Morning Must-Haves

Okay, for any of you male readers out there this is a girly post about makeup and such. (So basically, to my hubby -who I'm sure is the only guy who reads this blog-you'll get bored today. I won't be mad at you if you skip. )

I thought I'd do a post on my daily beauty routine...which really isn't much. I don't have a huge to-do list every morning for a couple of reasons:

1) I don't like to get up 5 hours before I need to just so I can do my hair/makeup

2) I don't really go anywhere very exciting...SAHM life can be pretty boring

3) I have never really learned how to mix & match makeups and apply them without looking clown-esque.

But I do have a couple of "I can't live without you" items and here they are.

First is my shampoo: Garnier Fructis Anti-Dandruff shampoo. Unfortunately, I was blessed (if you want to call it that) with my dad's prone-to-greasiness hair and dry scalp. I was okay with occasionally using a cheapy dandruff shampoo maybe once a week or so, but when the military sent us over to England for three years, the HORRIBLE water out there made my scalp so awful that I have had to use dandruff shampoo on a daily basis ever since. I'm talking 5 years folks. So I was so excited when Garnier came out with their dandruff shampoo...now I could keep my head itch-free AND have my hair smell good. SCORE! Because of the greasiness of my hair, I have to use a seperate conditioner despite the shampoo being a 2-in-1. I've switched around all my life, but I always go back to Herbal Essences. I either get a moisturizing conditioner like this:or I get the volumizing version...because my hair is F-L-A-T flat.

For my face I use this stuff from Neutrogena:It's great! My skin never realized that I'm no longer a teenager (I'm going to be 30 next year- you'd think my complexion would be getting better!) and I still have to use the teeny bopper face wash. Oh well...it smells good and does the trick.

Next on the list is my body wash. This is my splurge product from GudonyaToo over on Etsy. I stumbled on her site a couple years ago and have been a loyal customer ever since. Their Whipped Clean Body Wash is so heavenly. I have pretty dry skin during the winter months and when I use this stuff I don't have to put on lotion after my shower. My skin stays moisturized All. Day. My favorite scents are Tahitian Vanilla and Island Coconut. YUM!And recently I gave in and bought some of the shaving cream from them too...Oh. My. Goodness. I am in love. When I use this I don't even have to use the body wash after. The cream is so rich and lathery...it's really awesome for shaving. And my legs feel smooth for DAYS. Next up is my makeup. It's pretty sparse.

I use Almay SmartShade foundation in medium for my face. I was initially really hesitant to use Almay because I always associated it with older women. But I sucked it up and tried it a couple of years ago and I was sold. It really helps even out my skin tone it's basically skin matching for dummies. LOVE.Last is my mascara. My good friend Nat (who I'm secretly jealous of because she's drop dead gorgeous ALL. THE. TIME...so not fair!) told me about this stuff last year and since I was in need of another tube I decided to try it. This stuff is uh-may-zing. I've always had crap for eyelashes and this stuff is supposed to make your lashes look fuller and longer. It's right. I bought some and haven't gone another route since. It really holds up in water....I wore it boating & tubing with friends and no raccoon face! And I've shed my fair share of tears with this stuff on and other than my red, watery eyes, you'd never have known! Falsies by Maybelline is my new favorite makeup item EVER. Period.

And if you're curious about them lengthening my lashes here's a story that will sell you on it for sure. When Jonah-man broke his arm in October the nurses at the urgent care were commenting on his gorgeously long, dark lashes. I told them that all three of the kiddos were blessed with them, and that they definitely didn't get it from my side of the family because mine were short and cruddy. They looked at me and said that my lashes were beautiful too and so long! I grinned and told them that it was all thanks to a great mascara. I'm pretty sure they went out after work that day and got some too. (Hey Maybelline...how 'bout a free tube for the free advertising? Nudge-nudge, wink-wink!)

So there you have it. My daily ritual if you will. (Well, I don't shave every day but you get the idea). As boring and simple as it is.

Dreaming of June...

As you can see by the above ticker, the hubby & I are going on a cruise this summer. We will celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary later this month, and my wonderful man suprised me with a Caribbean cruise getaway! Some of our very best friends from South Carolina are hoping to make the trip with us and I cannot wait!

So on this third cloudy, rainy day in a row here in Oklahoma, I'm dreaming of sunny skies, beautiful beaches of the Cayman Islands and Jamaica, and of sharing drinks and memories with my husband and our friends.

Only 3 months and 4 days until we set sail! Bring on the sunshine!

Mmmm Mmmm Monday: Ham & Cheese Cannelloni

This is another goodie that I tore out of a magazine (Women's Day this time), but the recipe itself is actually from Rachael Ray, who I LOVE. Seriously...her recipes have not let us down yet.

