Individual Rivalry

Zucchini Pizza Boats

2012-02-13T09:35:00.000-08:00

What did ya'll think of the Grammy's last night? Did your favorites win? I seriously wanted to be at the party on stage with Rihanna and Coldplay! Pure awesomeness. I love Nikki Minaj....but the whole religious/exorcisim thing? Disrespectful. I get that you are an artist and everything your do is a metaphor for something, but can we PLEASE just leave that out of it. It was uncomfortable for me to watch and it wasn't even my religion. Anyway...Adele stole the show which was no surprise. She is just lovely and uber talented. So, good on her!

I hope ya'll had a fabulous weekends and are getting ready to celebrate Valentine's Day with your loved ones. It doesn't have to be a day of romance, it can also be a day that you take the opportunity to let those you love know it. Sometimes we don't do that enough. So to whoever is reading this..I LOVE YOU! :) Yes, even you ;)

Zucchini Pizza Boats

I stumbled upon this recipe and the fat girl inside me totally thought that those were pepperoni on top, not tomatoes. The heart wants what the heart wants. So I changed...pretty much everything ha ha.

Zucchini

Pizza Sauce

Cheese

Pepperoni

Wash and rinse your zucchini well with dish soap to remove any wax residue since you are leaving most of the skin on. Cut the ends off and then slice in half. Take a spoon and lightly remove some of the seeded making a shallow trench.

It doesn't take much. This is just to have a nice place for your cause to lay.

Lay them out on a baking sheet that you sprayed with non-stick spray.

Using a knife or a vegetable peeler, cut a strip off of the bottom of the zucchini so they will lay nice and flat on your pan.

Using a spoon, be as generous as you like and fill the trenches with your sauce.

Now add the cheese

Add your pepperoni and then sprinkle a little more cheese on top!

Bake at 350 degrees for about 25-30 minutes.

Viola! A health(ier) and carb free pizza! Perfect for you and the kiddos. These really are delicious. And can you imagine how awesome these would be if you had fresh zucchini straight from your garden? Y.U.M. Then they wouldn't be all wimpy in size like these from the store. This is a very easy recipe. You can use pretty much whatever you have on hand. Whatever sauce, or cheeses you please. You can even make then similar to individual pizzas and use what ever toppings you like! Endless possibilities I say. So feel free to get creative!

Zucchini Pizza Boats

Zucchini

Pizza Sauce

Cheese

Pepperoni

It doesn't take much. This is just to have a nice place for your cause to lay.

Lay them out on a baking sheet that you sprayed with non-stick spray

Using a knife or a vegetable peeler, cut a strip off of the bottom of the zucchini so they will lay nice and flat on your pan.

Take a spoon, be as generous as you like, and fill the trenches with your sauce.

Now add the cheese

Add your pepperoni and then sprinkle a little more cheese on top!

Bake at 350 degrees for about 25-30 minutes. Depending on your oven.

Crappy, Crap, Crap.

2012-02-09T10:23:00.000-08:00

Hi friends. Sorry I haven't post quite as often as I was planning. It's been one of those weird weeks. My four year old has not only been hanging on my nerves, but swinging and bouncing in some sort of attempt I'm guessing to see if they will come unattached. He is seriously testing me and I feel like my parenting skills are falling apart with him. Crap being a Mom is hard. I downright S-U-C-K at it sometimes. Thank goodness for those precious moments that let you know you are doing ok. LOVE them both...but MAN,

Guess how many days I've gotten ready this week? ONE. Two if you include one day I went out dressed but without make-up. Ugh....the nerve. : O Oh well, you can't win them all. But next week is a new week! I will try again.

I'm still in the process of figuring out exactly what I want the content of this bolt to be. I'm relying mostly on your feedback so any opinions I am graciously accepting right now. I love the outlet of it. It will undoubtedly get me in trouble from time to time but that's just what my mouth does. I think it has a mind of it's own.

