Lush Lounge

A day for love

2014-02-21T09:30:00.000-08:00

Valentines Day this year was low key and super sweet.

I planned for a month in advance what turned out to be the best at-home celebration there ever could be.

I created a beer flight sampling using six distinctly different craft beers and heart cut out coasters. He really enjoyed sampling them and guessing what each one was.

Next I created an amazing finger food platter. I included a sample of five different Italian salamis, four different daring cheeses, olives, grapes, candied almonds, pistachios, baguette slices, miniature peppers stuffed with feta with sides of balsamic vinaigrette, horseradish mustard and honey mustard for dipping sauces. It was divine!!

Heart shaped garganzola cheese! Amazing!

For desert we enjoyed white chocolate covered strawberries and smooches.

The table included the perfect finishing touch, a beautiful bouquet of flowers from my sweetie.

It was the perfect Valentines Day evening!

Party like it’s your birthday!

2014-02-15T13:47:00.005-08:00

Have I ever mentioned how much I love birthdays? Even if they’re not mine I love making an event out of birthdays, celebrating and enjoying the milestone.

My boyfriend, Dustin just turned 28 and to cerebrate the big two-eight I treated him to a very special dinner at The Melting Pot in Sacramento. Choosing this place had nothing to do with my years-long desire to try the place out. Ok maybe it did, but the place is down right amazing and he (and I) loved it! What’s really cool about the melting pot is that you cook your own food, you don’t just dip it, you actually receive it raw and cook to your liking right at your table. It is so much fun!

To begin we each selected the beverage of our choice and fancied over the array of menu items and mystery pot waiting to be revealed on our table.

We decided to go with the whole shebang, we were celebrating after all. We got the four course meal selection and the first leg of our journey was a delicious cheese fondue the waiter made right in front of us. The food fun began with orange gooey pot of amazingness which came with green apples, baguette pieces and veggies for dipping. So good!

By the time we scraped that pot clean our waiter was back with our second course, two especially delicious salads. Maybe it was just the moment, but that salad definitely topped the list of tongue tantalizing salads.

We scarfed those down and patiently waited what delectable course would surface next.

The waiter reappeared with a new pot in hand and an array of ingredients to throw into it, broth, burgundy wine, garlic, mushrooms, magic deliciousness. This pot came with sidekicks, 6 separate, each distinctly different flavors of dipping sauce.

In plopped in potatoes and broccoli, then we cooked the chicken, sausage, filet mignon and shrimp one by one devouring each of them as they hit our plates. It looked as good as it tasted, trust me.

Even the plates were adorable, divided into miniature sections to fit the small portions of meat, veggies and sauces. So cute!

Luckily the portions are small here because you will absolutely need room for the desert!

For desert there were various combinations of chocolate and toppings to create your own fondue, we went with an all white chocolate and not soon after the melty sugary pot arrived on our table with a plate full of sweet treats that were so good I can’t even put into words how tasty these little babies were. I’m honestly salivating as I sit here reliving the experience.

As we sat there appreciating the mind-blowing meal we just experienced, and trying to talk ourselves into finishing the rest of our desert platter, our waiter appeared with a camera. He came to take our picture, put it into a commemorating frame and send us on our way. It was the sweetest thing.

We ended the perfect evening with a quick stop by our favorite neighborhood bar for a drink and then a walk home filled with romantic talk about how much he absolutely loved his birthday dinner date! Mission accomplished!

Happy birthday Dustin!

Full Body Massage

2013-11-13T17:04:00.000-08:00

Remember my list of 25 things I want to do before I get any older than 25?!
I have crossed off another one! I got my first professional massage!

March 1^st was my 2 year anniversary so as a gift to my man I got us a couple’s massage at Happy Day Spa. The whole adventure is actually quite funny and I learned along about the massage trade! First off, I chose the place based on yelp reviews not knowing it was deep in Sacramento’s Thailand. The inside was nice, very big actually and totally Zen. On our walk to the backroom we passed a giant open spa room with 50+ people lying around getting massaged. Kind of strange I must admit. We got into our room to discover we would be rubbed down by two men. So the second thing I learned here was always request a woman. Not that the manly massage was bad, I just felt a little awkward while he was rubbing out the kinks in my gluts. I would feel a lot more comfortable with a woman.

Despite that it was still so enjoyable and relaxing and I loved it! next time I’m definitely having a woman do it and I want to try out a hot stone massage!

Have you ever had a professional massage? Any tips for this newbie?

Cheesesteak Stuffed Jalapeños!

