Fall Beauty Blog: September Favorites!

It's the end of September so I have been going through my monthly beauty purchases and picked out quiet a few items that I wanted to highlight! Usually I end up with some "misses" for the month but it seems that I don't have any for the month of September! I love it when that happens because it makes me feel good that I didn't waste a lot of money on crappy purchases. So, let's get started because I have a lot to share with you -- I have make-up, nail, body and hair care products to discuss! I will admit that it looks like I went on a freaking spending spree this month but some of this stuff is from months prior that I finally got around to using. I also picked up a lot of this while it was on BOGO sales at CVS! I did buy a few more items than I typically do in a month because I was getting my seasonal colors for this Fall and Winter.

** All prices are from Walmart unless I have mentioned another store**

I have been super impressed with all of the products from the Organix line so I wanted to try their body wash since I already use their shampoo and conditioner. The new trend that is going on in the beauty world is Moroccan Argon Oil because of it's healthy benefits for your hair and skin. I purchased the Organix Hydrating Moroccan Argon Oil body wash ($6.97) and I have been pleased with it. I love the scent and it lingers all day long without being overbearing. It's a very clean feminine smell that doesn't clash with my perfume like some body washes tend to do. This also doesn't leave your skin feeling like you have a layer of soap still on your body after you get out of the bath/shower. It leaves my skin feeling soft and moisturized.  It's also Sulfate free which is great for those with sensitive skin. Also just a PSA about sulfates -- Sulfate Free shampoos and conditioners are best because they do not dry your hair out and leaves your hair less frizzy. It also leaves your hair healthier and shinier because it lacks the harsh chemicals that are in most shampoos. I believe that all of the Organix line is Sulfate free.

I am all about a can of Dry Shampoo because my hair is very dry so I can not wash it but every other day (sometimes every 2 days) unless I want some serious breakage going on. It's crazy because I do not color my hair so you would think it wouldn't be so dry but I do use a hairdryer and a set of hot rollers after washing my hair. I have always liked Suave's Dry Shampoo but I decided to try a new one after a YouTube guru raved about Dove Invigorating Dry Shampoo Refresh + Care ($3.94). Holy cow this stuff is wonderful! It doesn't leave a powdery residue like some dry shampoo's do and it seriously smells like you just washed your hair after you have sprayed it on. I am not knocking the Suave line but I have been pretty happy with Dove. It does help absorb oil between washes and it helps add volume to weighted down day old hair. This is also perfect for those of you who go to the gym and need to run errands afterwards without hitting the shower. Keep a can of this in your gym bag or car for those times when you need to go out in public afterwards but don't have the time to shower! It's definitely a great pick-me-up for your hair!

When I don't have time to hot roll my hair and I am sick of wearing it in a ponytail I am in love with the sock bun. However, I have not had much luck with finding the right sock to make the bun! I have searched Pinterest over and over looking for the perfect sock bun and I just end up with a big mess. It either comes apart or my sock shows through the bun so I finally decided to purchase the Conair Bun Maker ($3.49) and it's so worth the $4.00! I actually bought Vic the Conair version and I found the same exact ring made by Conair (minus the hairpins and elastic tie that comes with the boxed kit) at my local Dollar Tree! They both are from Conair and work the same. I love it!!! I purchased the dark brown color because I am a brunette but they do make them in blonde and black too. Once you make the bun you don't see the ring and you can secure it with bobby pins and it literally stays all day long until you take it out -- I don't even have to use hairspray. Vic uses hers for colorguard and they are running all over the place and she loves hers too. We both have pretty long hair so it's simple to use but I can't speak for shorter hair lengths. I don't like the super tight bun so I was a bit skeptical at first but I have learned how to make more of a loose, messy bun with this so I am happy with my purchase.

I admit that I am pretty cheap when it comes to certain products because I can not stand buying something expensive when I can get the same exact thing for less money but I have found that I can not skimp when it comes to my contact solution....I have tried and failed! I have bought the cheap Equate brand and even the Re-Nu and Multipurpose solution from Bausch + Lomb and both make me want to scratch my eyeballs out. I don't know if they don't clean my contacts well or if my eyes are just that sensitive but I have been forced to buy the expensive stuff and I am not happy about it but I can say it does make a world of difference! If you have contact woes like me you should try Bausch + Lomb BioTrue Multipurpose Solution ($10.99, 10 ounces) because it's seriously been my lifesaver lately. I take my contacts out every single night and let them soak in this solution and I rarely have problems these days. Before I switched to this solution I was having major issues with my contacts getting dirty or maybe they were never really cleaned from their nightly soaking in the cheaper stuff. Who knows....all I do know is that I can't be cheap when it comes to my eyes and even though it pains me to shell out $11 for contact solution it is a necessary evil. Blah.

As some of you know I got a nasty staph infection on my right pointer finger a while back from a hangnail. I ended up having a 3 day stay in the hospital and having my fingernail surgically removed all because I had a nail biting habit since birth. Well, that experience been a life changing one and I haven't put my nails in my mouth since so I have been exploring the world of nail care the past two months. Even though I don't have a pointer nail to paint on my right hand at the moment I have 9 perfectly pretty ones to paint now so I am enjoying it. First I had to get my nails in shape because they were, well, pretty damn ugly from me biting them. I decided to try the Sally Hansen Hard as Nails "Hard as Wraps with Acrylic Gel + Nylon" ($5.99) in the clear coat to help strengthen my nails as I let them grow out. I have been amazed at the difference this makes with my nails! You apply two coats as your main coat or top coat and in my opinion it definitely strengthens them. I have been using it now for about a month and I am halfway done with my bottle and I will repurchase this again when it's gone. I use this mainly as a top coat because I try to keep my nails painted; when I don't have polish on my nails I tend to pick at them more.

I have been in love with the nail polish "I'm Ba-roque" by Spoiled ($1.99) -- it's made by Wet n Wild but it has it's own display just in the nail polish section of your local drugstore/Walmart. I love this color because it's taupe but has a bit of a shimmer and I have found it goes with about anything I am wearing (yes, I like to match). It's a pretty color with just one coat or you can add a second for more intensity. As I mentioned in one of my other blog posts I have a couple of Essie products and I will NEVER pay $8 for a nail polish again (at least from the Essie line) because I think for their quality it's a rip-off. You are basically paying for the name and their colors; which I will admit they have some pretty cute colors but I can't stand spending that much on something that doesn't work as well as the $1.99 polish that I am happy with. I know some people think Wet n Wild is pretty cheap but they do have some great quality products that are hidden gems if you just try them. Their nail polish line is really good and worth trying. ** Disclaimer: These are not my nails **

I am a mascara junkie and I'm always on the prowl for a great mascara and I thought I had found the perfect one until recently. I was pretty happy with my Physician's Formula FakeOut mascara because the formula suited my sensitive eyes but it did not come in waterproof and that can be a problem in the Deep South! It's hot here and you do sweat and that leads to runny mascara raccoon eyes and I can't take it. I am a HUGE fan of Physicians Formula but this girl has to have some waterproof mascara and they don't have it in the formula I like. I decided to try L'Oreal Voluminous False Lashes ($8.99) on a whim since I had CVS bucks to spare and at first I was on the fence about this mascara. I really liked it because it was waterproof and it didn't irritate my eyes but started to dislike it after a few days because it felt like it was clumping up on my lashes. I always remove my eye make-up with Almay's eye remover pads and follow up with my towelettes so I thought I was getting all the goop off my lashes -- well, I wasn't!! It hit me after about 4 days that my lashes were still covered in the mascara and my eye remover wasn't getting it off completely so it was just sticking to old mascara. After I figured all of this out and purchased a new eye remover I am IN LOVE with this mascara. It does make your lashes noticeably fuller and longer; giving a false lash effect but without looking fake. L'Oreal also makes a "Voluminous False Fiber Lashes" formula that is in the same type of packaging so be careful when you are picking it up at the store. I decided against the fiber mascara because I do have sensitive eyes and I figured that would be asking for trouble -- I don't need to risk any small fibers getting between my contact and eyeball. So, the BIGGEST thing with this product is making sure your lashes are completely clean before applying it or you will end up tossing it!