I promise I'm not giving up on this but I am going to take the rest of the week off to figure out what ya'll love to read about. I know we can't all relate to being a stay at home mom, but we can relate to being a woman. Except for my few male family members that are reluctantly being supportive and reading just for that sake. (Love you guys!)

Plus I want to try to keep it positive, but as we all know life is not always positive and I want to keep honesty a part of this as well. Hence why I told you about my craptastic effort to get ready this week.

Anyway, I would love to be able to put a smile on each and everyone of your sweet faces so without further adue, I give you........

Channing

You're welcome ;)

Bed Tanning 101 + A Little Super Bowl Talk

2012-02-06T10:07:00.001-08:00

Good Monday to you all! Did you all enjoy the super bowl? Woo Hoo Giants! My team wasn't there so I normally go for the underdog. It was a rather boring Super Bowl except for the last 10 minutes. To be honest that's all I got to watch anyway since I was chasing around my boys and letting the hubby enjoy his time with the guys. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by Madonna's Performance. I'm not much of a fan of NEW MAdonna but she got me by taking me back to to good ol' days with a greatest hits sort of performance. Plus, LMFAO and Nikki Minaj make everything better!

Did you guys get a chance to watch all the commercials? Here is by far my favorite one :)

I hope that song never gets old!

Moving on...

Ha Ha Ha. Is that an awesome picture or what? I don't know about you guys but that is EXACTLY how I look when I tan.

I thought I'd share my knowledge on tanning with ya'll. First let me tell you that most of the stuff I'm going to say is MY OPINION and please do not go tan yourself to the point of cancer and blame me. I'm just stating what I have learned and discovered over the years. I am FULLY aware that too much sun causes Cancer. But then again...doesn't too much of anything cause Cancer these days? So here is your official "warning".

The FDA warns that there is no such thing as a "safe tan." Extensive studies suggest that tanning increases your risk of skin cancer greatly.

Steps to a Good Healthy Tan Sesh:

1. Educate yourself

Anyway, When I was 19 I managed a tanning salon. When I first applied there to even get the job the owner made us study and take a 5 page test and write an essay on tanning. Extreme right? It was, but at the same time it made us employees very knowledgeable and able to answer any question our customers might have. So after you read this feel free to dispute or correct anything I say. Honestly!

It is my opinion that by tanning in moderation you are not going to get cancer. In actuality, it is somewhat safer to use a bed where the amount of UV rays you are getting is controlled. As to when you are in the sun, you have no control over how much you get. I DO however feel like anything over once a week and the occasional twice a week right before you go on a vacation is the most anyone should do. It actually takes 4-5 days for your tan to show up after you tan in a bed. (That is why I use the tingle lotion because I am an instant gratification type of girl) So once a week is good for maintenance. When you are getting ready to go on a vacation somewhere sunny it is good to prepare your skin for the amount of sun it is about to get with a base tan.

Now lets talk about the difference between UVA Rays and UVB Rays. Most beds contain both. UVA rays have longer wavelengths and penetrate deeper into the skin than UVB rays. Because UVB only affects the top layer of skin, it tends to create a reddish tan or even a burn. UVA rays reach deeper, oxidizing and browning the melanin in your skin. So for optimal tanning results it is best to tan in the salons "base" beds and every so often tan in their bronzing beds. (also most commonly know as a "RUVA" bed)

*Please note that some salons are NOT correct on what they call their beds. So sometimes it is good to do a little research on the bed before you tan in it. *

Don't be afraid to ask questions when you go. A good business will have their employees educated (There ARE classes they can attend) and ready to help you with whatever your concerns are. So what might seem like a mindless job, really shouldn't be.