2013-08-19T05:58:00.000-07:00

I’m a pretty big fan of cheese steak sandwiches, and my love for peppers has been expanding lately. I have seen this recipe using bell peppers, and I’ve seen jalapeño poppers, so I smooshed the two together and came up with this DELICOUS concoction!

I love spicy flavors, but jalapeños are usually a little much for me, oh but not here! Once you remove the membrane and seeds there isn’t a whole lot of heat left, just flavor! TIP: wear gloves during that process. Or don’t, like I did, and have your hands burn, your eyes water and your throat feel like its going to close up. My boyfriend is not big on hot and spicy flavors, but he absolutely loved these! He even said they are on the top of the list of good recipes I’ve made, and they’re fairly fast and easy to make too. Give them a shot and tell me what you think!

Ingredients:

8 Jalapeños (about 3” size)
1 lb. Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
1 lb. Deli Sliced Roast Beef

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Wash each jalapeño then slice off the stem and cut lengthwise in half. Carve out the membrane & seeds making as deep of jalapeño boat as you can without poking through any holes.

Use your hands to shred the deli meat into small pieces, while you are doing this mix in shredded cheese so it ends up equally distributed throughout the pile.

Start smashing as much of the mixture as you can fit into each jalapeño boat. It’s ok if it piles higher than the jalapeño’s rims because it will melt down as it cooks.

Top with a fitted slice of roast beef, so all the goodness doesn’t come oozing overboard. Then arrange into a glass 13x9” baking dish, it is ok if they touch. (you could probably use a cookie sheet or anything you have laying around, and line with foil to save clean up)

Bake 15-20 minutes.

ENJOY!!!

New Fur Babe

2013-08-03T09:43:00.000-07:00

Did I ever mention I got a kitten? He's the cutest ball of fur there ever was! I had been wanting a kitten since my last cat went to kitty heaven last year, but just never found the one, so when this little guy fell into my life I just knew. My grandma showed up to work with this crying baby bundle of bones and fur. He was only 1 week old, eyes not even open and abandoned in a gutter out in the country out where she lives. As soon as I layed my eyes on his tiger stripes I fell in love.

From one week old to six weeks old I bottle fed him by hand every few hours and took him to work with me every day. I raised him up from near death to the 3 month old feline terror he is today. Not saying it was easy, because I got frustrated a lot with him scratching my hands and crying in the middle of the night, but was it worth it? Of course.

I know undertand the joy of watching a baby grow up, seeing how he changes from crawling to stumbling to running and pouncing. He has changes so much and finally turned into a real cat who thinks he's a dog. Watching him and my pup Emma play together is the cutest thing!

Day 1

Sleeping soundly

Trying to feed him on his first day

Full of milk

So tiny! Eyes just opened here!

He found a host mommy for the day

He loved to be all up in my grill.

In the car rides he would hang from the crate door meowing to be released!

Starting to grow up!

But still such a baby!

Big boy!

4 Weeks old!

Lounging around

He loves me

Hanging in there!

5 week old Furl learned how to use his nails!

Finall made it to 6 weeks old and he is healthy & strong!!

and SOOOO CUTE!!

He's a major food fein and they are the best of friends!

8 weeks old, so big now!

My precious fur baby boy. Love him!!

Healthy Pita Pizzas

2013-08-02T10:39:00.002-07:00

This simple, delicious recipe was inspired by pages and pages of healthy food posts on instagram and my craving for pizza. So sooo good and really easy too, anyone can make it! and it is completely customizable with any toppings you are in the mood for. My combination below gave a bunch of different burst of flavor in every bite. Give it a try and tell me how you liked it!

Ingredients:

Pita Pocket Thins
Chicken Breast
Bacon
Shredded Cheese
BBQ Sauce
Romaine Lettuce
Tomato
Avocado

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350
Open the pita pocket and lay flat
Spread down BBQ sauce.
Layer cheese, chicken, bacon, romaine & tomatoes
Bake for 10-15 minutes
Remove from oven and throw on some avocado.
ENJOY!!!

24 Hours in Vegas

2013-07-17T10:59:00.001-07:00

Have you ever decided to do something completely spontaneous? Something that makes you say, “who does that?” well, I just did.

Last Thursday we decided to take off to Las Vegas for the weekend, leave Friday evening after work and return Sunday in time for work Monday morning, that 9 hour drive didn’t scare us. It was a great opportunity that we seized right up and had a blast for the mini vacation in the desert.

