wtf is she doing?” Yet neither of us can manage to get off our asses to see what she’s up to.. haha. Parenting.
A few moments later she waltzes into the living room carrying a carton of leftover Thai food, a fork, a Gatorade, and her stuffed bunny.
Then she says, “Mommy, will you turn the tv on in your room, please? I need some alone time.”
I gave her a look like seriously? And she gave me the same look back like seriously.
I can’t, you guys. Who is this tiny person?
This might be one of those moments that you had to be there for, but I wanted to document it because it made me fall in love with her a little bit more. I want to remember this booty shorts and carton of leftover Thai food and alone time thing forever.
caftan
Sometimes you have the photos, but you don’t have the
content. So I sent one of these pics to my right hand woman and
asked her – what do I blog about? And she said,
“Hmmmm. Making a caftan look sexy? Normally they look
terrible, like boho fat ass.” Verbatim. Isn’t she
great? She’s mine. But she’ll stamp it on a cuff if
you really want a piece of her.
Let’s talk about it. I don’t know if sexy is the word, but I definitely felt sassy. The top part of this caftan/dress is very loose and sheer, so I threw a bralette on underneath, put my hair up to lighten the heaviness of the fabric and added a pair of gold hoops. Summer in the desert, here I come.
fave things 01 / clean beauty
Beautycounter Dew Skin Tinted Moisturizer w/ SPF 20
Checks off ALL the boxes when it comes to makeup – protects
my skin from sun damage, hydrates, evens skin tone, blends
perfectly, and gives my skin a luminous, dewy glow. This is my
go-to for those days when I don’t want to look done up, but
I have shit to do in public and I still want to look good in case
I run into someone or feel the urge to take a random selfie..
think running errands, a day at the beach, or going to the gym.
Ingredients include vitamin C (to reduce the appearance of age
spots and enhance skin brightness) and sodium
hyaluronate/hyaluronic acid (promotes firmer, smoother-looking
skin.) Comes in 5 shades. I use No. 2. A little goes a long way.
$45
SkinOwl Eye+
My eyes are picky af about what I put under and around them.
Products either under perform or perform too much, leaving the
skin around my eyes red, itchy, dry, and flakey. Dislike. While
researching clean eye care options, I came across Skin Owl. I was
sold at Hyaluronic Acid, cucumber, and aloe. And so far so good!
What I love about this product is that shortly after applying, I
can literally feel my skin tightening. Not that dry, tight
feeling, but actual skin firming. Great product. $46
Beautycounter Cleansing Balm
I cannot rave about this product enough. A customer-voted fave,
it truly is a multi-tasking miracle product. I use it daily to
cleanse my skin, remove eye makeup, as an overnight mask to
hydrate, and to spot treat minor breakouts. I’m not kidding.
Redness, pimple, irritation – GONE BY MORNING. $80
why you should use it..
-cleansing balms are oil-based. and contrary to what you may believe – this is so good for removing dirt and makeup and other nasty things that cling to your skin. not to get all chemistry 101 on you, but “like dissolves like.” i have oily/acne prone skin, so i was hesitant and terrified to put oil on my face. but ladies – it works. in fact, you want to keep your face well hydrated with oil. if your face gets too dry, the sebum of your skin will go into survival mode, producing MORE oil and most likely turning your face into a hotbed for bacteria and acne. (I’ve always wanted to use hotbed in a sentence.)
-cleansing balms do a fantastic job of dissolving make up and sunscreen. in fact, if you’re using a non oil-based (or water-activated) cleanser, it’ll have to work double time to remove impurities, often stripping your skin of – OIL – leaving your skin feeling tight and dry.
-cleansing balms remove even the thickest of make up – from concealers to foundation and layered mascara it’ll remove it faster (and more efficiently) than I’d remove my clothes for Jamie Dornan.
-cleansing balms are often made with natural/organic ingredients.