2. Prepare Your Skin

The best tans are on new skin. To ensure this make sure you exfoliate before you go. Tanning on top of dead skin cells isn't going to do much and is really a waste of money if you ask me. I like to shower right before I go and exfoliate making sure I am tanning a fresh layer of skin. I don't mind the tanning smell but for those of you that do there are lotions you can tan with that help eliminate that smell or you can shower after. Just make sure that if you are using a bronzing lotion you wait 4 hours after to shower. Otherwise you will just wash the bronze right off.

3. Find Yourself a Good Lotion

You should never tan without a lotion. Indoor tanning lotions, sunless tanning products and other assorted self-tanning products help you to get better results from every tanning session. Tanning lotions help the pores to open up and offer you enhanced light absorption by amplifying your UV exposure.They also help in acquiring a deeper, more enduring tan while at the same time protecting the skin’s existing moisture levels. High quality lotions can help dark-skinned people break through their existing tanning plateau and achieve unprecedented results. Indoor tanning lotions are usually designed to only use ingredients that will not cause damage or build up on acrylic surfaces. This is because all tanning beds use 100% acrylic in their protective shields. People should not use outdoor tanning lotion in a tanning bed, as some common ingredients such as mineral oil (common ingredient in cosmetics, including some baby oil brands) will damage the surface of the acrylics.

I also like to use the little stickers they have to help with that instant gratification and also monitor my progress. (P.S. in case you were wondering that is an appendix removal scar. I don't know why I put the sticker there, I just always have.)

Here is some info in my favorite types of lotions:

BRONZING LOTIONS

Some lotions have a bronzing affect to them. There are two different types of bronzers; cosmetic and natural. Cosmetic bronzers are usually DHA (dihydroxyacetone) based.These bronzers work with the skin to provide a darker cosmetic color. They take approximately 4-6 hours to develop full color. It's recommended that you have a base tan before using a bronzer for a more natural looking color. Natural bronzers use natural ingredients, such as, caramel, riboflavin, etc. These ingredients provide a slight instant boost of color, but will wash off in the shower. Higher quality natural bronzer lotions will have certain organic ingredients/natural or exotic extracts that help aid in the process of tanning (melanin production/oxidization).

TINGLE FACTOR LOTIONS

The reddening and tingling sensation is part of the “tingle factor.” It’s the result of chemicals that manipulate the blood to rush to the upper layer of the skin. It essentially increases blood circulation which generates more oxygen thus increasing melanin oxidation levels. The increase of melanin causes your skin to tan darker more quickly but not before first reddening. This is all a natural process and the sensation a person feels is directly attributed to increased blood flow and melanin generation. The higher concentration of Benzyl Nicotinate the more intense the tingle factor will be.

3. Protect Yourself

ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS use your protective eye goggles or the ones they give you.

DO NOT tan your face the entire time. You face only needs a few minutes of sun and then cover it up! You can use the towel that they SHOULD provide you with. We don't need the wrinkles that come along with sun exposure and you can change your face makeup to match the color of the rest of your body.

Know your limits. Know how much your skin type ( well, first you better learn what it is if you don't know) can handle. It is completely OK to tan for 7 minutes if thats all it takes!

4. Enjoy the results!

If you are wondering why I am even doing this post it is because of what tanning does for me. It helps me WAAAAY more than just giving me tanned skin year round. It is my once a week therapy. It helps relax me an calms me down even if it is only for 15-20 minutes. I need that.

It is also in MY opinion that tan fat looks better than white fate. For some reason it just hides the cellulite better. I think anyways...

And then there are THESE...