We arrived in Vegas around 3 AM, as we approached all we could see was lights and what looked like a giant laser shooting into the sky, that was the Luxor and we followed the light to our room there. In just 24 hours we managed to see quite a lot, hang by the pool and enjoy a gorgeous view of the Vegas strip from our VIP booth. It was such a fun weekend!!

When we first got there around 4 AM

Pool time!

The boys!

LOL

Out at night!

View from our VIP booth! So awesome!!

4th of July in SoCal

2013-07-16T08:39:00.001-07:00

For the fourth of July I went to Southern California to visit family I haven’t seen in way too long. The trip was jam packed with outings, fireworks, family and fun! So glad I got to spend the long holiday with them!

Bowling for my cousin's birthday

Beach day!

As much fun as I had spending quality family time with loved ones, I was sure happy to come home to these two cuddly balls of fur!

Deck Out Your Dorm Room!

2013-07-15T06:00:00.001-07:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of TheGoodLifeOnCampus.com for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.
One of my favorite things about living on my own is the freedom to design my space with cute decorations and colors that reflect my style. College life was my first oppurtunity to make my room, mine and I only wish I knew about TheGoodLifeOnCampus when I began beautifying my bedroom! TheGoodLifeOnCampus.com boasts the most adorable dorm decor out there for any style and it's the perfect alternative to shopping at those mainstream stores where everyone gets the same old thing. You can find anything and everything on the website from unique dorm bedding sets to sleek or funky Dorm Trunks to organize all your stuff. These are a life saver when you're looking to save space! But it doesn't just stop there, you can also find clocks, lighting, decorations and wacky nick nacks that make your room feel like home to you. Just look at how cute they are! Another great thing about shopping with TheGoodLifeOnCampus is the quality of their products, they are made to last all four years of college and beyond, and at prices any college student can afford! I want one of everything they have in stock, but my most desired item from their selection is the charming vinyl wall decals! I have a few of these on my walls already and I am addicted! They look just like paint, but won't leave behind any mess or damage! I love them and I know you will too! Excited yet? I am!! But wait, there's more!! Use promo code CoolDormStuff to save even more when you design you dorm room this fall! Have a fun, successful and stylish scool year everyone!

I Moved!!!

2013-07-11T09:15:00.001-07:00

Remember my list of things I want to do?!
It’s time to scratch another one off!

March 1^st I moved to Sacramento!!!

Good-bye Woodland! It feels so good to live in a new city with so much to do, to see, so many new places to explore. There are so many cool new people and I love everything about the place! I live right in Midtown in the midst of life and it feels amazing. My new house is in a four-plex with awesome neighbors all around my age. The front door has to be unlocked in order to get in, and then we go upstairs to our real front door. There’s a big pretty porch downstairs and a big shared balcony upstairs. It is so fun to hang out up there! I truly love my new house, the alive streets, the restaurants and bars within walking distance. I never drive anywhere! It’s awesome!

The house was built sometime in the late 1800’s or early 1900’s next to the historic Sutter’s Fort. I love living in history! My house is so cute, when you go inside you walk up a set of stairs to my front door.

My closet is gigantic, walk in, double mirrored and infinitely amazing! I love the house, everything from the open flame wall lantern, the crazy thin windows, the 1950s oven, the service porch and the wooden staircase that leads to the community backyard. I even don’t mind living without a dishwasher or a microwave or central H/A as crazy as that sounds. I love it all! I’m truly happier than ever here.

I have a group of cool friends that already live out here and more of my friends will be moving to join us soon. It’s awesome! The people that live in this area are young, so friendly, artsy, musical and just awesome. I haven’t encountered a single person that wasn’t cool. I’m so glad I stopped wondering and fretting over the move and JUST DID IT!

Now that you all know my big new, look out for awesome posts about local treasures I uncover!

Have you explored any new areas lately?

Banking in on Blogging!

2013-06-28T12:35:00.001-07:00

One of my goals has been to generate an income from blogging, I mean who wouldn’t want that right?!

It’s everything I love wrapped into one; blogging + money = happy me.

A while back I joined a site called Social Spark that I discovered through Alicia of the Crowley Party. This website connects little ol’ bloggers like myself with companies that pay money for posts. Now as much as I do love money, I also don’t want just any thing up on my blog. What’s great about Social Spark is that you decide whether or not to take an opportunity, you can decline it for any reason; you don’t lie to product or you’re too busy at the moment, whatever! You can even negotiate the pay out!

