Reviews Under the Anvil Tree

L'Oreal Studio Secrets Face Primer

2010-08-24T10:30:00.001-05:00

I am pretty bad about not wearing foundation. Which is not such an awful thing when I'm, say, cleaning houses, but when I'm in the public eye for the OTHER 20 hours of my week, perhaps I want to look a bit brighter than the maid.

One thing I am a fan of is tinted moisturizer. I've recently run out of my staple -- Smashbox Tinted Moisturizer in Luminous -- and so I've been trying to fill a void .. and hopefully, do it in a much cheaper fashion.

(Although, honestly, the Smashbox lasts A LONG TIME.)

So I saw that L'Oreal had released a new line called Studio Secrets, and it kind of perked my ears up. But I saw NO ONE talking about it. I'll be the brave one, then.

I started with L'Oreal Studio Secrets Face Primer, which they refer to as Step 1 in their series.

It's a small little glass jar, and I thought it might be one of those things that you use fairly quickly .. and that's a turn-off for penny-pinching moi. But I was really pleased to find the cream is thick, but spreads thinly .. meaning you really use next-to-nothing to cover your entire face.

Like most primers, you use this before you apply your foundation to even out skin tone and minimize wrinkles. I, however, don't use a foundation. So I wondered how this would work for me.

I applied it .. and like I mentioned, it's very silky on the skin so it's pleasant and easy to apply .. and looked at my face in the mirror. Really, I thought, this might be enough for me.

I went on about my day and had three (THREE!) people stop me to tell me how great I looked. "Rested", "glowy", and "happy" were some of the words used to describe my face. And I was, officially, none of those things.

On days when I need some extra oomph, I've been known to apply some tinted foundation over this, but be cautioned: if the primer isn't 110% dry, it will cake in the moisturizer. And you'll look like a leper. And nobody wants that. (It's easy enough to fix; wet your hands and smooth over your face. It will even it all out.)

All in all, since I got this at a discounted rate, I think it's a great investment. I have notoriously sensitive skin and this didn't bother my skin AT ALL. It's a great thing for days when you don't want to go full-face makeup but still want to be a little glowy.

Is too a word.

L'Oreal has not supplied me with product or payment in exchange for this review. All opinions are my own and I assure you I paid for this stuff out of my own pocket. The links provided in this review are through my Amazon Affiliate account, which means little to nothing.

What Every Woman Should Posess: A Kaboodle

2010-08-04T15:32:00.000-05:00

I don't remember how it came up, but I was talking to someone on Twitter the other day and they mentioned finding something cute online and wondered how to drop the hint to their husband.

I said, add it to your Kaboodle!

They said, What in the name of Dixie are you talking about?

(I don't think they said that.)(Exactly.)

Anyway, YES. If you are the online sort (and you clearly are) and you have good taste (um, you're here, so you clearly do), then you need to have a Kaboodle! Not one of those plastic make-up holders that we all coveted when we were younger (and yes, they still make them, if you were wondering); a Kaboodle List is an online wish-list.

by sarahlena

I started one a couple of years ago when I realized that my Amazon wish list was kind of limited. Not everything I wanted to buy was on Amazon, after all. Cue Kaboodle! Add a button to your browser's toolbar, and all you need to do is click the Add to Kaboodle button when you are on the web page of an item you covet. Bizzam! (Which is not a word, but should be!) It's on your Kaboodle list!

You can display your Kaboodle list in a million different ways; I like to use mine on the sidebar of my blogs so people can see what I've been scoping out lately. The code is INCREDIBLY user friendly; it's one of the first widgets that I actually installed myself, and had little to no issue with it.

Not only that, but you can have different Kaboodle lists for different reasons! I have a list for each of my boys, plus a random WTF?! list that is just weird stuff I find online. (I find WEIRD stuff online.) My default list is the one you see in the sidebar; it's really just stuff that I covet and almost never buy.

Unless I have a birthday coming up. And it just happens to be a big one. Like 3-0 big. IN A MONTH. AHEM, HUSBAND.

So, yeah. If you don't have a Kaboodle list, now's the time! Go ahead and get one stocked up for Christmas and then send your husband the link! It doesn't take all the surprise away, because if you stock your list really well.. chances are you've forgotten stuff you added months ago. (Hi, that's me!)

Eureka Envirosteamer: Anticlimactic Review

2010-08-02T12:08:00.001-05:00

Following up on my earlier trials with the Shark Steam Mop ..

I was so stoked to see that the Eureka Envirosteamer was finally back in stock at Amazon. I had actually ordered it from a company who promised to ship it within the next week .. and after the next week had come and gone, I inquired on the status. Two days later, I was informed that they actually didn't have any back in stock. That's it. They said I should wait.

I politely showed them my middle finger and demanded a refund.

I next ordered it from a company that offered Prime shipping, because why else would I order through Amazon? Seriously, if you don't use Amazon Prime, you're missing out. And if the hefty yearly fee is scaring you away .. as it did me for awhile .. know that you can split the cost with up to five other people. DUDE, I KNOW.

So, my steamer arrived while Bryan was out of town, so I did not get the full benefit of Bryan doing a video test. Instead, I just plugged it in and went. Here's what I thought.

Right away, I could see where the Envirosteamer was at a disadvantage against the Shark. The cord was noticeably shorter, and the heat-up time was much longer. However, to its credit, the Envirosteamer gets NOTICEABLY hotter, which is important when half the battle is sanitation. (Sanitation? Sanitization?)

The pads for the Envirosteamer were difficult to place well. They're basically just flat washclothes that you wrap up the sides and tuck into some teeth, but it is cut so close to the base of the unit that it's hard to get the front-to-back to fit.

But you know? All of that doesn't matter if it does what it's supposed to do, right?

And it did. I used that bad boy all over my house and the floors were clean enough to eat off of. They were gorgeous, still warm from the insane heat that the Eureka put out. I couldn't wait to take it to some clients' houses and see what a difference it made there.

I unloaded my equipment one Friday evening at my biggest house. 4600 square feet; it's a crazy big house and I didn't know people lived that fortunately. (In all honesty, they're the nicest people I know.) But as you can imagine, a large part of that 4600 square feet is hard surface.

I plugged it in.

NOTHING HAPPENED.

I replugged in another outlet, cause .. well, who knows.

NOTHING HAPPENED.

I emptied some of the water out of the well, in case .. well, who knows.

NOTHING HAPPENED.

So I ended up mopping .. like, old school mopping .. the house. I was so sore the next day and planned to exact my revenge on Eureka. Except .. I really, really hoped that I'd plug it in and it would magically work. I pulled it out of my car, brought it in to the house, and crossed my fingers while I plugged it in ..

NOTHING HAPPENED.

There you go. $73, two weeks, maybe four uses and the unit was dead. I was devastated.

Now, to note: the box I received was clearly repackaged, so perhaps I got a bad unit that had been "refurbished" but not really. I'm willing to believe that this model has potential.

But in my house? NOTHING HAPPENED.

Alba Very Emollient Body Lotion: LOVE IT.

2010-07-30T12:50:00.000-05:00

We're in a recession at my house, so spending any money on anything "frivolous" has been declared a NO-GO. For sure. No question. Even things like razor blades, shampoo/conditioner, and lotion fall into this. The only exception is the baby. The baby gets whatever he wants.

Life is so unfair.

Anyway, long story short, we were out of lotion. I am a VERY DRY individual, and giving up lotion is just not possible. It's just not. Even in these humid Alabama summers, I get dry skin.

On top of that, I'm crazy allergic to most everything. Especially things that are fragranced. Dude, hives. Itchy, ugly, raised awful hives.

So my staple has ALWAYS been Philosophy's Amazing Grace Firming Body Lotion. It smells great .. light, but great .. and does a superior job of keeping my skin moist. But .. the price tag is a little off-setting. Even though I'm not the only one who uses it (he would NEVER admit that he uses it .. but he does), it was an expense I just couldn't justify.

I kind of have this weird mental thing that if it's in Target, I can justify the expense. After all, Target is .. like.. a grocery store! Nothing expensive in grocery stores! So .. enter Alba Botanica Very Emollient Body Lotion.

I had a coupon at Target that I decided to use for this bottle, and it ended up being as much as you can find it for on Amazon .. at a smaller size. (Tip: USE AMAZON.)

I love this product. Muchly. It isn't lying about the emollient part; a little bit really does go a long way. It's very light, which is appreciated in this afore-mentioned hot summers of Alabama. I was worried because it is fragranced, and those products usually don't "sit well" with my skin, but I've had nothing but smooth, soft skin and the smell? Really, really nice. It reminds me of gardenias, but not as overwhelming as most "gardenia" scented products.