Seriously these are the worst. They have forever cursed me with ugly arms. They are all over the backs of my arms. Now next time you see me don't even think about taking a sly walk behind me. I will know EXACTLY what you are trying to do ;). I've been to doctors, they've given me creams and lotions. NOTHING! Exfoliations, NOTHING! They never completely go away but tanning is the ONLY thing I have found that reduces the appearance of them. That alone is a good enough reason for me to tan. They are normally a lot worse than this picture. Gross. Call it low self esteem, I don't care. I hate them and if there is something I can do to make me feel better about it then by golly I'm going to do it. I am SUUUPER self conscience about my arms. I know I know, love yourself and all that crap...but reducing their appearance just helps me love me more ;). It also doesn't help when your SIL says they are the ugliest things ever! ( You know who you are ;) )

LOOOONG informative post but I hope this helps you. For those of you that are totally anti-sun I will do a post soon on the dreaded SPRAY TANS. Let me know if you have any other questions and I will do my best to answer them. Otherwise just do the research yourself! It's always better to be informed. <3

Strawberry ShortCUT Sushi

2012-02-01T10:01:00.000-08:00

Thank you for all your kind words and loving support on the last post. I hope it can help us all be a little less judgmental :)

ANYWHOO.... With all that heavy stuff out of the way lets move on to something that could actually make you "heavy" ha ha. But seriously... Look at those.

I came across THIS awesome recipe and while it looked delicious I am all about quick and easy. I can tell you that everything, of course, is better homemade. But, sometimes we don't have hours to spend in the kitchen. Therefore, my dear friends, I give you the Strawberry ShortCUT Sushi. Clever? Ah thank you ;)

Strawberry ShortCUT Sushi

makes 40 rolls

1 Box 10 count Twinkies

1 cup sliced fresh strawberries

Slice your strawberries into strips like you would see in normal sushi

Take your twinkles our of their individual wrappers and cut the rounded ends off. Not too much though. Then slice them into fourths. You should be able to get 4 rolls out of each twinkie.

Lay them on their sides and stuff however many strawberry slices you like into the creamy center.

DONE. Now for the sauce.

Strawberry CoulisRecipe from Smitten Kitchen

2 cups quartered and hulled strawberries, mashed

1/4 cup water

3 T granulated sugar

1 T lemon juice

Combine your strawberries, water, sugar and lemon juice in a blender and blend until all the way smooth.

Press through a fine mesh strainer to remove seeds. I kind of had to knock it on the bowl a few times to keep it straining through. This takes a few minutes so don't get frustrated. I might of just a little bit....

Cover and place in the fridge until chilled.

Then just place them on a fancy plate and drizzle ( or pour if you are me) strawberry sauce over the tops and garnish with chocolate syrup!

And there ya go! A SUPER fancy looking dessert that was so simple to make. And cost efficient might I add!

Hopefully this will help you get through the rest of your week. ENJOY!

Judge Not, That You Be Not Judged

2012-01-30T09:08:00.000-08:00

Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment that you pronounce you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, "Let me take the speck out of your eye," when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.

Matthew 7.1-5
Any guesses as to what this post is about? Ha ha. I think it's time we have a serious talk ladies. I've gone back and forth on whether or not to write this post with full knowledge of its controversies and major backlash it could receive. But, this is MY blog and I am entitles to state my views, opinions, and feelings. So with that said, Here it goes.I have been struggling lately with judgment of others. I have VERY strong opinions that judging someone is anything BUT Christ-like and our Heavenly Father is the ONLY one with the power to do so. Now, let me also state that I, like everyone else in this world, am not perfect by any means. I too have passed judgment on others. But being a convert in my religion I have always tried to see both sides of the fence. You are probably wondering where all this is coming from. Right? This weekend I decided to have one of those "Slumber Parties". You know the type...if not look it up if you are curious :). In the process of inviting people to this party I have learned these things

I am trashy
I am perverted
I have no morals

Pretty awesome right? These are a few of the things that were said about me. This is why we are having this talk ladies, It seriously broke my heart. Don't these people know me? I knew this party would not be for everyone and I am COMPLETELY fine with that. My thought process was that I think the sex stores are not for me and I feel like a lunatic whenever I've been in one. So how nice would it be to be able to be in the comfort of your own home to browse those types of items, learn about them, and and shop without feeling all awkward and not having to see porn videos everywhere you look? I guess I thought most people would feel that way. Well, you know what happens when you assume. Now heres what I don't understand. Is it that hard to politely decline, say its not for you, and let it be? Why go as far as put the person down and pass judgement on them? I would rather go to one of these slumber parties then lay my head down at night knowing I have judged someone. But my feelings have been hurt and I feel like I need to defend myself. When you pass judgement on someone do you know the whole situation? Do you know what is going on behind the scenes? If not then maybe you should either A. Get to know the person better or B. Don't Judge Them