Writing is my passion, blogging is my love and I’m so close to graduating with my Bachelors in Public Relations. What I’m trying to say is getting paid to blog about cool products for nice companies is my dream come true! I’ve really enjoyed my partnership with Social Spark and the $100 I’ve made too! If you think it’s something you might like (and trust me, you will) check it out and start earning money for the dedication you already put into you’re beloved blog.

If you want to check it out for yourself click HERE for more info!

My 1st SF Giants Game!

2013-06-26T13:50:00.000-07:00

My first SF Giants game!!

Last Saturday I attended my very first every SF Giants game!

I had been to an Oakland A’s game when they played the Giants, but this was a whole other experience! From the moment I got there a smile was planted on my face.

The ballpark is so beautiful overlooking the bay out to the wide open sea. The weather could not have been more perfect and was even hot at some times, rare for San Francisco!

The best part of the whole game was the winning hit in the 11^th inning! It was so intense and so special, and even more so because this was the only game they won against the team they were playing in this series.

It was one of the most fun times I’ve had and I can’t wait to go back for another one!

Hello June

2013-06-04T13:42:00.000-07:00

June is one of my favorite months! Why do you ask?

I love June because:

It’s finally warm, errr hot everyday!

No school!

Swimming

Pool Parties

BBQs

River Rafting/Tubing

Warm summer nights

Shorts & dresses

I guess most of these items can be applied to all of the summer months, but I am most thrilled for June because this is where it all starts!

Last weekend we went up by Auburn and went hiking and swimming! So fun!

She didn't want to get in the water until she got so hot and tired from hiking she laid right in the waterfall.

The mini waterfall.

So excited for a fun, happy summer!

Do you have any summer plans your excited for?! Do tell!

Textbooks to Smile About

2013-05-31T10:40:00.002-07:00

Every so often I come across an company with such astounding integrity and heart that I have to share it with everyone that matters to me.

CampusBookRentals.com is a brilliant textbook renting website that allows you to rent your textbooks for as long as you need at 40-90% off bookstore prices! Those deal is sweetened even more that its A-OK to mark up the textbook and shipping is free both ways! There's even an option for one day shipping for the procrastinators like myself!

The site has recently expanded to include even more awesomeness! You can now rent out the textbooks you already know to fellow students nationwide using the RentBack feature! It's a simple process that makes you more money for your books, check out the video for all the info you will need to get started!

CampusBookRental.com has announced it's continued partnership with Operation Smile into the 2013 year, and that certainly is something to grin about!

Have you ever heard of Operation Smile?

Operation Smile is an organization dedicated to performing life changing cleft lip surgeries on children whose families cannot afford it themselves. The impact of this service is life changing for these families and with every textbook you rent through CampsBooksRentals.com a portion of the proceeds is donated to the charity! In 2011 CampusBookRentals.com vowed to generate enough donations to sponsor 1,000 surgeries and two years later the company has renewed its support for the organization and its commitment to helping the children who benefit so greatly from this opportunity.

So there you have it; an inexpensive option to rent college textbooks (including your own) that fills your heart with the joy of helping children around the world! It doesn’t get much better then that!

Start renting now here!

Savory Italian Sausage Lasagna

2013-05-23T09:56:00.003-07:00

I made lasagna for the first time!! Maybe I’m far too excited over this simple pleasure? Whatever! I had never made lasagna before this and barely even liked lasagna, rarely ever ate it, but for some reason I had the biggest craving to make it. So I did! And it turned out amazing!

The only adjustment I may make it to use minced garlic instead of garlic powder, but in my case I didn’t notice bf had thrown it out until it was too late. Rally, how important are those silly expiration dates anyway? Ha-ha and I may buy extra sauce for leftovers because it got a tad bit dry in the reheating process. Still delicious though!! Also, I think spinach would be tasty in this too.

Ok, are you ready for the recipe now?!

Ingredients:

· 12 Lasagna Noodles

· 1 (25 oz.) Jar Pasta Sauce

· 1 lb. Italian Sausage

· 2 C. Mozzarella Cheese

· 1 C. Parmesan Cheese

· 16 oz. Ricotta Cheese

· 2 Eggs

· Spices: Salt, Pepper, Italian Seasoning, Garlic Powder, Red Ppper Flakes

Directions:

· Brown the sausage and drain oil

· Bring large pot of water to boil, add pasta noodles one by one and boil until al dente. Be careful when stirring so as not to break the noodles.

· While that’s boiling get a medium mixing bowl and mix together the ricotta, parmesan, eggs and just 1 C. mozzarella.

· Pour a thin layer of pasta sauce into the bottom of a 13x9 inch baking dish.