Here's what you need:
1 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
1 cup shredded mozzerella cheese
1 large egg
1-15 oz jar creamy Alfredo sauce
8 egg-roll wrappers (from the frozen/refrigerated Asian section)
sliced deli ham
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1. Preheat oven to 400*. In a medium bowl combine the ricotta, mozzarella and egg.
2. Set aside 3/4 cup of the Alfredo sauce and spread remaining sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish.
3. Lay out egg-roll wrapper on a flat surface. Spread 3 tbsp of the ricotta mixture on the wrapper, then place slice of ham (or two, depending on the size of your slices) on top of the mixture. Roll up jelly-roll style. Repeat with remaining wrappers and then lay the cannelloni seam side down in a single layer in the baking dish.
4. Spoon the reserved 3/4 cup Alfredo sauce over the cannelloni, top with Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, and bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown & bubbly.

This got a big thumbs up from the majority of my family last night. Jonah was the main hold-out, but I knew he would be because he's not a fan of Alfredo sauce.

Friday Finds on Etsy: The Snootie Pig

I've been slacking with my Friday Finds posts since the move...life is just nuts right now!

But last week I was perusing Etsy and found a fun little shop that I instantly fell in love with. Even the name was cute...The Snootie Pig.

What had initially caught my eye was this super cute headband.

I loved the fun spring/summer colors, but I don't wear headbands, and it was way too pretty to put on Sophia (sorry munchkin!). And then I noticed that in the description of the headband, the shop owner, Alison, mentioned that you could swap out the headband for a pin/brooch. SCORE! I have a ton of plain tanks and tees that need some glamming up, and this was perfect!

I contacted Miss Alison about a possible trade, and she informed me that she had actually made it for a blog giveaway later in March, and she listed it to generate interest. Darn! But then, the oh-so-sweet Texas lady said that it was indeed for sale, and that she was currently running a promo in her shop for 10% off purchases made in February.

She twisted my arm with that one and I instantly snapped it up! It came in the mail a few days later and I was so excited to open it. And when I did I was giddy all over again...it was even more fun and cute in person!

It's going to be PERFECT to accessorize all those plain shirts that I own-I'm a boring person when it comes to fashion- and you better believe that I will be packing it in my suitcase when we take our family vacation this summer.

I can't wait to show it off...and I really can't wait to grab a few more goodies from Alison's shop and become a somewhat-fashionable momma!

It's an adjustment.

Last night my oldest, laid back as can be son had a meltdown.

He is not really a meltdown type. He's so cool, calm & collected most of the time. He played it off like he was frusterated with his homework, but then I heard the truth in the form of a mutter: "I hate Oklahoma. I wish we never left South Carolina."

And it hit me like a ton of bricks.

The hubby & I had noticed some uncharacteristicly low grades coming home in his folders lately, and a major attitude brewing. Granted, he's 9 and I've been told that the attitude of teenagers starts early, but it was so out of the norm for him. He's such a go-with-the-flow kind of kid. These were signs of him not adjusting, and I just didn't see it. I was too busy wallowing in my own self-pity of hating the crazy, can't-make-its-mind-up weather and longing for my friends and the beach that I didn't even realize he was having an even harder time acclimating that I was. Way to be an on-the-ball mom. Nice.

I feel like it's partly my fault, too, because I'm guilty of voicing my complaints about Oklahoma in the presence of my kids. I realized last night that if I want my kids to succeed in getting used to a new place, then I need to show them how. I can't just expect them to dive in headfirst and come up smiling. I need to show them how to hold their noses and then swim to the surface. I need to give them positives instead of just pointing out the negatives. And I'm the first one to tell you I'm a pessimist, so that's going to be a major working point for me. But if it means that my kids will be better able to cope with a new environment, then I will bust my butt to get myself in the right mindset to make that happen.

It's going to be a process, I'm sure, but I know that they'll get there. We all will.

(It will definitely help if the weather can warm up and keep the snow and rain and tornado threats away though!)

I'm surrounded by monkeys.

Yesterday we took the kids to the Oklahoma City Zoo. The kids were out of school for President's Day and the hubby had the day off as well, so we decided it'd be a fun outing. Our apartment gets small when the 5 of us are sitting around with nothing to do. We found out from a friend that the zoo was offering free admission on Mondays in February, so that sealed the deal for me. Even with it being cold and windy. Passing up a free zoo day was NOT something that I could swallow...I do have Dutch blood running through my veins you know. We are a thrifty people.

Anyway, we didn't spend a ton of time there because of the cold...the animals weren't very active either. But I did get some great pics of the kids.

And this one is by far my favorite.

Mmmm Mmmm Monday: Vodka Penne Pasta

This is SUCH a yummy recipe. My kiddies informed me that they prefer this type of pasta over the regular pasta & spaghetti sauce that I usually make. Fine by me...this is one of my favorite's too!

Here's what you need:

1 package (16 oz) penne pasta, cooked

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

1/3 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

Grated Parmesan cheese

and either

2 jars chunky spaghetti sauce and 1/4 cup vodka

-OR-

2 jars Bertolli Vodka Sauce

Heat the sauce, basil and red pepper in a 3 qt saucepan to a boil over medium heat, stirring often. Remove from heat and stir in the cream.

Place pasta in a large serving bowl. Pour sauce mixture over and mix well to coat. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve.

You will NOT be disappointed in this easy to make dish!