This goes way beyond some stupid party. I just want to inspire those of you who need to to work on this. I know that even with me writing this I have learned more about myself and the way I treat people. It is so sad that we as woman are always looking to bond at someone else's expense. I'll never understand that. Maybe I feel so strongly on this because I've been on the short end of those conversation most of my life. When I chose to have God be a part of my life and be baptized into the LDS church and get married in the temple, I had people saying "I can't believe SHE is getting married in the temple". Instead of "WOW, I am so happy and proud of her for wanting to better herself and choose a life with God by her side." And that makes it hard to have sympathy.Thankfully I have enough wonderful people in my life to reassure the person I truly am. So while my feelings were hurt they were right there to make me remember the love and confidence I should have for myself. I am one lucky girl.Ok. Enough of my pitty party . People may do things that you do not understand or agree with. Instead of judging them, love them. You don't have to love what they do but love them as a brother, or sister. As long as what they are doing isn't illegal, nine times out of ten they are a good person. And if you let that one thing you disagree with interfere with how you feel about them you could be missing out on a wonderful person in your life, friend, or maybe even family member. As woman we are naturally the motherly and nurturing type. We should be giving confidence boosters and always looking for the good in others. Teaching our children not to judge and love all with no judgement. Just like Christ.

No matter their race, faith, political views, and certain opinions. I promise if you remove the close mindedness and negativity, you will live a much happier life and will be surprised by the blessings you will receive. Sometimes those that are hardest to love, are the ones who need it the most.It's like going back to when we were five. IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANYTHING NICE TO SAY, DON'T SAY ANYTHING AT ALL.

Follow Friday! :)

2012-01-27T09:26:00.000-08:00

How did you guys do with getting ready this week? I did preeeeetty well. I made it four out of the five days. What do ya do, no one's perfect.
I hope everyone has a great weekend! I will be spending all day today at the grocery store. Costco, Sams, Wal-Mart....you know, all the places that make me want to run people over with my shopping cart. Tomarrow I'll be hosting a Slumber Party. Whoo wooo ;) I'll let you know how THAT goes.
Anyway, Since I spent pretty much the entire day working on yesterdays post, I decided to relax on this one a little bit. I thought I'd post some links to things that I am LOVING on the web right now. Including myself :). Enjoy!

Follow Me On Facebook
Follow Me On Pinterest

Food-
This woman is amazing and has NEVER steered me wrong on a recipe
The Girl Who Ate Everything

Our Best Bites

Real Mom Kitchen

Crafts & DIY-

Reckless Glamour

Tatertots and Jello

I Am Momma Hear Me Roar

Money Saving Tips-

LOVE this Woman. We met her at one of the movies she hosted and she is just the sweetest and really puts a ton of effort into helping us all save mulah!
Freebies 2 Deals

What are your favorite places to browse?

*TIP of the day* NEVER look on Pinterest when you are hungry and making your grocery list :(

15 minute Beach Waves

2012-01-26T13:45:00.000-08:00

I am dragging butt this morning. Seriously. Are there ANY Mom's that don't have huge dark circles under their eyes? I need to invest in some serious concealer.

There are about a million different tutorials on how to get that beach-y look. Now there are 1,000,001. :) I just wanted to show you my methods on doing this style quick and easy. Just play some awesome music while you watch this video because I lack the skills to make this video awesome besides my old fashioned self.