Truth be told, I prefer this to .. dare I say it? .. Philosophy's Amazing Grace Firming Body Emulsion. And the fact that if I have to, I can find it on a neighborhood shelf makes it worth the purchase. (But don't be me: use Amazon to get the 32 oz size at a cheaper price!

Nature's Basin: Soleo Organic Sunscreen

2010-07-28T15:38:00.000-05:00

I was contacted by Tory of Nature's Basin a few weeks ago to do a review for their new website. Based in California, Nature's Basin offers organic beauty products and natural skin care products .. and more importantly, they offer free samples with every order.

Y'all, this was like a dream come true. It was like Christmas up in the Anvil Tree! Free samples! Organic beauty care! The clouds parted, and the sun shone through like it was the 41st morning on the Ark.

They graciously sent me a sample of Soleo Organic sunscreen. Which is to say, they must've seen my pictures online and realized that at least half of my family is near transparent in our irish skin. The owner of the site actually sent a very sweet, handwritten note, letting me know that this sunscreen was her personal favorite.

I'm a sucker for a handwritten note, truth be told.

So this weekend, we enjoyed a little sun.

Perks of Soleo Organic Sunscreen:

I LOVE THAT IT'S ON A CARABEANER. I know that sounds silly, but we have .. and I say "we" because I am kind-hearted .. a problem with losing things. Specifically sunscreen. So being able to clip this bad boy to a diaper bag or a stroller and ALWAYS KNOW WHERE IT IS? Oh, I weep from the joy.
It has a very, very light fragrance. It took a little getting used to, after the heavy coconut or .. tropical (?) fragrance of non-organics, but this was pleasant. The natural oils used in it have a slight fragrance, but it's clean. And you definitely don't smell "tropical".
It wasn't very greasy at all. This is the battle I've always fought with sunscreen vs. children: EWW, BUT IT'S SO GROSS AND I HATE IT ON MY SKIN, MOMMA. But this was no heavier than the lotion we put on after a bath. Thank you, thank you, Soleo.

Not so perky:

It is .. organic. It requires a little kneading before you squirt it out, and -- admittedly, it's my fault -- I don't always remember that part.
Although it's a light lotion, it doesn't always spread easily and it takes a little more than normal to cover.

Again, these are not HUGE detriments, and I think that overall, it's a REALLY great alternative for children who have sensitive skin (like me!)(oh, and my kids!). We spent time outside this weekend, but we didn't go swimming or do anything highly active, so I don't know how well it would withstand water/sweat.

Product review aside, I DO want to tout Nature's Basin. It's a very good place to start on your organic journey with skin/face/baby care and they've actually started a rewards program. Look, it's not rocket science to notice that organic products cost a bit more. But with the Rewards Program, you can earn a little cash back with your points per purchase.

And did I mention the samples?!

The Steam is the Thing

2010-07-25T18:23:00.001-05:00

So.

I started a cleaning company, Obsessively Clean, which is not yet so much a company as it is me just cleaning houses .. but, in all honesty? I'm having to taper my efforts back a bit because I'd have to hire some help to keep up with many more clients. This week is my last "slow" week for the foreseeable future (thank Jeebus!), and hopefully then we will not be living on rice and beans any more.

(Especially since I AM DYING TO GO PRIMAL since one of my online BFFs is having massive greatness from it. Go check her out!)

Ahem.

So there are two questions I get routinely asked from my friends about my newfound career.

OMG, have you seen, like, disgusting stuff?

Have you found any cleaning tricks/products that have changed your life?

1. Yes. OHMYGAH, yes. But if there's one thing that I feel very protective over, it's my clients. I won't disclose the intimacies of their homes because .. it's their homes, you know? It's the place that I'm hired to clean, so for that I'm truly grateful, and their secrets remain safe with me. Truly. And I am usually all a chatterbox.

NOW, IF THEY ARE NO LONGER MY CLIENTS, I don't mind telling you that you might want to try cleaning your house once every three years, thank you muchly, and the only way THAT soap scum is coming off is by removing the fiberglass shower shell entirely and buying a new one. Here's some Scrubbing Bubbles, have a nice life.

2. YES. I totally have. A perk of my job is that it behooves me to splurge on new cleaning products because it's what I do. Efficiency is the name of my game (quality is obviously top priority, but I'm an efficiency person), so I love trying out new "quick" products. Here are some that have seriously changed the way I work.

This? AMAZING. It's not a green product, so I don't get to use it in every home, but I wish I could. It does everything it says it does. I literally walk through a bathroom before I get to it (I'm a systematic cleaner; there's a process to everything. I'm LEAN+ certified, if that means anything to you), spray this on the toilet, the bathtub, and the sink. By the time I get to the bathroom, I just have to scrub down the hard parts (it doesn't take ALL of the work away), and wipe it clean. And it literally? DOES EXTEND THE CLEAN. We use it in my own home, and it makes a WORLD of difference.

Here's what you guys have all been asking about on Twitter, and there's new developments:

I did it. I broke down and bought a steam mop.

We had talked about it for ages, especially when the Haan informercials started running. We have MOSTLY hard floors (linoleum, tile, and hardwoods) in my house, so it makes all of the sense in the world. But we had a 20% coupon to Bed, Bath, and Beyond and this was the ONLY steamer available off-the-shelf, so we spent start-up money (ha! I say that like we have any money) to buy it.

And? AND?

Meh.

Now, I will say that it got up a LOT of gunk on our floors. We had previously sworn by the Swiffer WetJet as our go-to for hard surface cleaning, but the engineer that I'm married to actually .. yes, he actually did this.

For the record, I DIDN'T KNOW HE WAS DOING THIS. He just couldn't stand that it was still in a box ten minutes after we got home, so he went and did this. Which, DUDE, HE CLEANED ON HIS OWN. Twas awesome.

So, it was great. At first. But the more I used it, and especially in other people's homes, I noticed it streaked. First a little. THEN ALL THE TIME OH MY GOD, I CAN'T LEAVE THESE PEOPLE'S HOUSE LIKE THIS. And sure, it's just water streaks, but STILL. It's streaks. It looks half-assed. I tried every which way from Sunday .. different heads, different water levels (could it have been hard water? bought distilled. could it have been soft water? tried tap.) but nothing worked.

After I spent an extra hour "fixing" my last client's house from the streaks, I had had enough. I brought that baby back and got my money back. After reading up on some client reviews, I learned that the Shark gets 100° LESS hot than other steamers.. which is why I think it streaks. It's not steam drying; it's flat out water. So I have ordered this one instead, after reading the review on Style Lush about how great it is. Here's hoping.

Those Summer .. NIIIIGGGGHTTSS!!

2010-07-01T18:23:00.001-05:00

Okay, if you're not a Grease fan, so help me Jeebus, you can just move right along.

I was so EXCITED to hear from my old buddy Drew and hear that's he moved on to a great place. AND to hear that he wants to do a promotion with me? Dude, this was truly like Christmas in July.

Have you heard about Lingerie.com? Okay, so I honestly hadn't, but now that I have? I'm kinda hooked. Seriously. I pretty much love their stuff and AND and I love that when you click on most items, they have a Plus-Sized version available from THAT VERY LINK. This is awesome because sizing for lingerie varies from company to company, so if you find you're on the cusp? Dude, just click on over to the Plus-Sized version! Am in love!

So .. about summer, in terms of romance.

IT'S HOT. And not always, like, in a GOOD way. For example, here in Alabama, we've had highs in the upper nineties through most of June. UPPER NINETIES. And here, we also have, like, eleventy billion percent humidity, so we're talking some serious heat and sweat here. Even evenings are warm. And humid. Have I mentioned the humid? It's like trying to breathe in jello, swear to gawd.

BUT .. not gonna lie .. summer nights always, always remind me of my times as a crazy teenager.

I mean, think about it. Summer was the one freedom. Curfews are relaxed, businesses expect youngins to come in and hang out, and .. hm. Good stuff.

The summer after I graduated high school (you know, only like a million years ago) always stands out as the most amazing summer. I was dating a guy I was truly crazy about, we hung out like ALL THE TIME, and we even had some summertime school trips that took us across the country. We spent many a crazy summer night together.

Of course, we were young, broke, and slightly sheltered, so our crazy nights may have involved something as scandalous as .. putt-putt or something.

But it never fails: a full moon in the middle of June humidity always brings out the care-free teenager in me again.