· In a small mixing bowl, mix together pasta sauce, spices and sausage.

· Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

· When the noodles are done drain the water and lay them out on a flat surface (so they don’t stick together)

· Start layering! Four noodles, sauce, cheese mix. You should end up with 3 layers.

· Top off the dish with the remaining mozzarella and extra parmesan if you please.

· Cover with foil & bake for 20-30 minutes.

· Remove foil and bake for another 10 minutes until cheese is melty.

· ENJOY!!!

I served mine with fresh Cesar salad and toasted garlic bread and it was scrumptious!

Hope you love it as much as I did!

Have you made any new recipes lately? Please share!!

Buh-Bye Oily Skin

2013-04-30T07:13:00.003-07:00

Oily skin? EW!

Oily skin is one of the worst beauty blunders a girl faces, especially so in the heat of summer! I should know, not only do I suffer from oily skin, but I live in the area of California that’s breaking heat records already in April! It’s going to be a scorcher people! So let’s talk oil prevention and what to do when your face feels like a puddle.

The #1 top most important thing to do, if you do nothing else is just to wash your face!! Twice a day! But if you can only muster up the courage to do it once a day let it be at night before bed! The reason? Because all day long you are accumulating dirt, oil, bacteria and makeup and if you sleep with that on your face all that gunk is being recycled down into new skin cell layers. Gross! Wash it off with a cleanser such as the Mary Kay gentle exfoliating gel cleanser for Combo/Oily skin types ($18).

As someone with oily skin I always hated wearing moisturizer, I thought I had plenty of moisture going on already there’s no way I’m adding to it. But that backwards thought process was actually hurting not helping the greasy situation! Using a moisturizer made for oily skin such as the Mary Kay Timewise Moisturizer for Oily/Combo skin types ($22) helps to balance out oil productions, giving it to the areas that needed and taking away from the ones that don’t AKA the T-Zone! Once your face has the appropriate level of moisture your sebaceous glands will stop over-producing those slimy puddles!

Once you get down your skin care regiment you will see a huge difference in the quality of your skin as well as less oil! But what if you need more oil control? I’ve got suggestions for you! (and trust me, I use them all!)

Any of you use brushes to apply liquid foundation or powder foundation? How often are you cleaning those brushes! Ideally you should do it at least twice a week, if not every day. But really, who has time for that? Luckily for all of us MK just came out with the NEW Mary Kay Brush Cleaner! ($10) This giant spray bottle is so easy to use, here’s how it works: spray the makeup brush a few times to drench in cleaner, then wipe it all off on a cloth and let it dry. Voila! Clean airy bristles with no oil producing bacteria left behind!

Need more oil control? The Mary Kay Oil Mattifer ($15) is here to save you! This lightweight gel is applied to your T-zone (or all over) under makeup and helps to absorb oil and mattify shininess all day long! It doesn’t weight you down or make you feel caked on one bit!

For oil control anywhere, on-the-go I recommend using Mary Kay Beauty Blotters! ($6)The thin shreds of oil absorbing papers are used to blot away oil anytime, anywhere you are. I keep them in my purse and use them religiously. If you don’t have any of those handy you can always dash for the public restroom and use a toilet seat cover too!

The last suggestion I have for my fellow oily friends is to finish your look with the NEW! Mary Kay Makeup Finishing Spray! ($18) Not only does the spray set your makeup and keep it set for 16 hours, but it inhibits oil production! Personally I saw at least a 60% decrease in oil on the days I spritz. That’s amazing! The spray is a light and refreshing spray that does not weigh you down and can be re-sprayed throughout the day. I love this stuff!!

All of these amazing items can be purchased by visiting my website http://marykay.com/kimberlydeese

or be emailing me at kimberlydeese@marykay.com

USE CODE MOM13 TO SAVE 10%

EXPIRES MOTHERS DAY MAY 12TH!

Bands for Boobs ~ Pinup Contest

2013-02-27T06:08:00.000-08:00

Miss Bands for Boobs Pinup Competition!

The group that puts on Bands for Boobs, an annual music and vendor event benefiting breast cancer also organizes other events throughout the year. The second annual Miss Bands for Boobs pinup competition grew exponentially this year equipped with a bigger space, a DJ, a raffle, vendors and a ton of fun.

Over 30 women came out to pose for the camera with classic cars. One picture for each model will be posted on a website (to come) and are voted on from now until Bands for Boobs in April. Each vote is $1 and the pinup that raises the most money will be crowned Miss Bands for Boobs! I really want to win!

