Friday, February 25, 2005
Monday, February 21, 2005
Girly-girl
I have never really considered myself a girly-girl. I have said this, in fact, on many occasions. Not that I am a tom boy, but more that I am not your stereotypical girl who loves fashion and shopping and makeup. In the past I have clarified that I enjoy being "feminine", but not "frilly" or "fussy".
I have recently discovered, though, that I may be shifting to slightly more girly status. Maybe I was always there and just in denial. Afterall, I don't like being stereotypical.
But, I never cared much for chocolate. Isn't that a stereotypical "woman thing" to lust after a good piece of chocolate? I never saw the attraction- I was more of a candy addict. But after my pregnancy with Dean everything is different. I LOVE CHOCOLATE!
And I never used to dry and style my hair. I had long hair and it was pretty enough on it's own (or at least I thought) after a good air drying. Now, I have had highlights, layers, bangs, lowlights; I am experimenting and styling and having FUN. Weird, huh?
And makeup. I have never been a big makeup person. I like the "natural beauty" look where the makeup simply enhances what you've got. I probably will always lean in that direction because heavily painted on colors can just be... freaky. But makeup is what got me thinking about this whole topic, anyway. Since I don't really like shopping (and that hasn't changed), I have never spent much on makeup. But, in my quest to be more healthy/ organic/ natural in my consumption I started doing research (Tisra the continual researcher!) regarding mineral makeup. I found myself buying some fairly expensive products and becoming signifcantly more interested in the stereotypical girl world of makeup. Makeupalley.com is an amazing resource and well worth the annoyance of registering with their site.
After reading reviews on MakeupAlley I settled on the Jane Iredale line. Skin-etc.com sells her products at a reduced rate and I purchased the chisel brush, and three color samples to find a good match. As far as I know, they are the only place that sells the samples. The concept is similar to Bare Minerals by Bare Escentuals- minerals for natural cosmetics. It is amazing to research how many awful ingredients are in the things women put on their face. Like talc- I had no idea talc wasn't good for me. I haven't even overhauled my entire makeup stash, but just the foundation switch has made a difference. I have always battled with blemishes and my skin is much clearer in the two weeks I've been using the product sample- the sample has lasted me this long. Additionally, this stuff feels great on. Because it isn't a liquid foundation, it feels like bare skin and stays put. I haven't been swimming with it yet, but apparently it is extremely water resistant, too. I ordered a full size container of the Amazing Base Loose Powder in Bisque along with the Absence primer from SkinWest.com because they offer free shipping on Jane Iredale products. My order was messed up a bit, so I have yet to recieve the Absence, but it sounds great and got wonderful reviews on MakeupAlley. In the future, I will probably order from Skin-etc because they seem more organized and they offer up to 5 free samples of your choice (of big-name posh products) with each order which is just plain fun! I got a sample of Phytomer's Accept neutralizing cream that I have been using. Great stuff, but I might have a hard time shelling out that much for moisturizer. I guess, as with everything else, the good stuff costs more. I used to think that you were paying for the name. And, partially, you are. But, the good ingredients cost more in every category: fabric in clothing, organic groceries, skin care products, real wood in furniture... everything. The decision is just whether or not it is worth it to you.
And now that I'm a girly-girl, I sometimes feel that it is.
I have never really considered myself a girly-girl. I have said this, in fact, on many occasions. Not that I am a tom boy, but more that I am not your stereotypical girl who loves fashion and shopping and makeup. In the past I have clarified that I enjoy being "feminine", but not "frilly" or "fussy".
I have recently discovered, though, that I may be shifting to slightly more girly status. Maybe I was always there and just in denial. Afterall, I don't like being stereotypical.
But, I never cared much for chocolate. Isn't that a stereotypical "woman thing" to lust after a good piece of chocolate? I never saw the attraction- I was more of a candy addict. But after my pregnancy with Dean everything is different. I LOVE CHOCOLATE!
And I never used to dry and style my hair. I had long hair and it was pretty enough on it's own (or at least I thought) after a good air drying. Now, I have had highlights, layers, bangs, lowlights; I am experimenting and styling and having FUN. Weird, huh?