Of course I am now going to talk about my latest eye make-up remover purchase since I basically said you needed it for the L'Oreal mascara above. I went ahead and bought the L'Oreal Clean Artiste Waterproof and Long Wearing eye make-up remover ($5.99) since I was using their waterproof mascara. I must say that I was impressed with how well it took off my eye make-up including the waterproof mascara and waterproof eyeliner that I wear daily. You don't have to use a lot either; just a small amount on a cotton ball and your make-up comes right off without a bunch of tugging and rubbing. The formula is a tad on the oily side but it is for sensitive eyes and I made the mistake of getting it in my eye earlier today and it didn't burn or leave build up on my contact so that was a bonus. I have found that if I take my eye make-up off first using this product and follow up with my Equate towelettes it removes any oily residue that may be left behind from the eye remover. I can honestly say that this is one of the BEST removers I have ever used and sadly I will probably never use the Almay wipes again (I'll send them to you Mom).

Oh, Wet n Wild, you always come out with some of the best products for next to nothing! The next few items I am going to talk about are all from Wet n Wild and I use them on a daily basis. I don't understand why this brand doesn't get more recognition because they have quality products that are worth purchasing. For my pencil eyeliners I use the Physician's formula brand but I wanted to try WnW's H20 Proof Liquid Liner in Ultra Black ($3.99) after hearing several people rave about it on YouTube. Well, it's worth the praise because it is awesome and affordable. It stays on all day long without smudging or rubbing and doesn't irritate my eyes.I have even had a few crying spells while wearing this and it doesn't budge!! I like liquid eyeliners because I can get a very neat, thin and precise line unlike I do when using the pencil liners. With the type of brush/wand that comes with this eyeliner you can make a very fine line or lay it sideways for a thicker line. It dries pretty fast so you don't have to worry about blinking and getting that annoying transfer line that you do with some liquid liners. I will give you fair warning that this stuff is like taking a Sharpie marker to your eye and it WILL NOT COME OFF without a good remover -- water will not even get this stuff off. The L'Oreal remover does take it off but nothing else has so if you do purchase this liner make sure you have a great eye make-up remover to go with it.

I was so impressed with the liquid eyeliner from WnW that I decided to go back and pick up two newer shades that I saw at Walmart. These are not from the H20 line as that line only carries your basic shades of black and brown. I picked up two colorful liners from their Mega Liner line; Plum and Turquoise ($2.93 each) and I figured they would be fun to try this Fall. Plum is a great color for dark brown and hazel eyes so I was familiar with that shade but I was just taking a chance on the Turquoise. I have tried both shades and I love them! I used the fine point end of the brush and applied a very thin line above my lashes just to give a tiny pop of color and it looked great. They aren't waterproof but I didn't notice any smearing or smudging after I had worn it all day. It also dries quick so you don't have to worry about messing it up as soon as you apply it. They do carry this color in blue and a shimmery black that I may go back and get eventually. I think the shimmer black would be very pretty on but I am still on the fence with the blue!

I have been on the lookout for a good but affordable eyeshadow primer and I picked up a tube of "Take on the Day Eyeshadow Primer" by Fergie's WnW Center Stage Collection ($3.74). Our CVS had a BOGO on the entire Wet n Wild line so that is why I picked up so many products from their line this month. I had been using the primer from Elf and it just wasn't cutting it for me as I felt like all of my eyeshadow was gone by late afternoon. I could tell a huge difference in the formula when I opened the tube from Fergie's line. It was actually a little tacky unlike the primer from Elf so it made sense it should work better. A little dab on each eyelid is all you need and you should be set for the rest of the day! When I wasn't using a primer or when I was using the Elf primer I literally could use a makeup towelette and the only thing coming off from my eye area was mascara because all of my eyeshadow was pretty much gone -- not when using this primer; I actually see product on the cotton ball and towelette so it must be working. I have read and seen YouTube gurus compare this stuff to Urban Decays primer -- I have never used the UD primer but they swear it's a dupe! This is something that I will continue to repurchase because it works great and it's cheap!

I have been purchasing some new shades for Fall and I ran across a pretty trio from Wet n Wild; Silent Treatment ($2.97). I don't know if shades are considered "precious" but this shade is to me because it's so girly but classy. The trio has the eyelid, crease and brow color coordinated for you and they are shades that you could wear with about anything. The lid color is a mauve/taupe color, the crease is a dark shimmery bark color and the brow is a muted pastel pink. It's a gorgeous set and I have been using it a lot lately by itself and with another product I will discuss in a second. They say that these shades are dupes for: Eyelid is dupe for MAC's Shale, Crease is a dupe for Urban Decay's Darkhorse. These are pretty pigmented shades, they are smooth and blend well. This has also been discussed highly on YouTube as a product to watch out for and it is popular because I have noticed it sells out fairly quickly at the drugstores and our local Walmart was already out of it by this weekend and it was fully stocked earlier in the week!

While shopping for new eyeshadows I decided to pick up a few colors from Maybelline's Color Tattoo line by Eye Studio ($6.99 each) while they were on BOGO. I purchased Bad to the Bronze, Tough as Taupe and Pomegranate Punk in the 24 hour Cream Gel Shadow. They do make the Color Tattoo in 24 Hour Pure Pigments so double check before you purchase them. I did purchase a pure pigment but I have not used it yet so I can't give a review on it until next month! I went through a phase a couple of years ago where I only wore gel/cream shadows and I liked them but I felt like they creased and looked cakey by the end of the day. I guess they have improved their formula because these shades are highly pigmented and they last all day without creasing or caking up on your eyelid. They don't rub/smear off either which is unusual for these type of shadows. The only downfall about this product is the best way to apply it is with your fingertips. I tried the cheap old school applicators but in the end I just used my fingers because it went on better that way. You can also use these as a base coat and apply a powder shadow over it for a more intense look so it's very versatile. I like using the Tough of Taupe shade with the mauve lid shade from the WnW Silent Treatment trio together; they compliment each other well. I have read reviews that say these little pots dry out pretty quick but I have not ran across that yet but I figured I would warn you in case you run into it.

Milani stole my heart with their Luminoso blush shade so it was only natural I would go back to them when picking out a darker blush shade for Fall. I picked up Milani's Berry Amore Baked Powder Blush ($6.97) and as usual I am impressed with the quality of their products! It amazes me how highly pigmented their colors are and the overall quality of the Milani line is in general. It is one of the pricier drugstore items but totally worth it in my opinion. They have some of the most gorgeous colors to choose from and they are department store quality. You can't beat it for the money. This shade is muted berry shade with hints of gold shimmer. It is so pretty on and it blends well giving your cheeks just a nice warm rosey glow to them. Their blushes are highly pigmented so you don't need a lot on your brush or you will end up looking like a clown so be light with your hand when applying.