-cleansing balms are nourishing, calming and leave your skin feeling super soft.
how you should use it..
-massage cleanser into your dry skin. you’ll start to see the makeup dissolving within seconds.
-rinse off with warm water or a washcloth for a gentle exfoliating effect.
HUM Red Carpet Supplements
Clear skin, shiny hair. My nails even grow faster, longer, and
thicker. GMO and gluten-free. Use my referral code F6C27 for $10
off your order. $25
Agent Nateur Deodorant
I’ve tried a handful of “natural” deodorants in
the last year or so and a lot of them irritate my pits –
they breakout, they get itchy – it’s uncomfortable and
kinda ew. But so far, this one has been a winner. It’s made
with organic coconut oil, sodium bicarbonate, beeswax, sunflower
butter, avocado butter, castor oil, raw organic honey, lavender
essential oil, hydrogen peroxide, and eucalyptus oil. I really do
love it. And the light scent lingers for hours. It’s a bit
more expensive than your drug store variety, but cleaner and
safer. Worth it. $21
LashFood Phyto-Medic Eyelash Enhancer
If you want longer lashes, but you’re not ready for the
lash extension commitment, this serum delivers! I used it
consistently for about a week when I first got it and my lashes
were noticeably longer and thicker. Unfortunately, I don’t
always remove my eye make up before bed and this has to be applied
to makeup free lashes and worn overnight. So I’m not
consistent. Love that it’s vegan, cruelty-free, and contains
no parabens, fragrance, sulfates, or synthetic dyes. $80
Anti Wrinkle Jade Roller
So here’s the skinny. In Traditional Chinese Medicine,
jade is considered a sign of power and immortality.
The end. Roll out my wrinkles and live forever. Jokes. It
does a lot of things: depuffs the eye area, revs up circulation,
improves skin elasticity, and calms/evens your complexion.
I’ve been using it for about a week and I have to say
– my skin tone really does look better after rolling –
brighter, healthier. I also think that one of my laugh lines
doesn’t look as deep, soooo.. I’m in. $14.99
Ps. yes, I’m a Beautycounter consultant. If you purchase the Dew Skin or Cleansing Balm via my link, I will get paid. Drop a comment if you’re interested to learn more about earning free products/shipping and discounts.
What are YOUR clean beauty faves?
super baggy 90s levis
Something about these jeans makes me feel kinda sexy. Sure, they
hug the butt awkwardly and they do something funky to the crotch
area, but they are comfortable which makes me comfortable which is
probably where the sexiness comes in. Plus, they’re a nice
change from squeezing myself into skinny jeans that can sometimes
be.. unforgiving. Distressed by yours truly, these throwback
Levi’s from the 90s are simply the shit. I even
added a slinky little number on top to channel my inner
1990-something Drew Barrymore. Am I right?! Or a Calvin Klein ad?
You know the ones. I mean, why am I even wearing a top at all? I
gave you some side boob (heavy on the “some”, okay
hardly any), so there’s that.
These jeans and maybe 6 other pairs plus a few skirts, were given to me by a former coworker who maybe wore them once or twice in the early 90s. I am hoarding them. I think about selling them, but I’m not ready to let go yet.
I imagine you can find similar styles at Urban Outfitters OR head on over to your local Goodwill or flea market. I guarantee you’ll find some good Levi’s for cheap. And look in the men’s section! Literal boyfriend jeans.
Nothing I’m wearing is currently available to purchase because I like to buy things and then blog about them a year or two later. I can tell you that the top is from Brandy Melville. They always have tiny little numbers that you can’t wear a bra with. You guys, am I too old to shop there? Be honest.
Anyway, happy Friday! Thanks for humoring me.
leopard coat
All I really want to say about these photos is that I have a
ridiculously talented friend who makes me and my clothing
look way better than we actually do. Thank you, Stacey! I
hope I wasn’t too much of a diva. And I’m sorry that I
couldn’t recreate the photo of that Olsen twin pouting her
lips and applying lip gloss.