PLEASE know that if you really want that full on Victoria Secret hair you are most likely going to need extensions. Unless you have been SERIOUSLY blessed! Extensions and length and texture and you need BOTH to have it at that level. I have completely come to the terms that I have crap hair. My hair will never look the way I want it without extensions. BOO. If you want a consultation on possibly getting some done feel free to contact me. I would be more than happy to help out. But more on extensions at a later date. We are talking BEACH WAVES! Maybe you could imagine yourself ON a beach while you do this style! How awesome would that be? Just kidding. BUT...You could treat yourself to a nice exfoliating scrub once the kiddos are all snuggled in bed. Don't forget the candles!

Spanglish Sandwich

2012-01-25T00:30:00.000-08:00

Every once in a while we come across some weird concoction of a recipe that tastes D-E-licious. This is definitely one of those! While browsing the world of Pinterest I came across this little gem and simplified it even more. It is basically a BLT with a fried egg on it. WAIT!! Don't leave! I promise it waaay less weird than it sounds! It get's it name from the move "Spanglish". You know the one with Adam Sandler? Wasn't one of my favorites, but thats not the point. Chef Thomas Keller created it specifically for that movie. There. You have officially been edgimacated on "The Spanglish Sandwich". Informative or useless.....do with it what you will. I don't care.

Spanglish Sandwich

3-4 slices of bacon
2 slices of cheese (your preference)
2 slices of toasted whatever type of bread you prefer
1 tbsp of mayo
4 tomato slices
4 Slices of Avacado
2 leaves of lettuce
1 teaspoon butter
1 egg
salt and pepper

Preparation:
1. Cook the bacon until crisp, drain on paper towels

2. toast your bread in the toaster

3. Spread mayo on top of bread and top with bacon, sliced tomato, cheese, and lettuce

4. On non-stick skillet, melt butter over medium heat. (If you are feeling real dangerous you can even fry your egg in your bacon grease! Mmmmm) Fry egg, turning over briefly when the bottom is set (keep yolk runny) and seasoning with salt and pepper.
5. Slide finished egg on top of lettuce, top with other slice of bread

6. Place sandwich on plate and slice in half, letting yolk run down sandwich and enjoy!

Fancy Up Them Letters

2012-01-24T07:41:00.000-08:00

I haven't seen this in the bolt world so unless one of you tell me differently I am giving FULL credit on this one to my SIL Trinity. She has a special gene for these types of things. Isn't her "P" adorbs?! Love it.

These are super easy and best of all they are inexpensive and there are about 1 million places in your home for it! I think this will be a staple gift from me. So If you are reading this and you receive one, don't be surprised.

LIST O' SUPPLIES
Wooden Letter
Paint and Paint Brush
Sander or good old fashioned sand paper
Vinyl

Fist off, take one of THESE BABIES to your local craft store and grab yourself a letter.

I got this sweet little thang from JoAnn's.

Then, using your favorite paint, paint the letter whatever color your heart desires.

Let it dry completely

Once dry, sand it to your liking. I like to distress mine quite a bit. Since this one is for a little newborn's nursery I decided not to stain this one. But if I were to make one for a family room or bedroom I definitely would take that approach.

Then I added some cherry blossoms and her name to match her nursery theme. (ha ha SURPRISE Maria! I'll bring it over soon.)

SERIOUSLY? Can you stand it? So stinkin cute. DONE. It took me maaaaaaybe an hour and a half tops.

I used my Silhouette for the vinyl. You can purchase some at your local craft or hobby store OR just ask your friend who owns one of these babies to do it for you ;)

This one is in my living room. Don't mind that sweet little bum next to it (for the sake of his future embarrassment I one say who's bum ;)) and my precious little hud bug to the right.

Dear friends that don't give a crap about this seasons Bachelor, big loves and I hope this project inspired you. If you have any questions just ask. But, now would be a good time to leave because I have some chatting to do with my fellow Bachelor viewers.