And makeup. I have never been a big makeup person. I like the "natural beauty" look where the makeup simply enhances what you've got. I probably will always lean in that direction because heavily painted on colors can just be... freaky. But makeup is what got me thinking about this whole topic, anyway. Since I don't really like shopping (and that hasn't changed), I have never spent much on makeup. But, in my quest to be more healthy/ organic/ natural in my consumption I started doing research (Tisra the continual researcher!) regarding mineral makeup. I found myself buying some fairly expensive products and becoming signifcantly more interested in the stereotypical girl world of makeup. Makeupalley.com is an amazing resource and well worth the annoyance of registering with their site.
After reading reviews on MakeupAlley I settled on the Jane Iredale line. Skin-etc.com sells her products at a reduced rate and I purchased the chisel brush, and three color samples to find a good match. As far as I know, they are the only place that sells the samples. The concept is similar to Bare Minerals by Bare Escentuals- minerals for natural cosmetics. It is amazing to research how many awful ingredients are in the things women put on their face. Like talc- I had no idea talc wasn't good for me. I haven't even overhauled my entire makeup stash, but just the foundation switch has made a difference. I have always battled with blemishes and my skin is much clearer in the two weeks I've been using the product sample- the sample has lasted me this long. Additionally, this stuff feels great on. Because it isn't a liquid foundation, it feels like bare skin and stays put. I haven't been swimming with it yet, but apparently it is extremely water resistant, too. I ordered a full size container of the Amazing Base Loose Powder in Bisque along with the Absence primer from SkinWest.com because they offer free shipping on Jane Iredale products. My order was messed up a bit, so I have yet to recieve the Absence, but it sounds great and got wonderful reviews on MakeupAlley. In the future, I will probably order from Skin-etc because they seem more organized and they offer up to 5 free samples of your choice (of big-name posh products) with each order which is just plain fun! I got a sample of Phytomer's Accept neutralizing cream that I have been using. Great stuff, but I might have a hard time shelling out that much for moisturizer. I guess, as with everything else, the good stuff costs more. I used to think that you were paying for the name. And, partially, you are. But, the good ingredients cost more in every category: fabric in clothing, organic groceries, skin care products, real wood in furniture... everything. The decision is just whether or not it is worth it to you.
And now that I'm a girly-girl, I sometimes feel that it is.
Wednesday, February 09, 2005
I keep waiting for the day that I don't have to mention that we are "really busy around here". But it might be more realistic to expect that years from now...like, maybe 18 years from now. Things are great and I find that I am really getting the hang of being mommy to three sweet kids.
A real turning point for me was when Eric went to Pennsylvania and I found myself doing all parenting duties by myself for those 4-5 days. Initially, I was overwhelmed and very exhausted. But somewhere around day two, God was using the experience to teach me a few things. I survived and was improved by the experience and I was especially glad that Eric had the opportunity to be there for his family through the rough time with his Granny's health.
Lael is sleeping through the night some nights, too, so that probably gives me a new outlook. It's amazing what adequate rest can do for a person!
This past weekend we went for our family portrait. After each baby, we have had one made to document the growing family (from this point forward, I guess we'll just have to put it on the calendar and make sure we do one occasionally- no more babies!). Nothing fancy, just The Picture People. It turned out okay. I don't think Eric and I care for the way we look in it, but the kids are cute. I'm taking recommendations for photographers here in Nashville (if you know anyone that you like) because I'd really rather have something more professional for Lael's first year panel.
Sunday was the Super Bowl, and we had a few of Eric's friends from work over. It was such a nice time, especially since no one really was a fan of either team. There is a certain freedom in watching a game that you don't feel invested in- you can talk a bit through the plays or get up to use the restroom without pausing the action. I took the opportunity to knit a bit. :-) The kids played and I didn't feel as though they were being too loud. We enjoyed our company and the horribly bad-for-you food. I tried to eat very little of the junk food as I still need to lose quite a bit of weight, but I did have a small taste of everything.