So while browsing through the Lingerie.com website, I kept looking at all of the stuff and wondering what the 18 year old me would've worn. I was a simple and scared young girl, not really sure what to do with my curves yet, but the almost-30-year-old me looks back at these and these and loves how simple yet sexy they are. The 18 year old me would've rocked them.

But I'm not quite 18 anymore. (SURPRISE!) So my styles have changed ever so slightly; I like something a bit more covered now. Because, honestly, I think I've come to agree that the hint at sexy is just as sexy.

And also because, let's face it: if you're wearing lingerie, you're going to feel sexy. It's just basic fact.

So here's the great part about this post, and probably what you've come to read about anyway: Drew has graciously given me a $50 gift card to use at Lingerie.com!! So you can now take part in your own crazy summer nights!

Here's the deets:

Every comment on THIS post is a chance to win!
Tell me about your favorite summer fling. Be as open or as secretive as you need to be. :)
You can also tweet about the contest (be sure to use the #summerfling hashtag) to enter, but you must come back here and link to your tweet entry.
This contest will run thru July 6th, and the winner will be chosen by Random.org.

That's it! So dish with me about your favorite summer fling.. I totally won't spill your secrets, either .. and click on over to Lingerie to take advantage of their July Summer Fling special.. 15% off awaits you!

This post and contest have been sponsored by Lingerie.com. That said, all of the crazy summer romance stuff is TOTALLY mine and I totally mean it.

Let's Fill Our Virtual Shopping Carts, Shall We?

2010-05-25T18:24:00.000-05:00

Alright.

I'm in a horribly funky gawd-awful mood right now, and I can find very little of anything to say that is nice or even witty at this point in time. And I'm even more frustrated with myself because I think the reason I'm feeling this way is two-fold: Mother's Day is worse than Christmas in my book because you don't want to ask for anything, but then LORD ONLY KNOWS what you're gonna end up with or end up doing and it's just always .. anyway; and reason 2 is that I watched RHoNY this morning before work and the fight with Jill and Bethenny really has me so upset that I can't see straight AND I DON'T KNOW THESE PEOPLE, WHY DO I CARE AT ALL?!

Also, the Countess makes me nauseous on almost every level, but I would kill for her closet.

MOVING ON.

Some Stuff that I've Bought Lately!

When I had a funeral to attend, I started sorting through my Little Black Dresses and realized that they were all inappropriate for a funeral. They weren't crazy low-cut, but when you've got the goods.. dude, I can make a turtleneck look low-cut, ya know? So anyway, I put the question out on Twitter about where I could find a quick solution and I got a few responses to try out Merona's new FitSolution line at Target.

I am nothing if not obedient (HA), so I visited our local Target and found that yes, I am indeed a fan of the new line of clothing with a built-in slimming liner. And not just built-in ha-ha, like they so often tease with .. a shelf bra, really? what kind of crap IS that?.. but like a real, honest-to-goodness, Spanx-type suck you in liner. I bought this dress in black and have LOVED it.

.. you'll notice this is in purple. I might have this one too. As well as a brown one. WHAT CAN I SAY, I'M A FAN.

Okay, I didn't JUST buy this, but I use it daily and when I was doing my daily BootCamp recaps, everyone kept emailing me wanting to know what eye makeup I used. First of all, I am CRAZY pale. It should be noted that I use Bare Escentials Warmth as a blush because while to everyone else it's just a step up from a normal skin tone, for me it's dark enough to define my cheekbones. So I've laid that groundwork, I think.

Benefit Creaseless Shadow/Liner is the BEST splurge I have in my makeup arsenal. Granted, I got a teensy weensy pot as a sample awhile back .. come to think of it, I think it was one of the products I got when Tony was born and I was planning my hospital makeup routine (SHUT UP.) .. and I still am using the same little pot today. You don't need much at all, but a little dab of this in a great shade? (I use the shade "RSVP", which is described as a sparkly champagne.) Dude, your eyes will pop for hours. I love this stuff and keep meaning to go try new colors.. but yes, I use this every day and that's why my eyes look well-rested.

Much like the last product, this was turned on to me by way of sample. The weird thing about this sample is that it was mailed to my husband. By Frederik Fekkai himself. And my husband has no hair.

Regardless, I pushed my bitterness aside and promptly stole the sample.

Frederik Fekkai's Glossing Creme is no new thing, but I just recently fell in love. We're moving into the humid months here in the south, and this has worked wonders in keeping my what-would-be Dallas-sized hair under control when it's 89% humidity outside. (See also: any day that ends in "y" round these parts.) It is a VERY strong leave-in conditioner, so if you have fine or naturally straight hair, you may not need this. And honestly, it's too much for my hair if I apply it when my hair is dry.. but while it's still damp BEFORE I dry it? Oh, this is miracle potion.

Again, this is not a new purchase, but it's SPRINGTIME!, which means it's also time to pull out the spring perfumes. While I find that most of the products in Bath & Body Works' Wild Honeysuckle line smell too artificial and too cloying, the eau de toilette stays light and sweet, and it's a great base for layering fragrances. This with a little Baby Grace on top? Dude, it's MAGIC.

This chore chart was too long in coming. But it is now up and filled to the brim with things that lighten my load. It's great because it's magnetic (it's on our door leaving the house), it's dry erase (so chores can vary from week to week), and it's got magnetic "stars" to note that the chore was accomplished. It even has a bottom portion for setting up a reward system if you so choose, but um, the reward in my house is that I let you live there.

Alrighty, your turn! Anything new on your horizon that you are just in love with? Or that I should steer clear from? Spill the beans!

The Spin Pin: My New Obsession

2010-04-25T18:25:00.000-05:00

So.

In a VERY WEIRD turn of events, I went to Target on .. Monday? .. some day and bought diapers, milk, etc, and bought Tony two pairs of shoes. I bought him a pair of black Converse chucks (which I've been properly schooled that Chucks are ONLY THE LOW TOPS because of .. something or other) because 1) Aunt Gee has some and has been subliminally scolding me for not already buying my son a pair and 2) for, like, a month, the child has consistently woken up and requested BLACK SHOES. We don't know why, we don't know who has these shoes that he's been coveting, but I'll be damned .. the child asks for so little that I had to get him some BLACK SHOES.

That, and he sustained an injury over the weekend and the Mommy Guilt was strong with this one.

My Little Rascal. We're also in this weird hat phase, where he INSISTS ON WEARING A HAT AT ALL TIMES. But always backwards. And disclaimer: his father dressed him.

So that night, when we were laying in bed, Bryan asked me if I had gotten anything for myself.

?!?!

And I said, "No," cause that's the right answer. (And, with the following exception, it was the truth.)

"You should've," he said, rubbing my back. "You deserve something."

Anyway, I just had to get that in writing.

What I had forgotten, and what I want to share with you today, is that I DID buy myself something. And it's been just AWESOME.

Ladies and Gentlemen, may I present to you: THE SPIN PIN.

I know. It looks like nothing. And when I saw it, encased in a Goody's Simple Styles box, I thought, "YEAH, OKAY, RIGHT."

Because, usually, with the Topsy Twist and the stretchy-butterfly thingie and the Bump-It, NOTHING. My hair doesn't like it, it doesn't work, my hair never looks like the pictures on the box. But I just can't help myself. And for $5.99, I thought, well, it was worth a go.

Ladies and gentlemen.. I fully endorse this product.

The styling cannot get any simpler. Merely gather your hair at the nape of your neck, coil it into a bun (NO PONYTAIL HOLDER NEEDED!), and screw one pin in at the top and the other in at the bottom. Voila! It holds ALL DAY. And you get a cute, messy bun.

See? And I'll admit that I tend to let my hair grow out during the summer, cause I'm awkward that way, but when it comes to pulling my hair back or getting it out of my face? Totally have no clue what I'm doing. But this? This fixed it all for me! My hair is not yet shoulder length, but this held all day. I cannot WAIT for my hair to get longer and just throw these babies in there. I'm seriously gunning for one more set to keep in my purse for on-the-go styling.

The Simple Styles collection also features other thingies, but until my hair gets a little bit longer, I don't think they'll work just right. Besides, I'm MUCHO happy with these.

Another List of Stuff I Purchased In My Attempt to Hoard

2010-03-25T18:34:00.000-05:00

I think you read these lists and think that all I do is shop. Well, that's only PARTIALLY true. I do shop, but it's because my family insists on these things called "groceries". They're so needy about these damn "grocery" things that I'm forced to go at least once a week. And you'll notice that 95% of what's in my lists can usually be purchased at a magical place that contains not only "groceries" but also STUFF. FOR ME TO BUY.

