September Favorites

hey everyone! so YouTube was all wonky the other day so I had to do this twice. Just some products I've been loving this month!

hot and sweaty

So today was the first day in about a week I crawled out of bed...literally crawled

Thought I'd slap some paint on my mug and decided to go with the ombre lip. Saw a lady the other day with a dark vampy ombre and I loved it. but since I've been in a gloom I thought I'd go for the lighter version. kinda like it!

With that said... I'm on my 6th day of a lingering migraine that won't go away. Today I'm trying to be a little more function but wowee mama... I am sweating and squinting like a vampire at any sign of daylight. Maybe I should start wearing sunglasses indoors like all the cool teenagers at the mall.

haha!!!

anyways I hope you are all doing well~

Feed the birds....tuppens a bag...

the other day the kids made some bird houses and we thought we'd take it a step further and make some super easy bird feeders! seriously takes 5 minutes!

you will need:

dixie cups

pen or pencil (anything to poke a hole)

ribbon or rope

peanut butter

bird seed

a happy face 

poke a hole in the top of the dixie cup with a pen. one jab gets it through

string your ribbon through the hole, I just folded it in half and it fit perfectly.  Tie a knot on the other end. If you feel like you need it to be more secure, you can tape it to the top.

Cover the cup in peanut butter

Pour some bird seed onto a plate. (i got this ginormous bag at Target for $7 because all the smaller bags were sold out!... I guess we'll be making a lot of bird feeders!)

Press the cup down into the bird seed

and roll...

and roll... I took handfuls of extra seed and pushed more in so it was completely covered and thick

Then hang!

If you have a large dog, hang them where they can't get at them. Let's just say our boxer is having a fun time trying to jump at them!!! 

slow your roll

our family and life are busy and hectic.. not some of the time ALL OF THE TIME. I'm sure many of you can agree with that. Sometimes I acknowledge...even verbalize that we need to take it down a notch, but usually in vain. The other day little missy threw up and it made me take a step back (of course we were out to dinner with some friends). I attribute it mainly to her teething. I can see her bottom teeth breaking through. My other two didn't really get sick or fussy when they teethed.. but this little one... drama. she lies face plant down on the grown and stiffens her buttcheeks and makes it known that she is not a happy camper. 

The next day being even more busy I woke up with the 'water snakes' in my eyes... that can only mean one thing.. a migraine is coming on. I hadn't had a full on migraine for about 3 years... had a couple of 'water snake' moments but never turned into anything. Yesterday, not so much. full on, full blown, nauseating migraine. of course we had an event to host that evening. all day I tried to get up and do stuff.. only to feel worse. that evening got all ready to go.. and little missy threw up again. another reminder to slow my roll.

well, today is sunday. and I don't miss church for anything. unless I'm giving birth or passed out, I'm going.

Just as I am about to walk out the door.. my son throws up.

ok. so maybe it wasn't just the teething and we all got a bug.

either way I'm home..feeling sick, icky with 2 little sickies next to me.

*sigh

all of this to say... I think some times we need to take it down a notch and after ignoring it over and over and over... sometimes your body MAKES YOU. whether you like it or not.

So in reflection of that I feel like I have been so unsettled, chaotic and 'messy' lately.

I feel like I just need to stop. and be still.

re-load. re-ground-. re-focus. 

with all that said. I hope you all have a good sunday.. I am in reflection mode.

white teeth for under $1.00!?!

how did that flip? crazy cats.

anyways I'm a sucker for white teeth. I feel like it makes ANYONE look better... 

I had been using Crest white strips and 5 minute whitening forever... until I discovered hydrogen peroxide... this huge bottle at Target is $0.89!!! soooooooo much cheaper than crest white strips and does a better job! (in my opinion)

how to:

add equal parts hydrogen peroxide and water

gurgle and swish for a minute

spit

rinse

and brush your teeth!

Whitening your teeth is just one of the benefits watch the video below for more info :)

happy white teeth to you!

Glasses

I wanted to share this video that is so amazing! our really good friend Eric is singing in it and I was so proud when I saw this video. Brought tears to my eyes. I have worn glasses since I was in first grade and without them (or contacts) I can't see a foot in front of my face. So I have always been so afraid of losing my sight or my kids having bad sight. I love the laughter and smiles of the kids in this video. Reminds me of a story I heard once that I have never forgotten about a blind girl who accepted Jesus into her life and fell in love with reading the Bible.

She had read the bible so much and so fast that her fingers became calloused from reading the braille over and over. she was so frustrated that she could not read with her fingers that she began reading with her lips to the paper because she could not stand another moment without reading the word. Makes me think of how easy it is for me to flip open my Bible and read when there are so many for different reasons who cannot.... 

with that said, here is the video from the Braille Institute

And here is the unplugged version of their song :) please enjoy and share!!

You can also like their Facebook page here: http://www.facebook.com/DylesMavis

Contagious Attitude

So I feel like lately I've been caking on the makeup. more is more... until the other day I decided to look at my skin a little closer and I was like "woah mama!" my skin has totally been neglected and not looking so hot. In some ways I guess it was strangely a reflection of what was going on inside. You can pack on more and more to try to hide the yucky, but eventually... you just look like a pancake face. So for my face I took a couple of days off of makeup, did some face masks and gave it a little TLC. Then today when I did my makeup (a lot lighter than I had been..) it just looked so much nicer because the base of it was healthier and nicer.