Monday, I took Lael for her two month well baby checkup at the doctor's office. She received shots and was weighed. Twelve pounds 4 ounces. She really is getting that cute chubby baby body. Not too fat, but slightly more squishy than at birth. And her cheeks! Oh! Eric and I must nibble. There really isn't an option. You must nibble. After the appointment, we drove up to LaDonna's house for a visit since we were already on that general side of town and the kids had a lovely time while the mommies enjoyed the compainionship, lunch, and wonderful hot tea.
Yesterday was another full day. I excercized for the first time in a week after having a strained tendon or ligament on the back of my ankle above my Achilles. It felt so good to plug away on the treadmill. Later that morning, I offered to watch a friend's little girl so that she could have a few hours to herself. Melissa is expecting their second baby in a few weeks and I know how tiring it can be to care for a child while you are in that last trimester. In fact, a few friends whisked away Grant and Dean right before Lael was born and it was one of the biggest blessings to have some alone time. So, time for me to return the favor! Her daughter was on her best behaviour and it was no trouble at all. Afterward, I started on dinner and then headed across the street to have a sewing lesson with my neighbor's daughter. I felt honored being asked to teach her some basics and we look forward to continuing in a few weeks when we return from our trip.
Trip. Yes, trip. Tomorrow, we'll be heading to Dallas again. Eric's annual conference is in Dallas this year. While Eric is working, the little ones and I will be playing and visiting with Tim and Angie and the gang. As always, the kids will have a blast, but this time we are really looking forward to showing off the little girl that was a big belly when we saw them last.
Packing must occur today. Laundry, and lots of packing. Our first trip as a family of five. I don't even want to think about how much luggage will be mounded up by the end of today.
A real turning point for me was when Eric went to Pennsylvania and I found myself doing all parenting duties by myself for those 4-5 days. Initially, I was overwhelmed and very exhausted. But somewhere around day two, God was using the experience to teach me a few things. I survived and was improved by the experience and I was especially glad that Eric had the opportunity to be there for his family through the rough time with his Granny's health.
Lael is sleeping through the night some nights, too, so that probably gives me a new outlook. It's amazing what adequate rest can do for a person!
This past weekend we went for our family portrait. After each baby, we have had one made to document the growing family (from this point forward, I guess we'll just have to put it on the calendar and make sure we do one occasionally- no more babies!). Nothing fancy, just The Picture People. It turned out okay. I don't think Eric and I care for the way we look in it, but the kids are cute. I'm taking recommendations for photographers here in Nashville (if you know anyone that you like) because I'd really rather have something more professional for Lael's first year panel.
Sunday was the Super Bowl, and we had a few of Eric's friends from work over. It was such a nice time, especially since no one really was a fan of either team. There is a certain freedom in watching a game that you don't feel invested in- you can talk a bit through the plays or get up to use the restroom without pausing the action. I took the opportunity to knit a bit. :-) The kids played and I didn't feel as though they were being too loud. We enjoyed our company and the horribly bad-for-you food. I tried to eat very little of the junk food as I still need to lose quite a bit of weight, but I did have a small taste of everything.
Monday, I took Lael for her two month well baby checkup at the doctor's office. She received shots and was weighed. Twelve pounds 4 ounces. She really is getting that cute chubby baby body. Not too fat, but slightly more squishy than at birth. And her cheeks! Oh! Eric and I must nibble. There really isn't an option. You must nibble. After the appointment, we drove up to LaDonna's house for a visit since we were already on that general side of town and the kids had a lovely time while the mommies enjoyed the compainionship, lunch, and wonderful hot tea.
Yesterday was another full day. I excercized for the first time in a week after having a strained tendon or ligament on the back of my ankle above my Achilles. It felt so good to plug away on the treadmill. Later that morning, I offered to watch a friend's little girl so that she could have a few hours to herself. Melissa is expecting their second baby in a few weeks and I know how tiring it can be to care for a child while you are in that last trimester. In fact, a few friends whisked away Grant and Dean right before Lael was born and it was one of the biggest blessings to have some alone time. So, time for me to return the favor! Her daughter was on her best behaviour and it was no trouble at all. Afterward, I started on dinner and then headed across the street to have a sewing lesson with my neighbor's daughter. I felt honored being asked to teach her some basics and we look forward to continuing in a few weeks when we return from our trip.