Also, I'm going to tell you a bit about why I cried at work today.

This? Is what the kids call a "tissue tee". For YEARS, I have walked by these racks and determined myself too fat to wear them. I don't know why. It didn't make any sense. Then I caught a bunch of them on sale at Target and thought, "Why the hell not?" and I bought two. Then I wore one and it was like the heavens parted and I was all YES, THIS IS MANNA FROM THE HEAVENS IN COTTON FORM and I immediately went back and got one in every color they had. I would still buy more. And? Right now, they're $8 a piece, and totally worth it. They're amazing for layering, so whisper soft, and .. look, if I can wear them, ain't no one too fat.

I don't own this yet, because my Target only has it in stock in the obnoxious coral (which, you know, if you love coral, that's GREAT for you, but please don't stand next to me) AND in the wrong size. But I want this because I love the detailing around the neck makes it a stand-alone piece, but the close-to-the-body cut makes it great for layering. (HAVE I MENTIONED MY LOVE FOR LAYERING TODAY?)

Psssst.. layering.

I have been an Amazing Grace girl FOR YEARS. I started wearing it when I started dating Bryan, I restocked when I delivered Tony, and I still order the AMAZING QVC deal on body wash and bath lotion. But when I reordered my wash/lotion combo, I just kept eyeing this roll-on perfume for Baby Grace. I had always wondered about the scent, since it was the only Grace I hadn't tried, but I didn't want to invest the $50 in the cologne to find I didn't like it. So, I figured spending half of that to see if I like it was a worthy investment. Turns out? I LOVE IT. OMG. I put it on, like, a hundred times a day (which tells you that the cologne would last longer, but whatevs), and the smell is just .. it's just cashmere in a bottle. Warm, inviting, comfortable, slightly dark, it's just .. mmm. LOVE LOVE LOVE IT. MAJOR HINT TO BRYAN.

Now, on to why I cried today at work:

MY OFFICE IS ON THE SECOND FLOOR.

Ronda and I started doing this local bootcamp thing yesterday and ... WOW. Seriously, y'all. You can read about our first day at Southern Fried Snark and .. WOW. Y'all, I THREW UP, it was so freakin' intense. I literally went home and told Bryan through waivering lips and tearful eyes, "I don't think I can do this." To which he was all, Pssh, you run 5KS AND SHIT. So anyway, this was morning two, and while I woke up sore, Ronda and I actually ENJOYED this morning's session. We weren't crazy tired like yesterday and we got to do some great yoga while the sun came up. THAT'S SOME INSPIRATIONAL SHIT RIGHT THERE.

Then, it hit.

The SORE.

Right at noon, she called me. "PLEASE tell me you hurt too," she whimpered.

"I can't sit down to pee," I cried.

"Everything hurts.." she moaned.

"I cried going up the stairs to my office," I whined.

"I HAVE STAIRS IN MY HOME," she countered.

Anyway, we are totally loving this.

Some stuff I've found that rocks my world for working out:

It's like regular Febreze, but it's SPORTY. And seriously knocks odor on its ass.

Ditto.

I have an .. issue .. where if I drink something that I have to tip up, it immediately splashes me on the face. This Camelbak bottle is not only BPA-free, but it has a bite-straw so you don't have to tip it up. I literally get half of my daily required intake of water before 6:30 a.m. due to this thing.

Lastly, the C9 running shorts found at Target. I'm sorry, but I just refuse to believe that there is a better running short out there. This one has a built-in brief, which is awesome for gals like me who don't wear underwear, it's not crazy short like some running shorts, and it's cut generously for ease of movement. There's also a little pocket sewn into the inside of the waistband for a key or some change or something small. Also, it's like 1/9th the price of any other running short. LOVE.

Here's the part where I ask you what you've bought lately, so that you can enable my addiction.

Some Stuff I've Bought Lately

2010-02-25T18:36:00.000-06:00

I haven't done one of these in awhile. Mostly because I've been trying not to buy things. But I have, nonetheless, ended up purchasing some stuff. And Bryan asked me about them the other day, so maybe I should report out.

I owe it to you, my lovely readers.

I have been coveting these shoes for a LOOOOOONG time. Then, when the doctor blessed me with a cancer-free boob, I was walking through the mall (I was actually buying a dress for a ball that we ended up not attending), and I passed by a Hibbetts. I have actually TRIED to find these shoes in stores for awhile, but they either didn't have the color palette I wanted (the pictured white/pink combo is the least ugly to me), or they didn't have my size, or they were charging $150 for them.

Lo and behold, they had them in white/pink. And in my size. And they were on sale for $90. THE STARS ALIGNED.

So I bought them. I've had them for about three weeks now, and I wear them almost every day. Even with dress pants.

Have I seen a change in my ass/thighs/hips? No. Not really. BUT, and I say this is complete and total honest, it has helped my posture tenfold. I've never really had an issue with posture, per se, but I tend to walk incorrectly. I feel this in my hips ALL THE TIME. This has taken away all of my pain in my hips entirely. They pop less often, they're not sore at the end of the day, blah blah blah. So while they're not magic diet pills, I have seen a positive impact from them.

I bought this Merona shirtdress to use mostly as my Derby Announcer persona, Lucille Maul, but honestly? It's so freakin' cute that I may have to wear it elsewhere. Everyone wanted to know where I got it and when I told them Target for less than $40, they all went nuts. Understandably. Mucho cute.

Probably the most amazing was that we spent A BUTTLOAD OF MONEY ON ANIMALS. Granted, all of our animals are rescues, so they were all free, but we got them shot up and fixed this last month. While Beau, the puppy in the first picture, didn't change much from his already perky self, Lola (the cat in the second pic) has transformed from a generally bitchy animal to a loving, affectionate cat who is ON ME ALL THE TIME. The cat who liked no one is now solidly in my camp, sleeping on my feet at night and warming my lap while I type. Right this second, as a matter of fact. I never thought having an animal fixed would so dramatically alter their personality, but this cat? This cat, I love.

So. Until I go clothes shopping for my new job, that's all I have to show you.

What's your wallet been up to?

The Epiphany NaBloPoMo is Credited For.

2009-11-25T18:37:00.000-06:00

Yes! Hallelujah! NaBloPoMo is over today!!

.. and I'm kind of a little sad.

I liked forcing myself to sit still and think for a little bit of time each day. (SHUT UP to all of you who are saying Hah, Sarah has to force herself to think! because .. you're ugly.) It was nice to see that I'd actually been an active blogger again. I missed it.

SO.

I was driving in to work this morning and there were several things that bothered me about it. 1) I was out of my pjs before, like, eleven. That had not happened since 11/20, and it was very disturbing to me this morning. 2) Tony was SO appalled at the idea of going to school this morning that he made himself throw up. And the idea that I had to redress him and send him on his way because neither of us could miss work today? OHMYLORD, it killed me.

So I was driving in and thinking .. AGAIN.. how much I wanted to be a stay-at-home mom on days like today. Ideally, I'd send Tony to "school" two or three days a week, because he reallly does need the socialization. But? But I feel like I have NO TIME with him. And so I carve out as much time outside of work as possible to be dedicated Tony time, which means any time for me? Or my marriage? Gets the shaft. A lot.

I've been talking repeatedly about my flirtation with Dave Ramsey and his Total Money Makeover. And I say flirtation because, well, I'm just a naughty little girl and I'm all like, Ooh, Dave, talk softly again about how I can eliminate all of my debt. What am I wearing, Dave? I'm wearing a Gap.. I mean, um, a Goodwill top and.. And I basically think that, YES, his ideas are fantastic and I should TOTALLY do that!

.. aaaaaand then I go to Target. With plastic. And maybe have to buy that really cute placemat set because.. well, because. It was on sale! It was the last one! I needed one more! I have a long laundry list of excuses.

SO. Back to this morning. This morning, where I dealt with puke AND getting dressed and I was already in a pretty crappy mood. I was driving in, and I realized, HEY! If I, like, REALLY do this Dave Ramsey stuff and we get all of our debt paid off.. I could quit work. Or I could work part-time at something I really loved doing. But most importantly, I could spend more time with the kid!

As if sent by Dave Ramsey himself, this post by Mike at RunningWolf echoed exactly that inspiration. Taking the initiative to do something you WANT to do.