Did you watch the Bachelor last night? Ugh...what a joke. It was fun to see them film in Park City though. Did you guys know we could creator dive in Utah? I'm adding that one to the bucket list. (Kelsey we TOTALLY should have gone!) I have a confession to make. I know who wins. Let's just say I cave under pressure and THIS darn guy sucked me in. WARNING!!! DO NOT CLICK THAT LINK UNLESS YOU JUST WANT TO BE IRRITATED THE WHOLE SEASON. With that being said. Lets chat about last night. Who does Courtney think she is? I mean Emily was a hot mess and DID pull a dumb move by spending her time with Ben talking about Courtney, BUT..... Courtney is a ....well I can't even think of an appropriate word. Who says thing like "I'm a sweet girl, don't @#$! with me!"? Claaaassy. I know producers edit and manipulate the show how they want but these girls have to say it for them to use it. Anyway, dang it, this blog is about being INSPIRED by other women. Shoot. Well, I'm human and right now I got nothing. That woman does not inspire me in anyway except for maybee how NOT to treat other women and I am definitely not jealous of her stank eye.

To end this on a positive note, I loooove Kacey B. And I want her to be the next bachelorette. I'm over Emily. Kacey just seems like a sweet, beautiful, genuine person. I hope my sons find a girl like her some day.

OH! And guess who is 10 months old today?

This guy! <3 him

But Seriously...Are you Available For My Kids Birthday Party?

2012-01-23T05:00:00.000-08:00

Bahh ha ha. Kills me every time! Now onto serious matters. Our eyebrows. I don't know why but they seem to be one thing that our Mother's never passed their knowledge or beauty tips on down to us. Maybe it's because they had no clue themselves? My eyebrows and I have been through a lot together.

Ya...feel free to zoom in. See what I mean? I thought I looked so good! In fact this ~~was~~ my favorite high school picture. This is a perfect example of when you pick up the tweezers and just start plucking away. Next thing you know you you are left with commas where your poor eyebrows once laid. I think Michelle Money explains all cosmetologists views on this best:

I wish I would have known better. Even as a cosmetologist I get carried away sometimes too. So let's list the NEVERS:

Attempt to shape your own eyebrow. Next time you go to your stylist to get your hair done just ask if you can have a little chat about your eyebrows and what they think would look best on you. If you want, just have them get you started with your shape and you can keep up the little grooming at home.Think of your brows as picture frames, your eyes as pictures and your face as the wall. No walls are exactly level, just as no faces are perfectly symmetrical. You need to hang each picture as level as you can to compensate for the wall being askew. We normally ask a friend to take a step back while we hang pictures for the same reason we need someone to take a step back from our brows
Just like how you should never pick up the scissors while on your period, don't pick up the tweezers either.
Dye your own eyebrows. Just don't.

This picture is a great guide as to where your eyebrows should be placed.

Point A is where they should start

Point B is your arch

Point C is where they should end

Point D is their levelness.

Image from www.ivillage.ca

Here are my before and after eyebrows

BEFORE

AFTER

The beautiful Megan Fox and her perfect eyebrows.

It's my personal opinion that everyone should look into purchasing eyebrow makeup. I stumbled upon it because I accidentally waxed off half my eyebrow right before family pictures. BEST mistake I ever made. As far as brow makeup goes, my favorable choice would be powder. I LOOOOVE Anastasia Brow Powder duo along with their angled brush. The angle brush it a must, they will not look good without it! You can find the powder here and and the brush here .I too agree that when people use pencils it tends to look fake and hard. Powder gives your a more natural look. Take it away once again Michelle...

Now the DO's:

Figure out what you want your eyebrows to look like
Set up a consultation with your stylist
Have them dyed if needed
Purchase brow makeup
Learn to control your tweezers and not let them control you!

I know this truly must make a difference in how my face looks because after I did it I turned to my husband and asked him if I looked like a clown. He said "No! I like it! It actually gives you a more "finished" look." Whaaaaaa? Who is this man and what has he done with my husband? SOLD. I've never done my makeup without it since.