I have had a really hard time lately when it comes to foundations! I do not know if it's the time of year or if I am going through hormonal issues but I can't seem to find a foundation that suits me. I think I have found the *perfect* one and weeks later I end up disliking it. I have dry skin so I tend to like the "dewey" formulas that are lightweight and less drying. I have tried several and recently purchased a new one because my other two "favorites" make me look ashy and dried out by the end of the day. I have tried L'Oreal True Match Lumi which I really liked because it was a light weight formula but I felt like it made my pores look huge and then I was in love with the Revlon Colorstay Whipped because of the full coverage it gave but I felt like it was really cakey after a while. I still stand behind those two foundations because they are GREAT but just not for my crazy skin at the moment. I decided to go back to my trusty line and pick up Physician's Formula Youthful Wear Cosmeceutical Youth-Boosting Foundation + Brush in Fair ($14.95). This foundation claims to be 12 hour wear and has SPF 15 in it. It claims you will look "10 years younger instantly" .... I can't tell that but the lady they used as an example on the box sure does! Figuring out how to use this product best was a challenge for me because I couldn't figure out how to apply it first. I tried putting a small amount on the back of my hand and using the brush to apply it but I felt like I was wasting a lot of the product that way and not getting the coverage I wanted. I eventually just applied the foundation directly to my face from the tube and blended it out. Sidenote: Always read the instructions on the box and it will tell you how to apply it, lol -- it said to apply it directly to your face! I have been using this product for a week and so far so good. I like it, it blends well, covers well and lasts all day long without rubbing off. I feel like it gives me a more natural finish than most foundations I have tried so maybe I have finally found the right product for me.

Since I am aging and sadly I have larger pores and fine lines I try to mask those as best I can without the help of Botox (which I would do if I could afford it) so I have been using Elf's High Definition Powder ($6.00) to help set my foundation and concealer. It's a translucent white powder that is supposed to help mask fine lines for everyday wear or high-definition camera technology (you know, for all those selfies we take)! It does help set my concealer under my eyes without settling into my fine lines and it does seem to blur out my imperfections (wrinkles) on my forehead. I have read mixed reviews on this product and most say they have to reapply it several hours later but they also had oily skin; I have dry skin and have no issues. I will say that put a towel around your neck or do not put your shirt on before applying this because it does have fall out when applying it with your brush. It's white so it does show up on anything that's dark and you don't want to risk ruining that days outfit. It does come with a "poof" but I prefer to use my large complexion brush by Elf's studio line.

Most of my summer was spent indoors and not out by our pool so my face is a nice shade of pale! I am always weary of bronzers because you can end up looking like an Oompa Loompa if you're not careful. Bronzers actually terrify me because I never know what shade I need or what color is going to make me look muddy/dirty so I steer clear of them unless I am contouring but I am at a point where this face needs some color. I look so washed out and pale so I did some research online and read reviews of different drugstore bronzers and came to the conclusion that I would try Physician's Formula Glow-Boosting Sun Stones in Light to Medium ($12.97). This product says it has a "Mistake Proof Formula" and so far that has been true, It doesn't leave me orange and it doesn't streak. I use a large face brush and swirl it around the stones and tap off the excess before applying it around my face. It gives my face a nice glow without looking fake and you can use this for contouring too with just a heavier hand when applying to your cheekbones and temples. Some people complain that this is "too shimmery" but I honestly do not have a problem with it. I think my only complaint would be is the little sun stones are a pain because it's easy for them to come out of the packaging. You have to be very careful when swirling your brush over them or you will have them all over the place!

My last product is a new fragrance I am trying for Fall! I have been wearing "Juicy" by Juicy Couture for the past two years and I was ready to switch it up a bit when I was down to the last few pumps in my bottle. I honestly can't stand shopping for new fragrances because I end up getting overwhelmed, scents start mixing together and I walk away with a huge headache and smelling like a hooker. I also don't have enough space on my body to try them all out because we all know that just because it smells great in the bottle doesn't mean it's going to smell  that way on your body. Everyone has their own chemistry and all scents react differently once you put them on. I guess that is why I don't understand why people don't apply the perfume on their wrist or forearm before buying it because it totally takes on a different scent once it's applied to your body. Also, what smells good on your best friend may smell horrible on you so you have to test them out first. Anyway....sorry, I will get off my soapbox; that is coming from my days working in a cosmetic department. I decided I would try Michael Kors Parfum ($50.00, 1 ounce) this time around. I liked the scent because it has hints of tuberose, freesia, gardenia and white lily. I love all of those floral scents and it's light but still heavy enough to be a Fall/Winter scent. I have read that it has a musk undertone to it but I don't smell that and I typically steer clear of woodsy/musky scents. I do think it lasts all day and a little goes a very long way -- you can apply too much if you're not careful. It's a very classic scent in my opinion and can be worn day or evening. I don't know if I will ever love anything more than I do my Juicy but this is giving it a good run for it's money!

Well, there you have it! My monthly beauty blog! I hope this gives you some insight to some great products out there to try for Fall and Winter! Let me know if you have tried any of these and your reviews -- also, if you have any product suggestion or questions!

xoxo,
Jamie

What's Cooking?

 What's Cooking?!? I have a lot on the burner both literally and figuratively! As many of you have noticed I have been preparing new recipes like a crazy woman lately. I know half of you don't give a rats ass about what I feed my family but it gives me something GOOD to share with my friends and family instead of the typical "unhappy" news of what's going on with Brody's health. Recently I decided to share my foodie posts on my social media outlets because I want to discuss happy things and possibly inspire others to try new and creative choices for dinner. I mean, seriously, who doesn't love food?? And most importantly....great food makes people happy! I don't do it to "toot my own horn" or brag about my cooking abilities; I honestly have been so inspired by the recipes I've found on Pinterest and Allrecipes.com that I want to share them! Cooking for me is also very therapeutic. I can get into my kitchen and forget all of my worries and just throw myself into a recipe that I know my family will enjoy eating. It makes me happy to make something for them that they are going to love eating! With this new cooking kick I have been on we have had some pretty amazing meals the past 2 weeks and they have been relatively inexpensive! I have also learned a lot more about how important flavors are to certain dishes and what compliments my main/side dishes. It has been a really fun experience that has been highly beneficial to my family because they've had full bellies for a couple of weeks now. I must say that I haven't grown bored with the whole cooking thing so this may actually last  a while! I also need all the therapy I can get these days so why not spend it in my kitchen being production?!

As far as Brody and his health is concerned everything is the same. He has good days and bad days. It's become pretty clear that participating in recess at school really runs him down to a point that isn't healthy. On the days where we have allowed him to stay for recess he has came home and has literally crashed and burned for that evening. On those particular days he lays around on the couch and usually winds up getting sick. He doesn't tolerate the heat well at all and looks like he is seconds away from a heat stroke when he's done with recess. When he is home we have to keep him on his pump so he's pretty much confined to the living room so when he's allowed to play he's at mach speed. The other day he asked me if I was picking him up early from school (so he misses recess) and I had told him I was and then he uttered words that broke.my.heart ; "Mommy, why do I have to be different?". Oh my God how I wanted to stop the car and just hug him! Through this entire process I have never wanted him to feel "different" and for him to even say that broke me. How do I answer that? Once the weather cools off we will try letting him participate in recess again but until then he can either stay at school and participate in a music class with a younger class or I can pick him up. It's not the most ideal situation but it is what it is and we have to do what is best and the healthiest for him. We do have an appointment with the Neurologist in early October to discuss Mitochondrial Disease and what direction we will go in with that diagnosis. Until then we are just taking it one day at a time and trying to roll with the punches.