I will say this: I feel (and have felt for some time) that I've always been the one to put my nose to the grindstone when it comes to employment. I took my chances early, playing around with "what I want to do when I grow up" before I even turned twenty, and have been the steady breadwinner ever since.. doing something else entirely. I have always, ALWAYS wanted to have that chance to do what I want to do instead of what I have to do (in order to take care of everyone else). That idea? Terrifies and excites me all at the same time.

And maybe? Maybe it's my turn.

Suddenly, a Total Money Makeover doesn't sound like a life sentence, as it has in the past. It sounds, instead, like a gateway to the life I wanted anyway. It sounds like a means to an end where I can stop working for The Man and start spending time furthering our podcast opportunities. I know what my purpose is in life. This ain't it.

But tightening the belt a bit? Could get me a helluva lot closer to It.

A List of Christmas Wishes

2009-11-15T18:39:00.000-06:00

Let me totally toot my own horn for a second and point out that, so far, NaBloPoMo has been a bunch of pretty solid posts. (Of course, it's only the 12th.) But they've all had a single point, they've all been to that point, and then they all wrapped up.

Um, that's pretty unheard of for me. Seriously.

SO, TODAY I PLAN TO KILL THAT MOMENTUM. Hooray!

SOME SHIT THAT I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS! by Sarah Lena

Molly Mutt is a company that utilizes "stuff sacks" to fill their OH SO PRECIOUS pet beds; you fill the stuff sack with your old clothes, old towels, whatever. And washing the duvet? OH SO AWESOME when you have dirty pets.

This precious set from Target is just begging to be introduced to my cabinets. We have a great set of Johnson Brothers dishware, but the glaze is cracked from the years of love (it's passed down from my grandmother, so..), and we're going to have to replace it pronto. I love how basic (but classic!) this set is, and the pop of white in our otherwise muted kitchen colors is just beautiful.

(Okay, so honestly? I plan to buy pieces of this and integrate it so that we'll have a full set by Thanksgiving, since we typically host the family over at our place.)(Don't tell Bryan, okay?)

The Reebok EasyTone Inspire shoe is supposed to help your butt look good. I only wear my running Asics anymore, and Lord knows that I shouldn't be wearing them for just lounging around at the price they cost me. These are cute (but pricey!), but it's less than plastic surgery, which is apparently what it will take for my ass to look good.

Y'all.. here's the deal. I CANNOT GET MY IPHONE TO ACCURATELY WORK AS A GPS. It will NOT track mileage, pace, or anything that I WANT IT TO DO. I need this to do it for me. Or someone who is smarter than me to teach me how to work my iPhone.

I run through my local Brueggers Bagels at least three times a week. They run a special every holiday season that $129 buys you UNLIMITED REFILLS FOR THE NEXT YEAR. And it's not even just coffee.. tea, cold beverages, anything. And I think (at least it was this way last year) that you can get 1 dozen donuts a month free. Aside from the fact that it's going green (or some other tree-hugging crap), dude, I WOULD TOTALLY GET DAILY USE OUT OF THIS PRESENT.

Our walls are pretty barren. I've got a few posters up here and there, and a few framed pictures, but really? We have nothing on our naked walls. I would sincerely love to devote some time/money into "finishing" our house this Christmas. We've been here a year, so maybe it's time to start icing the cake, you know?

Alright, big question: what are you buying yourself for Christmas? (And spare me all of the I never buy myself ANYTHING crap, cause we all do it. For some, it's the only way they get at LEAST one present they actually wanted.)

The List Grows Longer

2009-08-17T18:39:00.000-05:00

I am PMSing. I leave for vacation in less than a week. I am currently inhaling hot popcorn with Reese's Pieces melted in there.

MINDLESS POST FOR YOU!

I haven't done one of these in a while, what with all of the money crap happening recently, but I thought I should share some of the good stuff I've purchased recently. I LOVE reading these posts because, you know, sometimes you're all that LOOKS cool, but does it really work? and it's nice to hear a real person (or at least me) say, YEAH, IT TOTALLY WORKS SO BUY ONE SO WE CAN BE TWINSIES.

Rimmel Glam Eyes mascara. Y'all, I have written before about my profound love for Rimmel's Sexy Curves mascara, and I am now a firm believer that you cannot go wrong with any mascara product with the name Rimmel on the outside. My ONLY complaint with this mascara, which does an amazing job with the separation and elongation of lashes, is that I picked it up in Brown Black and LO AND BEHOLD my lashes aren't as dark as I like them. Which, BAD SARAH, BAD BAD SARAH.

Sadly, I need to report to you that I SO PMSing that I just CUT OPEN THE BAG OF POPCORN/REESE'S PIECES because the stupid PAPER was impeding my hand-to-mouth speed. Am truly pathetic. Also may have melted chocolate on my mouth. Most likely don't care.

Moving on.

L'Oreal has a REALLY good thing going wit their EverPure line. I've talked about it before as well, but it wasn't until recently that I braved any peripheral product. I'm just so skeptical of any product, mainly because my hair is naturally a hot mess, and most products only seem to aggrivate it into needing its own zip code. (Sidenote: I accidently typed "zip coke", and then thought, mmmm.. coke.) But I picked this up and it's FABULOUS. I put it on my dry hair, between the blow-drying and styling phase. It's not greasy, smells like Aveda products, and I just really love it enough to make out with it. But not with tongue, because my tongue is currently reserved for peanut butter and chocolate.

Olay DEFINITY (they firmly believe this product is deserving of all CAPS, for some reason) Color Recapture. I picked this up yesterday because, well, in reality, I'm tired, like, all the time and I kinda am starting to look it. I was AGHAST (aghast, I say!) at my reflection at some point last week, where dark DARK circles have made themselves entirely too comfortable under my eyes. I decided then and there that this crap has got to STOP! Or at least I should look better doing it. Good Housekeeping lavished this product with praise, but honestly? I'm kind of meh about it. First of all, the lightest shade looks like fake tanner on me. And? It's REALLY heavy. Not really condusive to Alabama humidity in August. I'm giving it to the end of the week, and if I'm not sold? TOTALLY taking that baby back.

This white blouse from Ann Taylor Loft is SUCH a great piece this fall. I literally own it in three colors, and it looks uber flattering on everyone. I make everyone try it on and it's always a guaranteed winner.

I don't think any of you should own these because I do, and I like being the only one who does because then everyone's all "OHMYGOD, LOOK AT YOUR CUTE SHOES!" and I get to strut around and go I know, right? How cute ARE these? SO CUTE, that's how cute! My mom ordered these for me and I wear them ALL THE TIME. I used to hate Crocs, but they are making some REALLY cute stuff now. ::sigh:: I know. I'm a sucker.

Alright, your turn. Let me know something new to go covet. Wassup in your world, biatches?

I Am Ignoring You, Gloom.

2009-07-25T18:41:00.000-05:00

This week has been sucktastic. Like, SUCK-TAS-TIC. Aside from the one night I went to bed at 6:30 p.m. and slept solidly till 6:30 a.m., there have been no highlights.

So I'm pretending that it didn't happen. For YOUR sakes, you know. It's because I care.

SOOOOO, let's instead talk about stuff that I want!! That always makes me feel better.

1. TO BE AT BLOGHER. Just thought I'd say it. I am DY-ING for some girl time, time to relax, time to DRINK, time to laugh until my sides are raw. Instead, I've been working. Um, and that? Just not as much fun.

2. This.

In every color. Have I mentioned how I work here now, parttime? And how I haven't purchased a SINGLE thing? Oh, the restraint is EATING ME ALIVE. Seriously. For fun, I try on all of the new fall stock and make my wish list and have not used my amazing discount even once. BEING POOR SUCKS MAJOR BALLS.

Because let's be honest here: I'm not a clothes horse. But I LOVE looking well put-together without a lot of effort and this store makes that SO incredibly easy. And their fall stuff is SO FREAKIN' PRECIOUS. Just, like, $200 would get me by. I could make that shit work. And I'd look so hot.

Currently, I am wearing white maternity jeans.

3. All of these.

4. The new Nissan Cube, if for no other reason than the slogan is "Curvy is the New Cool."

THANK YOU, NISSAN. YES IT IS.

5. A vacation. Maybe to here:

Or here.

(Wow, that's big.)

6.

This. Like, a crate of it. Spoon optional.

A Little Linky Love

2009-06-16T18:42:00.000-05:00

My latest post is up at Bodies in Motivation. I may or may not have taken a little liberty with this post.

My team heads off to NOLA tonight.. without me. I am here, playing a scandalous wife in a local production. I love the show and all, but damn, I'd rather be in NOLA. Even in June.