The event went from 11 AM to 5 PM (or more like 7 pm) and was so much fun!! I had a Mary Kay booth there and got to run it with fun Mary Kay sisters! Friend and superb stylist, Jordi Haines did my hair in the biggest victory curls of the event! The photographers took single shots and group shots and we even made the front page of the local paper!!

It was such a fun day and I hope Bands for Boobs raises a ton of money to fight breast cancer.

A month ago

2013-02-25T17:31:00.001-08:00

It took me long enough to post this, but better late than never right! The last week before the Spring semester began was filled with fun adventures that need to be shared!

The last week of January was so much fun! Not only was it my last week of freedom before the Spring semester started, but it was the boyfriend’s birthday, and one of my best friend’s birthday. Lot’s of fun things happening!

The 23rd was his birthday and I always like to surprise him with his gifts, so the night before I wrapped it all up and left it on the front seat of my car. In the morning I asked him to get my makeup form the car and I could tell her was irritated, ha-ha! When he came back in he was all smiles as he checked out his birthday gifts.

That night after work we set off for San Francisco, got the cutest eco friendly hotel there ever was. It was called the “good hotel,” on top of having contemporary décor the hotel came with free bikes guests were encouraged to use around the city and a water recycling system attached to the toilet flusher.

We went to a club called epr, it’s only on Wednesdays and has DJs spinning some of the best dubstep, trap, and all around electronic music out there today. It was a rally cool place, actually very large too. The second story had white leather booths surrounding the place and they were free for anyone to sit in, not just reserved for VIP. The place had dancing cages (no I didn’t make it in there ha-ha) and two stages with people everywhere dancing and enjoying the night. There was a mini bar (even with 90% of the crowd under 21) and it had incredibly cheap drinks for anywhere especially for the city. The vibes were awesome, the people were nice and it was a great night.

The next morning we went to the beach and had breakfast at this little historic dinner right on the edge of a cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The view was beautiful and the food was a delicious energy regenerator.

Next stop down the road: Baker Beach. Do you ever make to-do lists? I do. Every single day, many, many lists. Visiting Baker Beach and taking pictures has been on my “things I want to do” to-do list for a few months. This place is beautiful, a tourist hot spot, a nude beach and surprisingly deserted the day we visited. The Golden Gate Bridge backdrop, the crashing waves, the sunny skies above and clean sandy beach was the perfect day at Baker Beach. We walked along the shore, made a few fury friends along the way and of course, took a ton of pictures.

Just a few days after that was Princess Alisha’s birthday! Friday night we went out to Sacramento to Laughs Unlimited. Comedy shows are so funny! I don’t care if you know the comedian or not they always put on a funny show. Except the “comedy cop” who seriously sucked. He was horrible, thankfully he was not the main act! Afterwards we went to Townhouse, one of my favorite bars in Sac! They have DJs and electronic music and pretty lights and a fun crowd!

The next morning we spontaneously decided to go to San Francisco! Maybe it was a result of our Baker Beach bragging? Whatever the reason we set off for SF! We went to pier 39 and saw the walruses, ate at Bubba Gumps, did the tourist thing, made one last stop at Twin Peaks and called it a day.

phot cred melissAloha

Such a fun time! Now it’s back to school – here’s to a great spring semester for you and I both!

Color Pop!

2013-01-21T14:00:00.001-08:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of No nonsense for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Hello loves!

My fashion style has been fairly consistent over the years, but recently more than ever I have been trying new looks and falling for fashion. This fall and winter I have been living in black, black is my favorite wardrobe color! I love it! But I am very colorful person. This year I have explored pairing black ensembles with color pop! The new No nonsense tights and leggings have been a huge supporter in my quest for balance between black and color.

Have you seen them? You absolutely must!

This is totally an outfit you could catch me sporting!

Without the color pop this outfit would look dark, and scary. The purple gives the whole piece the cutest pop of color changing the whole look to be more playful and fun.

No nonsense has been a long time staple in women's lives, but has recently taken on new ventures with renound stylist Jill Martin who is known for maxing out modern style without maxing out her bank account. So excited to see what this partnership will bring to our wardrobe!

I have a busy lifestlye, I'm either working, at school, doing Mary Kay or out doing something with my friends. I love how easy No nonsense makes it to flaunt my inner color! These pretty purple tights and other leggings by No nonsense are easily found at food and drugstores and mass retailers everywhere and they are inexpensive so I can use more of my hard earned money having fun!