Worn
Rolling Stones Band Tee –
Brandy Melville USA
Leopard Coat (no longer available) – Zara
BDG
Girlfriend High-Rise Jean –
Urban Outfitters
Sunglasses
–
Rayban
Photos taken in Ventura, CA by Willhouse
whole wheat caprese pasta
Meal four / 5.31.16
Hey, what ever happened to me sharing my big cooking adventure with you? I mean, I guess it was May yesterday and now it’s 2017. Time flies. No matter, I’m going to keep my promise and continue to share.
So let’s back it up to when I made this super easy dish. I don’t have much to say about it other than it was ridiculously easy. I don’t even know that it counts as “cooking.” I boiled pasta and threw a bunch of ingredients together. But in the spirit of being positive – I tried something different and that’s why we’re here. To be honest though, if I’m going to eat pasta, which isn’t often, I’d rather have the real deal. This wheat pasta business didn’t go over well with the kiddos either and they weren’t super into the cooked spinach. Buuuuut, if you’re watching your waistline – give it a go!
Here’s the recipe – Whole Wheat Caprese Pasta
dog-eared: big magic
I just finished reading Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert and I’m giving it 3.5 stars out of 5.
She’s a wonderful writer, but I don’t know.. the way
people went on about it, I was expecting so much more. It was a
little underwhelming. Regardless, there were several passages in
the book that spoke to me in such a way that I felt the need to
dog-ear the pages. You know.. in case I need them for future
fear-crushing motivation. Honestly, I rarely revisit the pages
that I mark in a book (weird), but doing so this time allowed for
some much-needed self-reflection as I head into a new year. I also
want to mention that while this book may appear to speak to a
literal artist, I think Gilbert’s insights also
apply to our every day lives – embracing our curiosities,
facing our fears, and living life with more mindfulness and
passion. I’d recommend this book if you’re looking for
a light, inspirational read.
Interestingly enough, of all the things I could take away from this book, the thoughts/ideas that stood out to me the most are the things that I am currently working through – creatively and professionally.
Part I – Courage, page 18
“As the saying goes: “Argue for your limitations and
you get to keep them.”
Part IV – Persistence, page 143
“It’s a simple and generous rule of life that whatever
you practice, you will improve at.”
Part IV – Persistence, page 171
“if I am not actively creating something, then I am probably
actively destroying something (myself, a relationship, or my own
peace of mind.)
Part V – Trust, page 247
“they quit as soon as things aren’t easy anymore, as
soon as it gets painful, or boring, or agitating. They quit as
soon as they see something in their minds that scares them or
hurts them. So they miss the good part, the wild part, the
transformative part – the part when you push past the
difficulty and enter into some raw new unexplored universe within
yourself.”
Part V – Trust, page 252
“Whatever you do, try not to dwell too long on your
failures. Own your disappointment, acknowledge it for what it is,
and move on.”
Good stuff, right? My mantra for 2017: courage, persistence, trust the process. It’s a sticky note on the bathroom mirror kinda thing, for sure.
Did you read Big Magic? I want to know what you thought! Share in the comments below. :)
rockets of awesome: a review
Last time I took Zoey shopping I spilled my latte in the cart, spent an ungodly amount of time arguing with a 5-year-old about sleeve lengths, and had to put a ban on anything with Peppa Pig gracing the front. And c’mon Target – if you’re gonna have a Starbucks available to me, please add cup holders to your carts.
My point is that it’s almost never fun to take your (little) kids shopping for clothing. Hell, it’s not even fun to take myself shopping, sometimes! That’s why subscription box programs like Le Tote and Stitch Fix are so convenient.. tell them your favorite styles, colors, etc and voila – a box is sent to your door. You try it all on, keep/pay for what you like and send back the rest. WITHOUT EVER LEAVING YOUR HOUSE OR LOOKING AT A GENEROUS SPRINKLING OF CELLULITE ON YOUR BUT IN A TERRIBLY LIT DRESSING ROOM. (I’m speaking for myself here and pointing the finger at Nordstrom.)