To make myself feel better, I am making shrimp and grits tonight, recipe courtesy of the Neelys by way of my mother.

I might have given in to some temptation at the store. I'm not admitting guilt yet, but when you see my fabulous hair, YOU'LL KNOW.

Y'all, for reals, KMart has really cute clothes on the cheap. Which makes me feel better since Real Simple did a piece this month about the best t-shirts and the cheaper end of their price range fell at $37. FOR A TSHIRT.

I honestly don't remember if I've yet touted my intense love for this product, but it's certainly deserving of two mentions. And most times, you can find a great deal online for it. Take it from me, so-pale-she-makes-Twilight-look-like-90210-girl, this stuff is subtle and effective. And the firming? OH, THE FIRMING.

Lastly, I want one of each. Thanks!

Mother's Day Wish List

2009-04-25T18:43:00.000-05:00

This is, by all means, not a list of what I expect.. nay, not even a suggestion, really.. but more of a list for the greater interwebs of fathers out there who may need ideas for this coming Mother's Day. This is also to sway any fathers from buying a dog, no matter how much I may say that I fell in love with this little girl on Saturday.

So we all know that flowers are the traditional gift for Mother's Day. And I love flowers, really, I do! But.. um.. they die. Or they require copious care to empty/change the water, trim down the buds, repot in smaller bud vases as they bloom, etc. This? Homegrown and almost self-sustaining. Too precious.

Your wife may have mentioned once or twice or umpteen times that she desperately wants to redo the bedroom because the PAINT ON THE WALL DOESN'T MATCH THE FREAKIN BEDDING or something like that. Why not spend a little dough at Ikea and get some small changes to get things moving in the right direction? The duvet cover (above) and these finials..

.. would make a world of difference in turning your boudoir back into the harmonious retreat it should be.

Of course, jewelry is the other fallback. But guys, get jewelry that means something. These necklaces (often referred to as "mommy tags" because of their dog-tag like nature) are my favorite gifts to give my girlfriends. There are a bazillions kinds to choose from, so you can add your own touches to the gift you choose to give.

This made me laugh, because I am a stepmother, and I would TOTALLY wear it.

(Which brings up a valid point. Fathers of children: stepmothers need to be acknowledged on Mother's Day as well. I know it's a fine line to not overshadow the ACTUAL mother.. and she SHOULDN'T be overshadowed.. but even a nice card and a flower will mean the world to her. Being a bonus parent is TRULY the hardest job in the world.)

Of course, in my house, we tend to give gifts that remind us to find the humor in our daily insanities. I would completely expect this to be my Mother's Day gift.

And this? This is just cute. Handmade. With a giraffe. So I wanted to share it with you.

You can always do well by having some sort of crafty thing done with the kids' handprints. They grow so freakin' fast that it's nice to have a moment in time glazed and cemented to remember.

Lastly, fathers of children, perhaps the best gift for Mother's Day would be a Day of No Decisions to be Made. I know that sounds silly, but moms are bombarded by guilt all the time when the chance to do something for themselves arises. So make those decisions for them. Have a day planned out where the children are taken care of (by you or family or whatever), and have gift certificates or money at the ready. Don't say, "What do you want to do today?". Because what we WANT to do and what needs to be done are two diffferent things, and we'll almost always answer with the latter. Tell us, "I made an appointment for you to get a massage" or "I bought us tickets to go see a movie" or "We have reservations to have brunch at your favorite restaurant". Being forced to spoil ourselves? AWESOME.

Stuff I've Bought Lately

2009-04-16T18:44:00.000-05:00

Alright. Y'all, it has been an INSANE week, one that proved to me that I am not strong enough to do the SAHM thing, one that made me THANKFUL to have a job, one that made me feel like I am failing miserably at both of the formerly listed things. Tomorrow is Friday, which means an early day in and out, and then I need a nap.

I SO NEED A FREAKIN' NAP.

(Update on something weird: Lent is now over, and I can't cuss. I just can't. I have retrained myself and now I have to force myself to use words that used to flow from my lips like water: ass, fuck, shit, the like. I just can't. Stupid sacrifice for Jesus.)

(Update on a weird side effect: I have become just hatefully mean. Hold on, homeschooler who was going to snarf and say, "SNFF, just become?"; yes, just. As in, REALLY mean. Watching The Biggest Loser the other night and Bryan missed the end of a segment. "Who won that last challenge?" he asked. Not looking up from my iPhone, I answered, "The fat one." I KNOW. WHO IS THAT SNARKY PERSON?)

(Me.)(And so endeth the parentheticals.)

So, the post I've been writing in my head for two weeks: STUFF I HAVE PURCHASED LATELY AND YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT! I know you love these. I love writing them. Because, inevitably, someone will mention something in the comments that I have to run out and buy. Don't you love this symbiotic relationship we have? And the science terms that I misuse to make myself sound educated?

Philosophy's MicroDelivery Exfoliating Wash is my new love. I don't remember how I first came across a 4 oz sample size, but I had forgotten how much I adored it until I was bequeathed a full 16 oz bottle. It is THE BEST exfoliator for your skin (face included), and it takes, like, five seconds to do your entire body. Gentle for even moi's sensitive skin, I use this two or three times a week before putting on heavy-duty lotion. It's AWESOME.

I am a bit of a mascara-phobic. My eyes are the most sensitive part of my body, and anything could trigger a crazy, puffed-up reaction. Mascara is ESPECIALLY prone to do this. But someone of a similar circumstance raved of the Rimmel products, so I gave in and purchased their new "Sexy Curves" mascara. Um, the brush freaked me out. Cause, seriously? But DUDE, I LOVE THIS MASCARA. It REALLY does increase the curl in your lashes (and I use a eyelash curler, so LOOK OUT), and most important, it comes off easily and is gentle on my eyes. Love.

Boots No7 Quick Thinking makeup removing wipes are my current lovahs. I am just too friggin' tired in the evening to go and wash my face. I know that's lame. I know I should be able to muster a mere five minutes to wash my face, but you know? I HAVE HAD A SCREAMING TODDLER ON MY HIP FOR THREE DAYS NOW, AND TIME SPENT WASHING MY FACE COULD BE SPENT SLEEPING. So bite me. Dr. Spock. Anyway. These wipes are gentle, cheap, and don't require water. You literally take them out of the pack, wipe all your makeup off (and it works! it comes off!), toss the wipe, and pass out in your bed. And if I've said it once, I've said it a million times: I have INCREDIBLY sensitive skin (see every post ever for reference), and this doesn't irritate. One bit.

I had a DUR/AH-HA moment a few weeks back, when Binja's eczema kicked up so badly that we were considering seeking medical attention for him. EVERYTHING was irritating his poor skin, no matter how much it claimed to be "gentle" and "for baby's sensitive skin" (I'm looking at YOU, Aveeno). And then I was .. well, I was .. okay, I was NOT on the toilet so don't you dare assume I was.. and as I turned around to flush I saw this handy no water needed cleanser that I use for MY face when stage makeup has irritated it. And a light bulb exploded above my head. His skin has been AWESOME and clear ever since.

She's gonna hate me for this, but my friend Steph the Hairless Wonder has been telling me FOR YEARS that Target sells the best bras. And we were all like, yeah, okay, but you can wear a Dora the Explorer training bra, so I don't think that counts. Turns out, and I'll admit it cause I'm that kind of girl, that she was right. The Gilligan & O'Malley line of bras at Target? ARE PHENOMENAL. My Victoria's Secret bra finally gave out on me (what? I've only had it since 2004!)(and I just tried to write 2004 in all CAPS cause I'm a genius), and I knew that Bryan would piss blood if I spent another $50 on a bra. So I gave in and tried the $11 bra from Target. (Mostly because it was on sale for $9.) I promptly fell in love. It's more comfortable (dare I say it?) than my VS bra, and at $11? I can own MORE THAN ONE!

I am notorious for not stopping to eat lunch. There are many days when I'll even skip dinner and realize the next day that I've gone 24 hours without eating. I KNOW THIS IS A STUPID PROBLEM. So to curb that habit, I keep an On-the-Go Canister of Blue Diamond Oven Roasted Almonds at my desk at work. A handful of vanilla bean roasted almonds give me the protein and energy to get through my day, and I don't feel all fat and bloaty from it. Killer snack to have on hand.