I hope this helps. I really never thought twice about brow makeup before "the accident". But maybe if someone had mentioned it to me before I would have. So this is me mentioning it to you!

You're welcome ;)

Remember to be INSPIRED by other women rather than Jealous.

Kicking Out The Funk

2012-01-21T12:36:00.000-08:00

First off, thank you so much for checking out my blog! I am so excited to start the and I think it will be a wonderful thing for ALL of us! :) I figure, I do this crap everyday anyway so why don't I make a hobby out of it.

Today we are going to have a little chat about all things frumpy, mom-ish, slobby, lazy, etc. You get the idea. The epitome of me on most days. Being a SAHM (stay at home mom) I find myself in a funk and it impossible to find the energy/desire to do anything with myself. I figure I'm most likely not going anywhere anyway so why bother? And to make matters worse...I am a cosmetologist. That's right. I make people beautiful for a living while it seems I put quite a bit of effort into doing just the opposite to myself. By the time I hit the sheets I am waaaay to tired to take off my make-up, (That is if I even bothered that day) and in most cases I already have my pj's on so done and DONE. Then I wake up to my human alarm clocks and am ready to go in my mascara-smudged face and sloppy pony tail. Can you say B-E-A-utiful? I know, my husband is a lucky man. My favorite is when they come home from work and give you that look. You know the one, the one that says "What in the ____ have you been doing all day? " Cue rolling of the eyes.

Well NO MORE I say. Whenever I find myself at home not wanting to go anywhere, nine times out of ten it is because I don't feel like getting ready. Imagine if I were all ready to go? Oh the places I'd go! (and money I'd spend I'm sure. Just being honest.) We have all sorts of excuses.

too tired
kids are sick
I'm not going anywhere
I must catch up on my shows
PINTEREST

I have come to the realization that if I just wake up and get ready then not only will I feel better about myself, but I will be ready to go for whatever occasion might arrive. Like answering the door to our sweet delivery guy that will probably think he has the wrong house now. Girls call and want to go to lunch? DONE. I have compiled a list of things that will help you get motivated and stop being the girl that is out in public and runs into people from high school and they think "What happened to her?" I KNOW I have been that girl. And if it hasn't happened to you, don't think it won't. It is inevitable. UNLESS, you take these simple steps.

Get to bed as early as your life style allows
pray for the motivation
wake up before your kids or take care of their needs first thing (please don't leave your loves in a dangerous situation or in complete control of the house. Make sure they are safe and happy. Nothing is worth compromising that.)
grab your favorite morning beverage (like a diet pepsi? Don't judge me)
plug in the tunes

*whatever motivates you! like, maybe it's some backstreet boys from waaaaay back when. I find it helps if you listen to the music that you listened to back when you USED to actually get ready everyday ha ha

Oh that Nick Carter

find a hairstyle that you enjoy fixing. If your hair sucks, so will your attitude about getting ready
your makeup will probably take you a while at first but as you do it more often you will have the mug going from drab to fab in no time!

Things are going to interfere. Kids, phone calls, whatever. It happens. So just go with it. It doesn't matter how long it takes you to do it as long as you do it before your husband gets home! So you can be all "Oh I just did so much today honey!" *wink* Which you probably did anyway but now he can focus on how hot you look and not at the pile of dishes in the sink because you have been chasing around rugrats all day and

being their personal slave.

What do you do to help yourself get ready? Do even have this problem at all? I hope this inspires you to take care of the beautiful body that God has given you and OWN it! I GUARANTEE you that if you just take the time to get yourself ready you will have an instant self esteem boost and a new found confidence. PLUS, you will be clean and no longer hazardous to society. (guilty)

Aaaaand I just realized that my first post is showing you me in all my glory and confessing I didn't shower for two days.............................

Oh Well.

Welcome to Individual Rivalry.

Be Jealous Of Yourself