To keep up with all the updates No nonsense has to come follow @benononsense on twitter and No nonsense on Facebook!

What do you have in here?!

2013-01-11T07:39:00.000-08:00

Has anyone every picked up your purse and cried out "Man! What do you have in here?!"

A woman's purse is a black hole, a bottomless pit with everything in it you could ever need and can never find it when you need it. Seriously though. I love my purse, it goes wherever I go and this particular purse was sweet Christmas gift from the bf's sister.

Isn't it cute?

So what's in that adorable satchel?

Look below and check it out!

A. The Five Love Languages - my grandma gave me all these success, entrepreneur books and this was in the stack. It's actually a great book on how to show appreciation and gentleness towards all people.

B. Movie ticket. Dustin and I went to see "This is 40" last Sunday. It was pretty funny and a great date movie!

C. Breast Cancer Pen. I worked two long evenings facialing clinic workers at the Mammogram event. That's how I earned my goodie bag, which contained lots of pink pretties.

D. Mini Hairbrush. It fold in smaller and I don't go anywhere without it.

E. Hair tie and bobby pins. I love my hair.

F. Dental Floss. I've literally had this in my purse for at least three years, probably more.

G. Mary Kay 'Dance to Life' perfume. This smells AMAZING!

H. Eye Drops. Allergies..

I. Keys! To the house, the office, my car and the mail box. Plus swipers for the gym and Sally's Beauty Supply.

J. Mary Kay Hand Lotion. Fragrance free and my hand's best friend.

K. Mary Kay Oil Beauty Blotters. Love these little babbies!

L. Pre-Natal Vitamins. Not pregnant, just trying to make my hair grow faster.

M. Echenacea. Because my grandma wanted me to take it multiple times a day. I haven't taken it once..

N. Cute little black bag. My grandma gave me a late Christmas present and it came in this bag.

These cute earrings!

O. Hand Sanitizer. Necessary!!

P. My Wallet! I could have made a whole other post like this just on what's in my wallet.

Q. Mary Kay! Clear lip liner, lip primer and poised pink bold shine lip color. Perfect combo for luscious lips!

R. Mary Kay Compact Mini. Perfect little mirror compact with the perfect magnetized pressed powder for touch ups throughout the day. Love it!

the sucker is not labeled; one because I missed it and two because I just ate it.

Do you have any of these things in your purse?

25 Things I've Never Done

2013-01-08T13:36:00.002-08:00

1. Had stitches.

2. Dined and dashed.

3. Eaten anything from Chikfila, even while all the tweets I see make it sounds so good!

4. Been to the East Coast or out of the U.S.
5. Had a professional massage

6. Gotten a bikini wax.
7. Taken a pregnancy test.

8. Gone wine tasting.

9. Sat at a sushi bar

10. Gone Christmas caroling

11. Been on a real vacation
12. Ran out of gas.

13. Had jury duty, never even been called.

14. Fell asleep while driving.

15. Peed the bed from being drunk (or at all since I was a little kid) Really creeps me out how often people really do that.

16. Broke a Bone

17. Lost my wallet or purse.

18. Drank on a plane or in an airport.

19. Been to a family reunion.
20. Been to IKEA!

21. Made fudge

22. Drove off with my gas cap off, gas door open or the gas pump still in my car!

23. Got a spray tan

24. Voted at a polling place.

25. Worked a 12 hour shift (gladly)

Skin CARE PACKAGE for the Troops

2012-11-28T07:40:00.000-08:00

Hey bloggers!

I am running a fundraiser throught next Friday Dec 7th in honor of our troops serving overseas during the holidays!

I am putting together care packages with some Mary Kay skin care items in them

$20 each and for every care package ordered I will match it.

My goal is to get 50 ordered so that I can send 100 over in time for Christmas.

I was wondering if you might be interested in doing a package?

Or if you might be willing to pass this along to anyone who you think might be interested!

I would like to have the orders by next Friday - Dec 7th so I can get the product here ASAP and send out packages.

Thanks so much!!

Baked Rigatoni Recipe

2012-11-21T07:24:00.000-08:00

Say hello to the most delicious Italian casserole your will ever sink your teeth into.