Victoria is busy as always with school and band; she has something to do every day of the school week except Wednesday (the Deep South shuts down on Wednesday evenings for Church). It's kind of weird that she is driving now but it does make things so much easier when it comes to practices after school and errands she needs to run. I must say it's also nice that she has her license and comes in handy when I need her to run to the store for me! Right now she is more than happy to go but I am sure the "newness" of that will quickly wear off but until it does I will take advantage of it. It's that time of year again for the Homecoming dance and as of right now she doesn't have a date but I am sure that will change! She has a dress already picked out so I am planning on ordering it this weekend. It's one of the cheapest dresses she has chosen so I can't complain! Vic has also been on a cupcake baking binge and it's paid off because one of her old classmates wants her to bake 50 cupcakes for her baby shower. Yes, I said a baby shower, don't ask. Anyhoo, it's extra money for Victoria and she gets to do something she enjoys so what more can you ask for. We have also talked to Vic about getting a part-time job so she can earn extra spending cash for those little things she wants here and there. She doesn't have a lot of time but she does have some hours she could put in on the weekends; especially with the holidays coming up she should be able to make some good money. I also think this will help with her communication skills and learning responsibility outside of her chores at home (which is just the dishwasher and cleaning up after dinner -- pretty easy if you ask me!). It's hard to believe she is in her Junior year of High School....where has time gone???

We have a new family member!! We adopted another Russian Blue from our local humane society. He's a 6 month old spit fire named "Church". We didn't name him but he has been called that for months so we decided to stick with it. He is such a sweet little guy who is full of energy! We decided to get another cat after our other Russian Blue, Caesar, acted like he wanted a playmate. We have a neighborhood cat that we feed on the front porch and whenever it would come up Caesar would go nuts. He would purr, chirp, roll over and basically beg for the other cat to pay attention to him. He does the same thing with our dogs -- he just wants a friend. Mike is totally not a cat person but he does love the Russian Blue breed so when I found one we could adopt he agreed. Of course I was happy because I would have a farm full of animals if I could so I wasted no time in getting down to the shelter to claim him! Caesar was a little standoffish at first but he's coming around. As much as he would hate for us to "think" he likes Church, he does. They play all the time and follow each other around the house. They sleep together and eat together; it's pretty cute to watch. I have nicknamed them Big Bit and Little Bit. The Russian Blue breed is such a joy because they are like little dogs. They love their owners and are always trying to please you. They are also very attentive to your emotions and react accordingly. If you are sad or need cheering up they are snuggled up beside of you and if you are joking around they are sure to be clowning around with you. I think I like this breed the best because they are a lot like dogs because unlike most cats, they "need" you and aren't as independent as most cats.  The craziest thing is that Mike hated cats when we first got together and now he baby talks them and they are constantly following him around the house and sleeping on his side of the bed!

As for me, I am just taking it day by day. I have a lot of people ask me "How are you doing?" and honestly I have good days and bad days. I can't really say that my depression or anxiety is any worse; it's just worry, frustration and exhaustion. Maybe that is part of depression and anxiety but I do worry a lot about Brody and that keeps me physically and mentally exhausted. I keep asking myself was there something I did that could have possibly triggered his illness. I worry that he will never get off his feeding pump and eat like a normal human being. I get angry that he can't eat without getting sick and it makes me furious he has limitations when it comes to normal things a 5 year old should be doing (like recess without issues) but it's all out of my hands. I have to learn to "let go and let God" but that is hard when you are a control freak! I am trying very hard to not let his illness dictate my life but when you go to sleep and wake up every morning to the sound of his feeding machine running it's a constant reminder that our life is anything but "normal". I have thrown myself back into volunteering with the Alzheimer's Outreach program while Brody is in school and that is truly a blessing. It gives me an outlet and allows me to do something fun and positive. Like I have already blogged, I have been back in the kitchen and that has been entirely too much fun! I look forward to prepping dinner because I get alone (for the most part) time while being able to be creative and productive. That's a win/win if you ask me! Mike and I still try to do a date night each week so that is always a welcome break but we still desperately need a vacation together sans the kids! I'm really trying to focus on the good things in my life because I do have a lot of blessings. And as much as I can't believe it; Brody's illness has been a blessing. It has taught me a lot about myself and has shown me how strong our family really is.

Well, I think I have yapped enough....it's time to start dinner :)

 

Smack Ya Momma Salmon!

I have been back in the kitchen and found an amazing recipe that I *had* to share because it was seriously the best piece of fish I have ever eaten! I am not a big fish person so it had to be good to make me even consider cooking it again much less share the recipe on my blog. I have never cooked Salmon before so I was really going into this thinking it was going to be a huge disaster! I had NO idea what I was doing or how it would turn out but in the end I had very happy campers in the Beemer house and I was shocked at how good salmon tasted when it's been cooked right! I snagged this recipe from Pinterest (recipe link here) so you can pin it on your boards if you have an addiction to the site like I do; this recipe was originally on allrecipes.com which is another favorite of mine!

 

Ingredients

 

Salmon Fillets

(I used 3 small/medium sized fillets and had plenty of marinade)

Lemon Pepper

Garlic Powder

Salt (I use Kosher salt for cooking)

1/3 cup of Soy Sauce

1/3 cup of Brown Sugar

1/3 Cup of Water

1/4 cup of Vegetable Oil

 

Directions

 

 

1. Season salmon fillets with lemon pepper, garlic powder and salt (to taste). I gently rubbed both sides of the fillets with this mixture, pressing into salmon.

 

 

2. In a small bowl, stir together soy sauce, brown sugar, water and vegetable oil until the sugar is dissolved. Place fish in a resealable plastic bag with the soy sauce mixture and refrigerate for at least 2 hours(mine stayed in the fridge for 4 hours; the longer the better, IMO). 



3. Preheat your grill for medium/high heat.

** We use a cast iron grill inside on our stove top so I just placed aluminium foil on top of the grate and put a thin layer of olive oil on top of it so the fish would not stick. If you do not have an inside cast iron stove top grill I will HIGHLY suggest purchasing one! They are so easy to use and convenient for simple recipes such as this. I purchased mine at Walmart for $40; it has a grill and griddle side. You can order the Lodge cast iron grill here. **

4. Lightly oil grill grate. Place salmon on the preheated grill, and discard any leftover marinade. Cook salmon for 6-8 minutes per side, or until the fish flakes off.


I served the salmon fillets with Uncle Ben's Long Grain & Wild Rice and Parmesan Roasted Asparagus....all I can say is WOW! It was so delicious. The only complaint I had from my family is that I didn't make enough for seconds! If you are fish lover and in particular love salmon then I would try this recipe out! I also would try this if you are like me and sit on the fence with recipes for Salmon and Tilapia because this one by far has been my favorite, hands down! Enjoy!!

 

 







Recipe: Aunt Annie's Cubed Steak with peppers and onions

It's been almost 9 months since I blogged about a recipe so I thought what we were having for dinner would be a great post because it's deliciously good! Mike loves his Aunt Annie's cubed steak with peppers and onions so she was kind enough to email it to me and it's been a favorite of ours for the past 3 years. It is a little time consuming to prepare and cook so if you work during the day it may be a little hard to pull this one off so it may need to be saved for a weekend. However, this recipe is amazing so you need to try it at least once! I have never had this type of cubed steak before because my Mammaw made ours with a brown gravy but I must admit I prefer this recipe over hers *gasp*!