Now for my insides... I think it is so easy to let the negativity, criticism, self-doubt pile up...and then the more you do, the harder it is to see the beauty, sunshine and light inside of you. 

It takes a minute to realize and then with that realization a little bit of action...but when you find it, it can shine again.

The other day in my daily devotions I read about having a 'confetti throwing attitude" and it really stuck with me. People's negative attitudes are so contagious. Even if its not towards us (picture a grumpy lady in front of you in the check out lane, or a dad yelling at  his kid in Target) it somehow lets its ugliness stick to us, even if just a little bit. All of that builds up and before you know it... you are bogged down with negative feelings.

So I have been trying to have a contagious and positive attitude. No, its not natural for me...and I find myself realizing how negative I am in my thoughts in my daily life. yikes, what an eye opener.

so I am going to try to continue with this as long as I can, and hopefully if I start being a negative nancy I'll remind myself that it is contagious!

is it fall yet?

it's so ironic to me that my favorite seasons are fall and winter and i live in southern california where the weather forecast for the next couple of weeks is in the 100s. 

so...i've been drooling over fall outfits online while locking myself indoors to stay away from the heat. haha! thought i'd share some cozy outfits i found with you.

 :) it must be the northwest girl in me.

Contemplative

It's been a hard week. All week I have wanted to just crawl in bed, and stay there.

Sometimes events just take it out of you. Mentally, physically, spiritually..and whatever other "ally" there is. My stress definitely manifests itself physically. So this week I've been headachey, nauseous, sick to my stomach, unable to eat, broke out in hives, and my hand is having a hard time moving without hurting.

All of this to say at the same time in the book I'm reading I've been really challenged to appreciate every moment, those I love and live in the now...and in happiness. 

Funny how you can live in 2 complete opposites sometimes. 

*sigh.

I use to vent everything on my mind when I was hurt, mad, frustrated...but now I try to let things simmer before I do. I find that-that way I don't say things I don't mean just to hurt the other person and I give myself time to figure out what I'm really feeling and what I really think. 

I am still not sure if I should 'share' my thoughts and concerns with those who don't want to know them... who knows. 

I have come to a place this week where I have really searched my heart for things that are not right, that need tweaking, fixing, repairing. I do realize and totally admit I am not good with correction when it comes to personal or characteristic things. I've been told this before..and I admit its true. I get hurt, offended...and it does make it hard for those who love me to tell me when I need to change something.

We are so quick to tell others what they need to change and fix, but so justified in why we don't need to.

So I am going to try to be more correctable. 

With that said, my heart is full of love. I and thankful for good friends, a good husband and a God that loves me and sees my heart and understands it. He heals my hurts and covers the ugliness. 

Bling and Bows

I ordered some "bling" off of Amazon the other day and they arrived. it is super cheap and so easy to do. I bought some nail glue at Sally's and stuck them on. Didn't take more than 5 minutes!

All Time Favorites!

There are just some products that cannot be replaced. Here are some products that I have loved for 10 years plus and have not found anything that compares~

we are going to disneyland in a couple of days so hopefully these last!

I got these nail "wheels" at Sally's yesterday so I could play around. So many options!

perfection

this has been a weird week. 

I've felt kind of down, discouraged... my heart is happy and life is good, but I just felt..bleh. 

Wondering and pondering on things like why and how people can not want to grow, change. How people can be so easy and quick to judge, hurt and tear others down. Out of maliciousness, jealousy, ignorance or hurt. Whatever the reason it started making me think of why people in general expect perfection out of other people, but don't spend the time to better themselves.

from things like people leaving random mean comments like "you're ugly" to random people they don't even know on Instagram. To people who always point the finger and don't take responsibility. 

Why is it that we naturally are defensive and hurtful instead of being naturally humble, teachable and encouraging?

I feel like I have let these things effect who I am this week. Not on a big level, but second guessing things I would normally do without another thought. Thinking I shouldn't or can't do things and just wanting to quit. Wondering if I am doing what I should....

Today in church I was overcome with love, peace and a sense of who I am. Who I am called to be and a overwhelming feeling of "its ok".

People and circumstances do not dictate who I am. I am who I am because God made me a certain way, He called me to be and do something...and everything else, big or small, whether it effects me or not should not change my course.

does any of that make sense? I just think that we often get 'dirty' with everyone else junk and bad attitudes that it stifles our joy.

So I decided in myself today that I am who I am regardless.

I will be a good friend, even if you are not.

I will come on time, even if I know you will be late.

I am going to listen...even if I truly believe I am right.

I will be thoughtful, even if nobody knows

I will show up to your important things, even though you ditch mine.

I will laugh and be joyful, even if you have a permanent stink eye.

maybe it'll rub off.

and maybe the meanie negative arrows won't poke me anymore.

love you all and hope the ugliness of the world does not mask and dull the beautiful colors, brightness, wonderful smells, amazing songs that are out there to be enjoyed, lived and delighted in.

:) g'nite!

oh and just for fun. my kitty cat nails ( i don't like cats, but in light of all this i thought i'd show them some love too!)