Anyway! They have one of these super convenient subscription boxes for kids, too! Its called Rockets of Awesome and.. it’s awesome. And a breeze to set up.. visit their site, build a style profile for your son(s) and/or daughter(s), sized 2-14, and the good peeps behind ROA will send you 8-12 outfit ready items, all under $40 – FOR FREE. Keep/pay for what you love, send back the rest!
Zoey loved opening her personally curated box! Who doesn’t love getting mail? And guess what? The inside of the box has a fun scene that, when unfolded, can be colored! It took us two days to color the entire thing, but the whole family pitched in and it kept Zoey occupied for hours! Thumbs up on that little feature.
On to the clothing!
She rec’d 8 items total and we kept these 4:
Cosmic Leggings $24 / Long Sleeve Star Crew $26 / Long Sleeve
Lace-Hem Stripe $28 / Confetti Hoodie $26
Super cute, but sent back:
We would’ve kept the bomber jacket – it’s so
freaking adorable – but it was a bit snug.
Everything was cute and pretty close to Zoey’s personal style, but we’ll have 3 more deliveries throughout the year, so this was a good start! It’s all made with quality, durability and comfort in mind.. no scratchy or hard to move around in materials, here.
Also, if we change our minds about something after it’s been
sent back, we can just go to the website and buy it!
Ps. I recommend that you size up on hoodies and sweatshirts for
layering purposes.
Give it a try – it’s convenient for you and fun for
the kids!
Use my code to join –
https://www.rocketsofawesome.com?r=5b071956
If you make a purchase, we BOTH get one item for FREE. Yay!
Have fun!
I know that 2016 was a shitty shit show for a lot of you, but
for me – it was sort of empowering. I left a job that I felt
totally stuck in. That’s right.. after 10 years, I quit. I
wasn’t growing with the position, nor did I care to, and it
didn’t feel good for my soul to put e i g h t long
hours a day into something that wasn’t making me happy. And
also, I don’t like being told what to. So when all the
planets aligned and the universe handed me the opportunities to
move on, I peed my pants a little, had a few sleepless nights,
pulled up my big girl panties (fresh ones) and then took them.
HAVEN’T LOOKED BACK. Scary as fuck, but empowering.
Let me be clear though.. I didn’t quit to write a book (one day, maybe) or open a business or something crazy cool like that. I quit to build my Beautycounter business (it’s been surprisingly lucrative) and to work part-time at a pilates studio that I’ve been a member of for about 3 years – mainly focusing on client relations and sales/marketing. *This isn’t a new field for me. I was in the fitness industry before wealth management.
So here I am! Working part-time, making my own hours to some extent, spending more time with my family, sharing/creating, diving into my strengths, facing my weaknesses, and wearing super cute athletic gear all day erryday. Not a bad gig.
Of course, nothing with an upside is without its downside(s). I left a very secure job, I took a pay cut, benefits are harder to come by, and how much I do get paid is directly related to how hard I work. Plus.. time. Where did all my time go? I had so much time when I sat behind a desk all day, dreaming of all the things I could be doing outside of the office. Now I get up and BAM – my schedule is full. There’s always something to do, somewhere to be. And some days, I only mark off 2 of the 10 things that are on my to-do list. Some days I feel so overwhelmed that I end up doing nothing. But then there are days when I get shit done and get to sit on the couch and read for an hour, which feels odd because have I actually earned the break? Have I worked hard enough? Like, who decides when I get to take a break and feel okay about it? Me?! If that’s the case, I might need to be a tougher boss.
I don’t have it all figured out. I’m literally all over the place right now. But I’m gonna keep on keepin’ on because I’m ready for these new challenges and experiences.
Cheers to not waiting!