Ingredients:

1.5 lb of Cubed Steak - I buy the packs at Wal-Mart that have 3 steaks
1 small white onion
1 red pepper
1 green pepper
1 yellow pepper (not necessary)
1 can of Diced Tomatoes with green chilies
2 cans of Beef Broth
Red Wine of any kind (not necessary)
3-4 Cloves of Garlic
Vegetable Oil
Flour
Salt & Pepper

Pre-heat oven to 350°
Pound your cubed steak with lots of flour using a tenderizer; the more flour the better. Heat your oil and chopped garlic in a skillet large enough to fit your floured meat pieces. Brown your steaks on both sides; this should only take 1-2 minutes per side. Once the steak is browned transfer to a large covered casserole dish. Add your can of diced tomatoes (juice too), chopped onion, chopped green and red bell pepper. If you like your dishes spicy you can add jalapenos or other peppers to your liking. Add enough beef broth to cover the steak and pepper mixture completely; this may not take both cans but reserve the leftover in case you need it later. I also add red wine to this dish and I never measure it out but I would say it's somewhere between a 1/4 - 1/2 cup. It doesn't have to be fancy red wine either, the cheapest works fine and you can omit the wine completely if you prefer. Also, add salt and pepper to taste.

Cover and cook the dish until tender. This dish needs to cook for at least 3 hours but I typically leave mine in the oven for 4 - 4.5 hours; stirring 2-3x before the dish is done. Add the reserved broth if you see it's needed but you do not want this dish too "runny" so be careful not to add to much.

I serve this with rice but mashed potatoes would be perfect too as the "broth" makes an excellent gravy.

Enjoy!!

 

Anniversary at ACTO!

I often hear people say that a person suffering from Alzheimer's is not the person they knew. I wonder to myself - Who are they then?  ~Bob DeMarco

 

 

Last year when Brody started Pre-K it occurred to me that I wanted to do something with my free time during the day that would make a difference in my community. I had volunteered some at a local poverty stricken elementary school but the hours that they needed from volunteers had changed and I was unable to go back and honestly even though I felt good about helping with the school it didn't get me quiet the satisfaction that I was looking for. They say that God answers in His own timing and I believe that because as I was flipping through our church bulletin I noticed that there were several volunteer opportunities available; one being the school I had already helped out with and the other was for the local Alzheimer's Caregivers Time-Out (ACTO). This really grabbed my attention because I have had first hand experience with Alzheimer's as it runs in my family and my Pappaw had signs of dementia before passing away 2 years ago. I took a leap of faith and after sitting down with the Activities Director at ACTO it seemed their day program would be a good fit for me with the hours I had available to give during the day. I decided I would volunteer three days a week for 4 hours a day while Brody was in school directly next door (talk about everything coming together!).

 

ACTO was started in 1988 and it provides both in-home respite care and a day care program that allows caregivers a break so that they can take the time they need for themselves to rest, run errands, work or anything else they are unable to do while caring for their loved one with Alzheimer's. Many do not understand what it takes to care for a family member that has been dealt with this awful disease; it's a full-time job that leaves many caregivers worn down and stressed out. Once this disease has progressed most all of it's victims need a full time caregiver as they can't take care of themselves during the day. As you can imagine, this puts a huge burden on the family. Luckily, for the people of Albany/Leesburg there is an option and that is ACTO.

 

My first couple of days were a little overwhelming because with 20+ clients I was afraid I would never remember all of their names....but you eventually do! I spend my mornings greeting the clients as they are dropped off, pinning their name badges on and offering them a morning snack while they watch the television or talk amongst themselves. I help with mid-morning activities such as chair aerobics, balloon volleyball, puzzles, arts and crafts. There are special days of the week like their Ice Cream Social, Pet Therapy and Movie Day on Fridays. Holidays are a big deal at the center so those are always celebrated in style. I go with the staff to pick up their lunches at our local hospital and pass them out once we return to the center. Usually after lunch my day is done at ACTO and it's time for me to pick up Brody next door.

 

What was originally a three day a week thing has turned into a 5 day a week passion. I went in not thinking that I would get so attached to the clients but I guess it's inevitable. I don't even like to call them "clients" because they are like family to me....even the ones that are hard to get along with.

 

When you first walk into ACTO you might be overwhelmed if you have never dealt with Alzheimer's. This disease has good days and bad days so therefor it's victims do too. Some days are better than others. You start to see there is a human being in what is now almost a shell of what they were. You see this person for what they were before they became sick. You see past the fact that they are confused, need more help when it comes to getting to the rest room or even having accidents and their child-like ways. This person was someone's Mother, Father, Child, Grandparent....this person was somebody's world at one time. You can't discard them because they now aren't the caretaker, they need to be taken care of. They are fragile, they too, need to be loved and cared for.

 

Since volunteering, I have seen the many stages of Alzheimer's and honestly, it is a scary disease. It's a disease that I feel like nobody should ever have to deal with. It is a disease that WILL NEVER GET BETTER...it just progresses, it's terminal. It robs you of everything you have and leaves painful reminders everyday of what you once were. Some of the clients you would never assume had Alzheimer's until they start up a conversation. They look normal, dress nicely and are well groomed. They discuss topics such as the weather, the day, the time, a story from way back when and then the conversation starts repeating itself. Other clients you can tell immediately have Alzheimer's as they are very confused, stuck in time and need extra help with seemingly normal day-to-day tasks (like coaxing them out of their car).

 

I know you're probably thinking why would you want to volunteer somewhere that seems to only have a negative ending but there are so many positives that make it worthwhile. Every client has an amazing story and most are happy to share it with you (sometimes more times than you can take) because it's important to them. They like to engage in conversation and hear what you have to say. You may start off on a topic and 9 times out of 10 it will end up way out there but it's important for them to have their voice heard. Believe it or not many of these people are muted because family members don't know how to deal with this disease so they do not engage in conversations with them. It is exhausting and I can see how that happens because I only deal with them 4 hours a day and I am spent so I don't see how caregivers do it. It's also frustrating for the clients because in the early stages they know that they get confused and sometimes make no sense, sometimes people argue with them because what they are saying "isn't right". It's my job as a volunteer to listen to whatever they want to talk about, right or wrong and make them feel important. Yes, George Bush may no longer be President but if that's what you believe I am not going to argue with you.

 

Obviously, I can't name the clients names  for confidentiality reasons but you start to learn about their quirks, trigger points and overall personality and that is what makes this so rewarding. You do whatever it takes to make that person feel at ease and "okay" because many do have an extreme level of anxiety. There is one sweet man who at the top of his game was a contractor and almost every day he starts looking for his truck. This truck is his pride and joy but he walks the floors looking for it so to help ease his anxiety you just gently remind him that his wife has it and will be picking him up after lunch and usually he's good after you reassure him it's okay. Another sweet lady who speaks Spanish starts to worry about her daughter coming to pick her up so you just remind her that at 2:00 her daughter will be there, granted, you may tell her 100 times before then but she's coming to you because she trusts you have the right answer. One lady, who has now deceased was going blind and always complained that the center never had money to turn the lights on and she would get highly upset. You can't tell the client that she's going blind so you comfort her, letting her know you will work on the problem all the while trying to find something to comfort her. This particular lady was a business owner so it made her feel good to stuff envelopes and file papers; that's what we helped her do while she was there. She would stuff envelopes and eventually open them back up to stuff them again. It worked, she was happy and it got her mind off the lights "not working".