Ingredients:

1 lb. Rigatoni Noodles
1 Jar Pasta Sauce (the flavor choice is yours, but I used a four cheese blend)
1 ½ Cups Mozzarella Cheese
16 Oz. Ricotta Cheese
1 Package Italian Sausage Links
Spices; I used Italian, garlic powder, salt, pepper, crushed red peppers

Directions:

Boil a pot of water and cook the noodles until al dente.
While those are boiling, pan cook the sausage and cut into small pieces.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
In a 13x9 inch baking dish line the bottom with a thin layer of pasta sauce.
In a large mixing bowl combine the ricotta cheese, seasonings, ½ cup mozzarella cheese and the remaining pasta sauce.
Mix it all up!
Stir in the noodles and mix until completely coated.
Plop in the sausage and mix some more.
Press into the baking dish top with reamaining mozzarella and loosely cover with foil.
Bake for 20 minutes then uncover for the remaining time – until cheese is gooey and melty.
ENJOY!!!

PINK FRIDAY!!

2012-11-15T08:39:00.001-08:00

Hello my dear blog friends!

The holiday season is among us at last! The Christmas decorations are out in stores and Turkey Day, or as I like to call it food-coma day is next week! After you’re done scarfing down mashed potatoes and stuffing it’s time to start thinking about holiday shopping!

I have put together a really special gift giving service for my Mary Kay business and I am offering a

15% discount to all my blog friends!!

Any time!

Order va my website or email me at kimberlydeese@marykay.com

If you need any helping picking out the perfect gift for anyone just let me know I am thrilled to help!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Now I know what you’re all wondering…..

What about BLACK FRIDAY & CYBER MONDAY SALES?!?!

PINK FRIDAY!!!

The earlier you shop the more you save!

And remember all bloggers still get the 15% on top of other savings!!

6am-6:59am…..35% discount

7am-7:59am…..30% discount

8am-8:59am…..25% discount

9am-9:59am…..20% discount

10am-10:59am..15% discount

11am-11:59am…10% discount

Noon-Midnight... 5% discount

~~ Bonus! Free gift with $100+ order! ~~

CYBER MONDAY!!

All online order placed Cyber Monday (November 26^th)

BUY 1 GET 1 ½ OFF!!

And remember all bloggers get 15% their order!!

~~ Bonus! Free gift with $100+ order! ~~

The Amazing Hana Flat Iron

2012-11-09T07:33:00.000-08:00

Do you remember my post about my amazing Hana hair dryer? Well, I still adore it and I recently fell head over heels for another Hana hair styling instrument – one of the most amazing flat irons yet.

This sleek and sexy flat iron packs powerful heat and delivers precise styling results. I am in love with this flat iron and I will never again use another. This flat iron produces the most beautiful well manicured hair styles I have ever experienced. I use a flat iron just about every day for two main purposes; straightening my hair and curling my hair and this one does wonders for both!

And it comes in some seriously cute gift packaging. Christmas in November!

Let's talk about straight locks, this Hana salon flat iron straightens my wavy hair with just one run over. Not two, not three, just one simple stroke and my hair is rigid straight. Is that the best part? It’s a marvelous perk, but that is not the best. My favorite feature of this flat iron is that my straight tresses stay perfectly straight all day long! They do not fall back into their natural waves and even the next morning my mane looks like it was just done. Not only does it last a long time, but my hair is playful, airy and looks smooth and shiny – in plan English it’s absolutely gorgeous.

When I want volume and definition I use a flat iron to make curls or beach waves and just like my expectations hoped for this Hana flat iron delivered beautiful bouncing curls! The flat iron puts out up to 450 degrees of hair styling heat, but what’s nice is the adjustable feature allowing the tightness of the curls to be completely in my control. The flat iron heats up fast too, which is perfect for my always-in-a-rush lifestyle!

I’m just all around pleased with my new flat iron and over joyed knowing it comes from a company as generous and sweet as Misikko is. If you haven’t had had a chance to view their website I strongly urge you to do it now, I guarantee they will not disappoint! The flat iron with all its wonders is just the beginning of the plethora of brilliant hair styling technology they have to offer!

** Lush Lounge **

A day for love

Party like it’s your birthday!

Full Body Massage

Cheesesteak Stuffed Jalapeños!

New Fur Babe

Healthy Pita Pizzas

24 Hours in Vegas

4th of July in SoCal

Deck Out Your Dorm Room!

I Moved!!!

Banking in on Blogging!

My 1st SF Giants Game!

Hello June

Textbooks to Smile About

Savory Italian Sausage Lasagna

Buh-Bye Oily Skin

Bands for Boobs ~ Pinup Contest

A month ago

Color Pop!

What do you have in here?!

25 Things I've Never Done

Skin CARE PACKAGE for the Troops

Baked Rigatoni Recipe

PINK FRIDAY!!

The Amazing Hana Flat Iron

Lush Lounge