Lastly, I wanted to throw this one out there because it's nice to have a go-to when my regular dishwashing liquid (Seventh Generation Natural Dishwashing Liquid in Clementine Zest) is hard to find (which is, like, always): I offer you Clorox's GreenWorks Dishwashing Liquid. I we (I) handwash a lot of things daily (sippy cups!), and I have always insisted that we use a plant-based cleaner to do that. I know it's stupid, but I just feel better that the back reads that if you accidentally ingest this stuff, you're just supposed to down 8 oz of water. Versus, you know, making yourself vomit. Anyway, this new product actually does a STELLAR job of cleaning.. even the caked on, baked on, yucky stuff comes off after a brief soak. HIGHLY recommend it.

Alright! I've shown you mine; now you tell me the good stuff you've checked out recently.

Hypotheticals.

2009-03-19T18:44:00.000-05:00

We were sitting in front of the tv two weeks or so ago, and Bryan suddenly turns to me and says, "You know I want more than this, right?"

It was a question I wasn't expecting from him, but really, it was SO nice to hear.

He continued. "I want us to travel, and I want us to go places and do things and live a full life, and I know there's more to it than just eating dinner, doing dishes, and watching TiVo every night. I need you to know that I'm not content with this. We're not done yet."

I know the economy is killing everyone right now, so I feel bad complaining about money. We're more fortunate than most; although both of our companies are struggling, neither one of us have had the threat of layoffs. We have good (great, really) health insurance. And for the most part, we have our health.

And we're actually incredibly careful with our money. We make choices based on months of bills ahead. After spending years of living paycheck to paycheck and praying it's all covered, we actually (gasp!) have a budget that factors in the next several months of our expenditures. So we're trying.

Of course, it doesn't help that the price of everything is rising. Daycare is raising its weekly rates, grocery shopping is downright depressing, and our utility company just announced another rate hike. ::sigh::

Anyway, so, enough with the reality, right? Bryan asked me what I wanted to do when we have money.

Keep in mind, this is all hypothetical. No doubt that any "extra" we have will quickly be absorbed by bills and whatnot. OR TIRES.

SO! A list of hypothetical purchases I want to make with hypothetical money.

One of these dresses in every color. I buy at least one of these every spring, and this year? THEY HAVE POCKETS.

One of these in every color. I am all torso, so longer tanks/tees are essential to me not showing the tramp stamp.

I would like to spend a day here. There's one in Atlanta and I'm DYING to take a trip. I could link to every product I want to buy there, but I'm only allowed so much bandwidth.

For whatever unknown insane reason, the former owners of our house did not want any of the windows to open. Literally, of the fifteen windows in the house, TWO open. In the same room. So you cannot air out the house, and y'all know I am insane about needing a cross breeze to let the dragon out. I would buy windows for our bedrooms.

It matches my bedroom walls. Need I say more?

And I don't have to explain that one either.

Again. I just like it. Sue me.

Y'all, I literally mop the entire front of my house twice or three times a week. With two dogs, Alabama red clay, and three boys, we go through at least 1 liter of Swiffer Wet Jet cleaning fluid a week. I have to think this would be a better alternative.

Ah ha! A 90-piece complete closet organization kit, featuring the slim-line hangers I adore! I'll take four kits, please.

And just think, once I've gotten my closets organized, my bed made, my floors steamed, and my windows open, I'll finally have time and energy enough to work that pole from Flirty Girl Fitness.

Alright, your turn: a mysterious benefactor lands you a surprise inheritance. What's your hypothetical splurge?

Stuff I've Bought: Cheap Stuff Edition

2009-03-02T18:45:00.000-06:00

I've tried some stuff lately, and I want you to know about it. It's just really that simple.

I think most of this stuff is stuff that can be bought at any drugstore or grocery store, and I'm actually verifying that by linking the pics to sites that you can purchase from.

Winter is MURDER on my skin. Aside from the cold conditions outside (lemme pause for a minute and say that IT SNOWED HERE YESTERDAY!! SNOW! WHITE, FLUFFY SNOW!!), there's the additional horrid nature of indoor heating. For whatever reason, people always forget that indoor heating -- i.e. hot, dry air that is forced through your house -- is HORRIBLE for your skin. Winter is always a challenge to keep my sensitive self from becoming one big callous, and I found some products that I've now sworn to always keep in my arsenal.

Eucerin Plus Intensive Repair Lotion is so fantastic. Here's why: IT WORKS. And added bonus? How many of you ladies (or gents) out there get little bumpies on your upper arms? I do, and they are MADDENING. I can exfoliate the bejeezus out of those puppies, and they just never go away. But this lotion also contains a mild alpha-hydroxy compound, which works to exfoliate while it smoothes. And? IT WORKS. This is the only way I've ever gotten those bumps to go away, EVER, and it's amazing. It doesn't have a fragrance to it, which is kind of "meh". On one hand, this means it won't compete with your fragrance, if you wear any. On the other hand, I like smelling like lavender.

Binja would like me to also share this product with you. He had a NAS-TEE case of diaper rash a month or so back, when Stupid Momma tried to upgrade to the fancier diapers. Guess who was allergic? Oh, that would be the spawn of the child WHO IS ALLERGIC TO WATER. This stuff is rather thick, but MAN, it took care of that in no time. His skin was as smooth as .. well, you know. And it's completely free of fragrance, dyes, and other nasty things that tend to bother his troublesome hide.

So, this is kinda what I recommend. But not really. I'm not a berry person when it comes to stuff on my lips (because, really, why must everything taste like berry?), so I picked this same stuff up, but flavored in mint. And I LURVE IT. I kept in my car at first because I'm always needing something to put on in my car, but it stayed on so well and conditioned my lips better than anything else I've used (seriously.. I am a bit of a freak about stuff on my lips) that I bought another tube for my purse. Love it, love it, love it. I'm sure the berry is just as good, if you're a berry person.

I was so excited to see this in the store. When I went and got my hair did last week, I complained to my stylist that the red just fades SO.FAST and she was all, I know but THANK GOD for those color shampoos and conditioners! And I.. don't use any. Never have. Because, quite frankly, what they always try and persuade me to buy costs a small fortune and my hair literally soaks the stuff up like I soak up vodka. So I saw this in the store and rejoiced, and angels sang, and all was good. This shampoo and conditioner not only smells divine (thanks to rosemary and mint), but it contains NO sulfates, which are the salt compounds that strip your hair of color. LOVE LOVE LOVE.

My hair dryer began smoking about a month ago. Of course, I'd had this same Revlon hair dryer for close to ten years. And back then, they didn't make removable end-caps to clean out the lint and whatnot. But it had been an AMAZING hair dryer, and I was sad to give it up. I asked my stylist about her dryer, an ungodly expensive Chi dryer, and she told me, verbatim, "DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY." So, instead, I bought an updated version of my old dryer. This new-fangled version has an Ion switch, which I didn't understand and you kids with your fancy technologies!, but most importantly, you could remove the endcap to clean out the filter. The Ion Switch? FABULOUS. Shiny, healthy hair. How? I DON'T KNOW. And the one I picked up also came with a diffuser, which is awesome.

Okay, so I haven't actually tried these yet. But as a mom of a toddler who PERPETUALLY LEAKS OUT OF EVERY ORIFICE IN HIS HEAD, this seems like a natural fit. These wipes have saline added to them, to not only break up crusted snot (you're welcome), but to also help moisturize the nasal passages as you prod them. My child acts as if any tissue is covered in electric spikes when I dare to wipe his nose, so the less I have to do it, the better off I'd be. Also, I adore anything by the Little Noses line, and if you hate doing saline drips into your child's nose, be sure and give their Nasal Spray a try. It's got some sort of aerosol (but obviously not exactly that) behind it, so it forces the spray up in there.

Also, you've already seen my fabulous review of the Hitachi Magic Wand.. and don't forget that you still have a chance to win one! EdenFantasys, the mecca of sex toys and adult novelties, has joined with me to give away a Hitachi Magic Wand to one lucky reader! Be sure and leave a comment on the review entry by midnight Wednesday to qualify!!

SmoothAway: Um, What's That Smell of Burning Flesh?

2009-02-08T18:46:00.000-06:00

Remember when I twittered the other day that I wanted free shit to review on my blog?

Well, NO ONE FREAKIN' RESPONDED WITH ANY FREE SHIT.

So, anyway, I was assing off with Ronda in Target and I saw that they were carrying SmoothAway in the "As Seen on TV" section. You may remember that I was all about trying the SmoothAway in my last "shit I've bought" post, so I threw a package into my cart. Ronda reasoned that if it didn't work, I could just bring it back. At the very least, I countered, I'd have something to blog about.

Um, so I tried it today.