 

I could go on and on with stories because each and every client has their own but you can see a glimpse into my day. I choose to find humor and joy instead of sadness. Do I get emotional? Yes, I cry and get mad that life has dealt them this nasty blow but I have to choose to make my time at the center a happy one. I choose to smile and hug every single one of them each morning, engage with them and make them feel loved. I do love them and tell them because for some of them that is the only time they hear it. Will they remember my name the next day? Probably not. Will they remember my face the next day? Possibly. I am not worried about the next day, I am concerned about how they feel in that moment...they live their life in moments, not days.

 

So many good things have happened to me while volunteering at ACTO and I am so thankful that I was given this opportunity. I have met a wonderful person, named Becky who I consider my Best Friend. She knows me in and out and loves me anyway. Becky is the Activities Director and is such an asset to the center and she's just got a heart of gold. I seriously think she is one of the sweetest people I have ever met even if I do think she wears her rose colored glasses too often! I have been exposed to so many great people at ACTO and they all couldn't do what they do if they didn't love their job. Yes, for some it's just a "job" but most everyone there this is their passion. I have been able to conquer my fears of performing in front of people during my time at the center. ACTO does several charity/fundraiser events during the year to help raise money for the center since it costs just dollars (seriously) a day per client to attend the program. I was in a play called "Murder's in the Heir" which was put on by ACTO in February. I played "Nancy" the maid in this fun murder mystery where the guests chose who they thought killed the wealthy Mr. Starkweather.

 

 

 

 

I think the biggest thing for me has been how much I have grown in the past year. I have had to face my fear of dying and the loss of my grandparents; where I had the void of not having them around anymore has been filled with the clients at ACTO. Working with Alzheimer's has made me a more compassionate and patient human being. It has given me a purpose. I thought when I started volunteering that this would be just a thing I did to fill the free time up during my day but it has become so much more than that....it's become something I am passionate about. I will volunteer as long as I am able to at ACTO; I firmly believe I need them more than they need me.

 

Here are some facts about Alzheimer's:

 

Today, there are no survivors of Alzheimer’s. If you do not die from it, you die with it.

One in every three seniors dies with Alzheimer’s or another dementia.

In 2013, an estimated 450,000 people in the United States will die with Alzheimer’s, meaning they will die after developing the disease.

Alzheimer's disease is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States.

 

Today, an American develops Alzheimer's disease every 68 seconds. In 2050, an American will develop the disease every 33 seconds.

 

Visit ALZ.org for more information on Alzheimer's.....educate yourself on this terrible disease!

 

 



Beauty & Home: Hits & Misses

A couple of posts back I said that I was going to start trying to blog about some tried and true beauty products so I thought it was time for another post since the month is almost over! I got inspired about doing these blog posts after watching beauty guru's on YouTube for the past year! One of my favorite "tags" they do is the monthly "Hit and Miss" video where they give you an overview of products they tried over the past month or so and tell you if they would repurchase the item or not. I love these types of videos because I do find them helpful when I am considering buying something they are talking about and sometimes it makes me actually go out and buy an item they are discussing. I would love to have my own YouTube channel to discuss this type of stuff but I am scared that I would completely suck at it and nobody would really even watch it. Maybe I will get around to doing one in the future when I get enough courage!

Anyway...here is my list for August and some come from July because I seriously don't go through this many items in one particular month; I have just held on to some of these empties for a while because I had been planning on doing this post for a while. These aren't in any particular order so excuse the randomness :)

Equate Refreshing Cleaning Towelettes ($3.48, 40 pack) are the Wal-Mart equivalent to Garnier's Refreshing Remover Cleansing Towelettes. I talked about these in my last post because it was one of my favorites but I needed to do an update! I really liked these in the beginning because it removed all of my make-up without having to scrub at my face and wiped away my mascara without a problem. I loved the clean scent and the towelette wasn't soaking wet with cleanser like you sometimes encounter. It didn't dry out my skin or leave a residue on my skin afterwards so I was pretty happy with the product. However, the formula did start to irritate my eyes towards the end of the package. I am not sure if the last 20 towelettes or so had more cleanser on them due to being the last few in the package or if my eyes were just more sensitive at that time. I did repurchase another type of towelette from the Equate line to try this month but if you don't have sensitive eyes I think these would be perfect for you to try.

I have an olive tone complexion so that tends to make dark circles under my eyes a little more obvious plus I am a Mom so I can tend to just look "tired". I have tried so many concealers that I have lost count. I decided to try the Physicians Formula Conceal Rx ($9.99)after seeing a YouTuber rave about it. I can honestly say this is the BEST concealer that I have used that really works well. A little of this product goes a long way! It is more on the creamy side so it covers well and it doesn't get cakey once it sets. I also find that it doesn't settle into my fine lines around my eyes like some of the other concealers do. I also have a few hyperpigmentation areas on my cheeks that I use this on and it completely conceals them!! The packaging states that the product covers blemishes, dark under eye circles, scars, birthmarks, age spots, bruises, rosacea and hyperpigmentation. I truly believe in this concealer and I think if you have any of the above then this should be a staple in your beauty regime.

 

 

I am always trying new mascara's so I decided to buy the widely publicized new item from Maybelline, "The Rocket" ($5.94)and I went with the waterproof formula. This product is supposed to give you clump-free explosive lashes that are 6x more in volume. It also has been Ophthalmologist tested and safe for contact lens wearers. I tried wearing this alone knowing my eyes are always my problem child and I was impressed with the new formula. It was clump free and went on smooth. It wasn't thick and it gave my lashes a fuller effect without looking like I had a ton of mascara on. BUT...my eyes did not like the new formula so I had to go back to wearing my regular mascara from Physician's Formula. I have found that if I apply one coat of "The Rocket" on after applying my Physician's Formula mascara I don't seem to have a problem. Weird, I know. I still think if you want a fuller lash effect and you like Maybelline products you should go with their "Falsies Volum' Express" formula because that stuff is AMAZING.

 

This isn't a beauty item but I think it's worth mentioning because it will save you money and who isn't about saving money?!? My family is pretty particular about our laundry detergents and fabric softners so that means that we are strictly a "Tide" family but I can get away with buying the Great Value Blooming Lavender Fabric Softner Dryer Sheets from Wal-Mart ($3.98, 80 sheets). I use the Tide Plus with a touch of Downy in the Lavender scent for our washer and I put two dryer sheets of the Great Value softner in the dryer and our clothes come out smelling great and feel super soft. Tide isn't cheap so if I can save money on the fabric softner I will and I've found this is just as good as the pricier ones.

 

I think I am trying a new toothpaste every time I turn around because I can never find one that I like. They either don't leave my mouth feeling fresh and clean or the formula hurts my super sensitive teeth. I feel like the "sensitive" toothpastes never clean my teeth well and doesn't leave my mouth feeling like I even brushed anything. I decided to try Colgate's Total Zx Pro-Shield Plus Sensitivity, Mint Gel ($3.47, 5.8 oz)and I am so happy that I did! It says it is anti-cavity, anti-gingivitis, anti-sensitivity and lasts even after eating and drinking. I don't have a problem with it hurting my sensitive teeth and my mouth feels so clean after brushing. I think I finally found a toothpaste that does it all after what seems like a life-time of trying to find the right one!! So, if you are a Sensodyne user and feel like your mouth isn't as clean as it could be then I think you should try this because you will be pleased.