Trip. Yes, trip. Tomorrow, we'll be heading to Dallas again. Eric's annual conference is in Dallas this year. While Eric is working, the little ones and I will be playing and visiting with Tim and Angie and the gang. As always, the kids will have a blast, but this time we are really looking forward to showing off the little girl that was a big belly when we saw them last.
Packing must occur today. Laundry, and lots of packing. Our first trip as a family of five. I don't even want to think about how much luggage will be mounded up by the end of today.
Tuesday, February 01, 2005
BY MYSELF, I tell you!
Yesterday, I nearly had a ticket to England by myself. Eric e-mailed me with an alert from Travelocity FareWatcher and a message that read, "Find a ticket for a 4 day trip and go. I will watch the kids." Seriously.
Isn't he the best?
The fare from Nashville to London was $213, which is amazingly inexpensive, and with taxes would come out to roughtly 300 dollars. I called my grandma and made sure that, if I could get the dates to work out, she'd be in town and able to receive me as her guest. Poor grandma. Poor me.
I wanted to take Lael with me, because as a nursing mother, four-five days apart might jeopardize the breastfeeding success we have. She takes a bottle, but is that all she'd want to take if I left her behind? So I looked into getting her a passport and that is when the plan began to unravel. $15 for official birth certificate. $15 for passport photos ($4.99 if done at Costco). $40 for passport application fee. $30 processing fee. $60 to expedite because travel would take place before 6 weeks from application date. $25, roughly, for overnight mailing fees required for expediting. $100, approx., for taxes on Lael's flight (even though she would be unticketed). It would cost around $400 in addition to my ticket to bring her along!
Eric and I decided that it really was too much money to spend for only a few days. But, we are still going to push forward on getting her passport so that if a really cool fare pops up again that cost won't put us off- it will have already been done.
I called Grandma back and broke the news to her. For the short time between calls, I made her day. She admitted to planning out meals in her head already. I admitted to prematurely envisioning plentiful amounts of knitting time and introducing her to Lael, who was given 'Joyce' as a middle name because of her. I love my grandma.
Sigh.
As for Eric, he gets HUGE deposits in his account for this offer. Truly, the thought is what counted.
Yesterday, I nearly had a ticket to England by myself. Eric e-mailed me with an alert from Travelocity FareWatcher and a message that read, "Find a ticket for a 4 day trip and go. I will watch the kids." Seriously.
Isn't he the best?
The fare from Nashville to London was $213, which is amazingly inexpensive, and with taxes would come out to roughtly 300 dollars. I called my grandma and made sure that, if I could get the dates to work out, she'd be in town and able to receive me as her guest. Poor grandma. Poor me.
I wanted to take Lael with me, because as a nursing mother, four-five days apart might jeopardize the breastfeeding success we have. She takes a bottle, but is that all she'd want to take if I left her behind? So I looked into getting her a passport and that is when the plan began to unravel. $15 for official birth certificate. $15 for passport photos ($4.99 if done at Costco). $40 for passport application fee. $30 processing fee. $60 to expedite because travel would take place before 6 weeks from application date. $25, roughly, for overnight mailing fees required for expediting. $100, approx., for taxes on Lael's flight (even though she would be unticketed). It would cost around $400 in addition to my ticket to bring her along!
Eric and I decided that it really was too much money to spend for only a few days. But, we are still going to push forward on getting her passport so that if a really cool fare pops up again that cost won't put us off- it will have already been done.
I called Grandma back and broke the news to her. For the short time between calls, I made her day. She admitted to planning out meals in her head already. I admitted to prematurely envisioning plentiful amounts of knitting time and introducing her to Lael, who was given 'Joyce' as a middle name because of her. I love my grandma.
Sigh.
As for Eric, he gets HUGE deposits in his account for this offer. Truly, the thought is what counted.
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