The first thing I thought was weird (and also why I hadn't tried it before today) was that your hair must not be longer than 1/4". Which, is to say, about four hours after I've shaved. This morning, there was the threat of swimming mentioned, and I was all like, "OH NO, WHAT WITH THE SHAVING OF MANY PARTS" and no one cared. So I thought it would be an ideal time to go and disappear with my soon-to-be BFF, SmoothAway.

I applied the magical black pad to the pink hand held thingie, and was immediately impressed that the adhesive was manufactured by 3M. So, you know, at least THAT part was high quality.

Oddly enough, and suprising to many of my readers I'M SURE, that was the last time I was impressed in this experience.

I started off with my calf, which is not only the most often shaved hair on my leg but is also the most irritating to me. Being italian, my hair grows in different WAYS too, so shaving is always like navigating some topographical map, with the added bonus of blood and nicks. HOORAY. So I began on the top of my calf, using the 3x clockwise motion, followed immediately by the 3x counter-clockwise motion.

Then I looked at my results.

Hm. And while I looked, I noticed.. a .. smell.

Well, the results were less than stellar. While the hair might have been visibly gone (and for the most part, it was), my leg felt majorly stubbly, as if I hadn't shaved as long but I had blonde, invisible hair. Like, imagine that your leg hair was, I dunno, fishing line or something. That's what it felt like.

And that smell. The familiarility of that smell was driving me nuts. And then I remembered.

It's the smell of BURNING HAIR.

When I was in high school, we were bored in one of our vocal classes, and someone (a smoker) said, "Hey, look what I can do with this lighter!"

This is always how the stories on Rescue 911 started, I know, but it was also commonplace among many southern high schools, and I'm sure it was even this kid's senior quote.

Anyway, someone had showed him this trick where you release the .. flammable gas.. (propane? butane? methane?) into your mouth and then you light your lighter and exhale and WOW, a huge fireball exits your lips and all the girls want to dry hump you. EXCEPT? Well, except this kid was a fucktard and just sat there with a burning lighter under his nose before he exhaled, causing not only his nosehairs to be set ablaze, but when he screamed holy hell for mercy, THEN the fireball left, but to say he was not quite prepared for that was an understatement and instead he looked like one of those Dairy Queen commercials where people shoot fire uncontrollably from their mouths. And while he went and craned his neck to an angle that would allow him to get cold water from the fountain up his nose, we all cried until we laughed because WOW, what a southern dumbass.

I said all of that to say this: all SmoothAway was really good for was reminding me of that time that Andy burned his nosehairs in vocal lab. My legs are ashy and perhaps free of visible hair, but I wouldn't let someone who's not married to me touch them for the stubble and Lord knows I'm gonna smell all day like the inside of Andy's nose.

Gigantic FAIL.

Next time, I hope to review Wen's Hair Care system, which proclaims that it will revolutionize your hair with just ONE product and without you ever shampooing ever again. Wen, if you are a singular person and you are reading this, I will gladly accept a free donation of your product. I promise that, whatever the outcome, I will not compare your product to the scent of a byproduct from charred human body parts.

Items in Your Cart: BAZILLION

2008-11-03T18:47:00.000-06:00

I hate to do even DO one of these posts, because my last one came under such fire for being "irresponsible" because here I am, complaining about the economy and money woes, and yet I was purchasing such big ticket items as MAKEUP and PERFUME. I know. Please forgive my IGNORANCE, but I am democratic: I believe in putting money back into the economy in order to stimulate it.

But, I thought, you know? Maybe that incredibly passive aggressive blogger is right in their bitchiness. Maybe I am not being mindful of the economic plight of our nation. So with that in mind, I offer you:

USEFUL SHIT THAT I LIKE THAT YOU CAN BUY AT YOUR DRUGSTORE.

Seriously! This is stuff that I've tried in the last few months so that you don't have to. It's a public service, really. And besides, some people I've actually CONVERTED by doing these posts. Just ask Christina about Philosophy.

I bought this razor on a whim, because I had been using the Schick Quatro forEVER and thought maybe I had missed the boat on the latest razor technology. I have mixed feelings about this razor. It saves SO MUCH TIME in the shower.. seriously, as the mother of three children, I would not shit you about that.. and it also saves body wash because you're not having to use it (or shaving cream, whatever floats your boat) to shave. It really IS incredibly moisturizing and very easy to use. The downside, in my opinion, is that I have italian hair. Which is incredibly thick and a bit terrifying for razors. (More on that later.) Quite frankly, the soapy outer edge blocky thingie is only good for a two week period of shaves, and then it needs to be replaced. My other razor could go for a LOT longer without needing replacing. Another downside, and someone help me if I'm just too stupid to have figured this out, is that two replacement cartridges costs $1 MORE than the original starter pack (which includes a razor base and two cartridges). That just seems unenvironmental. Which is not a word, but shut up about it already.

I actually was introduced to this shampoo as a young child, because I have incredibly thick hair (yes, there is one more mention of italian hair forthcoming) and it was difficult for me to adequately cleanse my hair. Neutrogena T-Gel is a coal/tar based shampoo that is recommended for dandruff control or for itchy, flaky scalp. I actually was reintroduced to it when Binja's first pediatrician recommended it for his cradle cap. That doctor was a complete moron, BUT she was totally on target for that. It cleared up his cradle cap within two uses, and made his hair look AMAZING. Seriously, we would have old people stop and marvel over his hair. I ran out of my Philosophy Shear Splendor shampoo (again, my hair just drinks up shampoo.. I went through a 32 oz bottle in two months), and in a pinch, borrowed Binja's shampoo. OHMYGOD. My hair is so awesome because of this stuff. Clean, weightless, and it actually stretches longer between blowouts. Also: Target and Publix both make a generic version that smells better than the actual one and is cheaper. SCORE.

Well, hells bells. I was going to continue my italian hair talk with a purchase I made lately and I cannot find the product anywhere online. Probably because it was not worth recommending: the Neutrogena Bikini Razors. They basically sucked ass. Small in size, and even smaller in results, this miniscule thing did nothing other than annoy me. I actually pitied the thing; you know it came off the assembly line dreaming of shaving the bikini area of some Scandinavian goddess, or some Nordic angel-like pubes. Instead, it was greeted with italian body hair, and it instantly prayed for death.

Which, perhaps, you are too after being submitted to talk of my pubic area. WELCOME TO MY BLOG!

I'm really on a Neutrogena kick today, huh? And this one is kind of a lie, but again, I couldn't find the exact product I'm using, but this'll do. I also ran out of my Philosophy Amazing Grace body lotion lately and, BECAUSE I AM ECONOMY-MINDED, decided to just pick up something at the drugstore instead. I have seen this on the shelf for years but always avoided it because.. well.. oil is yucky. To me, anyway. I don't like being slimy. It's just one of my basic groundrules in life. BUT, this also comes in a lotion! (WITH NO PICTURES AVAILABLE ON THE INTERNET.) And the lotion? I LURVE. So delicately scented, long-lasting, and just whisper-light. Very, very nice. I approve.

We're nearing the end of our little drugstore round-up, and I wanted to throw a big-ole shout out to my ladies at Dove. (Sidenote: the guy behind me just asked "Sarah, like with an 's'?" HOW ELSE DO YOU SPELL THAT?) I LOVE this entire line. I ran out of my Philosophy Amazing Grace body wash (okay, so I'm poor, okay? TOTALLY OUT OF ALL THINGS PHILOSOPHY.), and had been using this fragrance in deoderant for awhile, so I thought, what the heck? But let me warn you: although most cleansers throw things like "mint" in there to describe an odor, this does INDEED have mint in it.. i.e... it makes your lady parts sting a tad.

Which could be good or bad, depending on your mood.

Last but not least, I bought the above mascara because I had run low on my stand-by fave, Maybelline's Define-a-Lash. I had actually tried to find the Lash Blast kool-aid when it first came out and those uber-uncomfortable and unflattering Drew Barrymore commercials were on (um, fake tan much, Drew? Channeling Oompa Loompas lately?), but was unsuccessful in locating a tube. This time around, though, I totally got one. And? EH. Not really in love with it. Sure, it does make your lashes larger (as does my fave, see above), but my major turn-off? It doesn't come off easily. Like, at all. So when I use my cleanser (the one Philosophy product I'm NOT out of), it doesn't come off. So when I need to put my makeup on the next day, my eyelashes are crunchy. I'm just not a fan of crunchy lashes. Or Drew Barrymore, as of late.

So there's mine. Any drugstore steals you've stumbled upon lately?