While browsing at CVS a while back I ran across a trial version of Salma Hayek's Nuance Anti-Aging AM/PM Super Cream ($5.99, .265 ounce) and decided to try it. The formula has Tepezcohuite, Borage Oil & Vitamins A and E, Parsley; it claims that 83% of women noticed an overall improvement in skin appearance, tone and texture after 30 days and 86% of women felt an immediate improvement in their skin's hydration. Tepezcohuite is supposed to help tone, condition and smooth your skin. Borage Oil protects skin against dryness. Vitamins A & E are supposed to visibly smooth fine lines and wrinkles. Parsley, an herb rich in vitamin C, helps nourish your skin. The cream is dermatologist tested, Not tested on animals, Non-irritating and Paraben Free. Okay, so there is all the jargon....now for my review. I give this two thumbs DOWN!!! I hated it. I should have known it would be a bad experience when I couldn't even get the top off the jar! It has a twist and click lid which is very hard to get into; I didn't know you had to keep your kids out of a night cream jar!! Once I opened it I couldn't get over the smell of the product. It smelled like a mixture of bug spray and medicine so as you can imagine you don't want that on your face. The cream is almost like a watery type consistency and it seemed oily while I tried rubbing it in. I was not impressed at all and I felt like it didn't hydrate my face like I was expecting from a "Super Cream". I never used it again after the first night so I can't tell you if it helps with anti-aging or not. I would definitely never purchase the full size jar of this and I hate I even wasted the $5.99 on this jar!!  

I constantly have dry lips so I am always buying some type of lip balm or chapstick. As crazy as this sounds I find it very overwhelming to buy chapsticks because they all claim to do something different and you never know what you really need. I am also always misplacing my tubes of chapstick so I get to try a lot of them out, lol. I haven't gotten into the whole EOS lip balm thing because the packaging weirds me out, it's a ball, who the hell wants to carry that around in their pocket or purse? It's just odd. I was a strictly "Blistex" girl until I picked up a tube of Nivea's Milk & Honey Lip Care ($2.99)and now I am on my second tube! I can't get enough of this stuff!! It's hydrating and doesn't feel like I am just putting wax on my lips. It doesn't dry my lips out like I've found some chapsticks do and it lasts longer than most I've tried. It's also preservative-free so that is an added bonus. This is something that I will continue to repurchase because I really like it and it seems to work great for my dry lips!

During one of my grocery shopping trips they were out of my razor catridges so I decided to try Noxema's Super Smooth Triple Blade disposable Razors ($2.88, 4 count). The packaging claims it's supposed to reveal smooth, fresher skin. Navigating tricky areas with ease and the jojoba strips are supposed to help prevent nicks and cuts. I don't know if it's just me or I got a package of crappy razors but these were the WORST razors I have ever tried in my entire life!!! I thought being made by Noxema they would be pretty good quality, they were triple blade and they weren't the cheapest ones in the razor section. I didn't get a close shave with these and found myself going back multiple times over the same area to get a clean shave. I wouldn't dare try this my bikini area or underneath my arms because it was hard to shave just on my legs. I even opened a new razor mid-bath just to make sure I hadn't gotten a bad one in the package by accident...it was the exact same way. I was totally dissatisfied with these and would never ever repurchase these again. I think the cheapest razor you could find would do a better job than these. Do not waste your money on this product, you will be sorry that you did.

Now if you are wanting to try a good quality razor that you don't have to spend a fortune on refill catridges you should try the Wilkinson Sword Oasis Razor and Refill Catridges ($5.98, 4 catridges). I buy mine at Wal-Mart and I am not sure if any of the Drugstores carry this brand. The razor has three blades that does provide a very close shave. It does have the typical aloe/shea butter strip that most razors have these days. I find that as long as you use a new razor it's fine to use in the bikini zone. It does not leave my skin irritated and I can even use it under my arms without water or shaving cream. I ran across these by accident and I am so glad that I did because I was spending a fortune in Venus catridges. I found that I like this just as much (if not more) than my Venus razor. They do make a mans razor (Wilkinson, Tech 3) that my husband loves and the refills are about the same price, so it would be worth picking one up for the man in your life.

Like any female, I have tried a billion hair care products! I am constantly trying new shampoos and conditioners! I have tried high end products from the salon and I've tried the cheapest of the cheap aka "Suave". I have found products that I like in both but typically my hair care products come from Wal-Mart or the drugstore. I hate being so cheap when it comes to Shampoo/Conditioners because you literally wash it down the drain but I know your hair does need nourishment just like your body. I decided I would go the middle of the road and try Organix Nourishing Coconut Milk Shampoo and Conditioner ($5.74 each, 13 fl.oz.) and I FELL IN LOVE with the stuff! Not only does the stuff smell amazing it makes my hair feel so soft and it looks healthy. The scent lasts forever too, I can have 2-3 day old hair and it still smells great. I have very dry hair from blow drying and using hot rollers so I don't wash my hair every single day. I also have to be careful with shampoos because some do dry my hair out even more causing it to look and feel brittle. The Coconut Milk line has coconut milk (duh) and whipped egg white proteins in it so it helps with elasticity and adds strength to your strands. The shampoo foams up nicely and rinses well, not leaving residue on your scalp. The conditioner is hydrating and it doesn't leave your hair feeling/looking weighted down. Some conditioners can actually make your hair look oily and this doesn't do that.

This isn't a beauty product either but it's another money saver! For all of you Listerine lovers, save some money and buy the Equate Antiseptic Mouthrinse ($2.98, 16.9 FL OZ)! I buy the Blue Mint flavor but they do have the original yellow looking stuff that tastes horrible. I stood in the aisle and compared these two bottles side by side and there is NOT a difference!! So, unless you are just a name brand person who loves wasting money, buy the Equate version. It's minty and does what it says (Kills plaque, gingivitis and bad breath)for $1 less. Also, in case you didn't know, this stuff works great for ant and mosquito bites!! If you or your child ever runs into an ant pile and gets bitten by those little suckers this helps dry the bites up. Brody stepped in a pile 3 years ago and they ate his little leg up, I applied this with a cotton ball to his bites and within minutes it took the sting out. If you apply it for several days afterwards you will see a noticeable difference; you can thank me later :)

I have been on a mission to find a good moisturizer so I have tried several the past 2 months. While I was at CVS (I promise, I don't live there) I noticed on a bottom shelf that they had a Physician's Formula skincare line that had been marked down for close out. I didn't even know that Physician's Formula made a skincare line but since I am a huge fan of their make-up I decided that it was totally worth trying. I picked up two different products from their line but I am only going to discuss one this month because I haven't made my mind up on the other. I have been using the Physicians Formula Deep Wrinkle Corrector Day & Night Cream, Formula Rx 121 ($9.99, 1.7 oz)for several weeks and I really like it. My main skin concern is aging and this is what this product targets. It states that it's supposed to enhance skin's cycle of repair, encouraging healthy cell renewal that reveals younger looking skin. Your wrinkle length and depth should improve with regular use. It also helps improve the moisture barrier, strengthen skin and protect collagen. It says it's clinical proven that you will see visible results. It also claims you will look 6 years younger in 4 weeks. This line has been Dermatologist approved, clinically tested and is hypoallergenic. It's also 100% Paraben free. The directions say you are to use this morning and night on your face and neck before you apply your make-up. It does not have sunscreen in it so you do need to apply that if it's not already in your foundation. I have been impressed with this product because I do feel like it's helped my skin look more youthful in the sense I have a glow back. My face is always so dry that it tends to look dull. This product contains Alpha Hydroxy Acid so it does help shed some of that dead skin. However, if you are sensitive to those types of ingredients then you may want to steer clear of this product. I love the consistency of the cream, it has a whipped like texture so it blends in well and doesn't leave an oily film on my face. I love the smell and it doesn't interfere with my other make-up products (mainly my foundation). I will say that the first couple of times I used this product I was skeptical because once I rubbed it in I would get all of this dead skin coming off my face. That just showed me how well it really was working and how much dead skin I actually had on my face! I only used it at night for the first week or so and then once all of that was off my face I started using it under my foundation without a problem. I am a firm believer in the Physician's Formula line, I have never had a problem with any of their products and I don't mind paying a little extra for them since I know they are great quality. I am not sure if you can find this at your local CVS or Walgreens but I noticed you can find it online or at Ulta. As far as wrinkles, I am my own worst critic so I can't tell you for sure if it's making me look any younger in that department but it does wonders for moisturizing my face and keeping a healthy glow. I will definitely repurchase this jar when I have used this one up!

Well, there you have it folks! That is my two cents for the products I have tried in July and August. I hope that you found this blog helpful and please let me know if you have tried any of these and what you thought! Also, let me know if you are on the fence about a product because I have tried a lot of them so I may be able to sway your decision.

Surprise!!!!

I had been planning on coming to Concord to celebrate my Momma's 60th Birthday for weeks before my unplanned admittance to the Macon Hospital. After being discharged it was pretty apparent that I wouldn't be able to make the 8 hour trek home with my hand in a soft cast so as you can imagine I was completely d.e.v.a.s.t.a.t.e.d!! I knew that this trip home would be one of the last ones for a while since school was starting which meant weeks filled with Friday night lights. I try to be there for all of Vic's events at school so once August is upon us my travelling days are over until November. I knew not coming home meant that I probably wouldn't see my parents until Christmas and that was 4.5 months too long for my taste but my finger pretty much threw a wrench into my entire plan.

I was very upset but I finally came to terms (not really) with the fact that I wasn't coming home any time soon. I already had appointments set up with my Physical Therapist for my finger and I knew I couldn't miss them because my wounds had to be cleaned and re-bandaged. I went to my first appointment and was pleasantly surprised that they took my cast off and bandaged just the top portion of my pointer finger leaving my hand fully exposed and about 85% working to it's full potential. Maybe there was a tiny chance I could still make this planned trip home??!?

I went to my second appointment on Friday and they re-bandaged everything and basically said it would be okay for me to travel home as long as I kept up with the wound care and exercises on my own. Mike agreed that it was also okay for me to go ahead and go home so I didn't question it! I emailed my Dad on Friday and asked if it was okay because I wanted to make sure I wasn't going to ruin any plans he had made for her birthday and he said it was fine. I was super excited and told him not to tell Momma because I wanted to surprise her. I rushed home from my PT appointment, packed a quick bag and we were off to Concord!

Planning a road trip on a Friday isn't the best thing to do when you have to travel through major cities like Atlanta but luckily I hit it before traffic was too bad. I still had to hit some "traffic jails" as Brody calls them but it was worth it in my opinion. I think Brody asking me every hour if we were there yet was more stressful than the rain and traffic I encountered! He was so excited because he too, had no idea until the last minute that we were making this trip so he could barely contain himself.

We pulled into the drive and I just knew my Momma would see us drive up through the living room windows but she didn't....she was in the back of the house which made it even better!! Brody walked in and ran down the hallway into her bedroom and yelled "Surprise!!!!".

IT WAS PERFECT and PRICELESS!!!!

I wish I had thought to record it because it was awesome. Her face was glowing and she was smiling ear to ear. I definitely think it was the best present I could have given her!

Playing Catch Up....Ready, Set, Go!

I promised that I was going to be better about blogging but it seems my life never slows down or some unforeseen circumstance (emergency) pops up and I am unable to! Life has been super crazy lately and I am praying it slows down soon so I can stop and smell the roses....scratch the roses, just so I can stop and breathe!!! So, where do I begin???

Victoria finally settled down and did what it took in order to get her license; just 4 months shy of her 17th birthday!! Yes, you read that correctly. For some reason her along with several friends drug their feet when it came to even getting their permit so they were a bit behind in the driving department. It floored me because I remember the day I turned fifteen I was ready to drive and you better believe the day I turned sixteen I was at the DMV that morning! Shoot, she had a car before her 16th birthday so I am not sure what the hold up was! However, Mike wasn't too concerned because he wanted her to wait as long as possible so he wouldn't have to worry about her on the roads of Lee County. I, on the other hand, was ready for her to be able to take herself to/from all her extra curricular activities at school! Hopefully she will abide by all the laws of the road and the state of Georgia and be the safe driver we are all hoping (and praying) for!

Another Beemer kid celebrated a big milestone and that's the smallest Beemer! Brody turned a WHOLE hand on July 24th! We kept telling him that he was going to be a "big boy" on his birthday so when he woke up that morning he was disappointed and told me "I thought I was going to be bigger when I woke up!"...poor little guy. Regardless of weight and height, he is our big boy and we are so proud of him. For his birthday he wanted a Sponge Bob pool party so we invited 3 close families and my parents to make his pool party dream a reality. It was literally the easiest and least stressful party I have put on for the kid! I do feel bad that he has a summer birthday because it makes it hard to invite all of his friends from school. I should have gotten a list of all of the children and their mailing addresses from the teacher before school dismissed for the summer but I forgot to. Regardless of the amount of kids, he had a blast and received entirely too many toys for one child but it was his day and he made the most of it. Mother Nature wasn't on our side but we did manage to swim, grill out, open presents, have cake, Daddy had a fireworks show and we wrapped up with a Pinata! It was a great birthday!

Three days after his party I found myself in the hospital with a very painful staph infection. I had taken Brody to see his GI specialist in Macon for an appointment because Brody had been sick on/off for a week but I too, was sick! I had torn a hangnail off of my right pointer finger on Sunday afternoon and while it hurt a little I didn't think much of it until the wee hours of Monday when I woke up with my finger on fire. I thought maybe it was just inflammed a little from where the skin had been torn away but it was more painful than any hangnail I had ever experienced. I nursed it all day Monday and by Tuesday it was swollen with a nasty blister on the side but I had to drive to Macon regardless of my pain. By the time I got to Macon Tuesday morning I had red streaks down my finger, hand and forearm. I was in tears by the time Brody's specialist walked into the waiting room and he took one look at my finger and said I needed to go to the ER. I asked him if I should wait the 2 hours it would take me to get home to Albany and he said absolutely not. He didn't even want me to take Brody to the x-rays he was needing that day for his stomach because the streaking was getting so bad that I needed to to be seen immediately. Brody and I hurried on over to the ER where they took one look at my finger and said I had a staph infection and that I would need to be admitted for antibiotics and a hand surgeon would need to look at it. I was SCARED TO DEATH! I had a finger that looked horrible, pain that was unbearable, red streaks all the way to my arm pit and swollen lymph nodes. Mike came to Macon and dealt with Brody's ailments and x-rays while I was being admitted to the hospital and all I could think about was losing my finger. How could biting my nails lead to this?!?! I mean, Mike always told me it would happen but I thought he was crazy. I ended up having surgery on my finger and losing my finger nail! I was in the the hospital for 3 freaking days for a HANGNAIL!!!! Really?!?!? PSA: DO NOT BITE YOUR NAILS OR YOU WILL GET A NASTY INFECTION ONE DAY!!!!! I have downsized to a smaller dressing on my hand that has to be changed every day and I go to PT three times a week for now. It's a complete pain in the ass but I am doing whatever it takes to keep my finger clean and healthy!

So, there you have it, in a nutshell what my life has been like since my last post! It was literally something every single week!!! I promise to be better at posting because I really do enjoy it. I am hoping now that school is starting my life will get a little more structured and back on track....one can hope anyway!