I was not ready for this weekend to end at all. It just flew by so fast that I don't feel like we had any time to relax. As usual, we spent most of our weekend running around. But I guess the good news is that my husband only has a 4 day work week this week. Actually he has two 4 day work weeks in a row because next week is our 5 year wedding anniversary. Time is flying by!
We have a nice date day planned for our anniversary as long as the weather agrees with us that day. I should probably try to figure out a plan B just in case. I swear it's been raining every day. What a lame summer so far!
And if you couldn't tell from my squinty eyes in these pictures, my migraines are kicking my butt again. That's why I wasn't around much last week.
I love this maxi dress because it's so comfortable but is still dressy enough to wear out to eat. I would probably wear a maxi dress every single day if I had enough of them. lol! I wore this dress on the blog before back in the spring. It's just so comfy!
Claire from Fashion and Feathers nominated me for this fun challenge. Here’s the rules: the person “tagged” must share 10 things they love, 10 things they hate, and then they can nominate up to 10 other bloggers to do the same! It’s a great way to get to know others!
LOVE
1. Laying out in the sun. I still haven't gotten to do this yet, this summer because it keeps raining so much. It's so calming laying there with the sun hitting you....and even better when you can jump in a pool for a while too.
2. Food! I eat all day long, it's crazy! I have a really high metabolism so I constantly have to eat or I start to feel pretty crappy. If I ever had to go on a special diet I would be in so much trouble. I don't think I could do it.
3. Date nights. We don't get them too often but when we do, it's AMAZING! We don't get to do much but it's nice to be able to sit and hold a conversation without being interrupted every few seconds by our daughter. That being said....
4. Being a stay at home mom. I NEVER thought I would say that one. I struggled with wanting to go back to work for the longest time, but now I'm loving being home with our daughter all day. One day I will go back to work but for now I will enjoy all these little moments.
5. The beach. It's my favorite place in the whole world. I don't know what it is about it but has a way of taking all of my stress away. Burying your toes in the sand or walking along the water = my favorite thing ever.
6. Art days. Every once in a while I feel motivated to do something creative. Whether it's one of my paintings, a drawing, or scrapbooking; I always feel so great after a good artsy day.
7. Being outside. I'm definitely an outdoorsy girl. I love parks, hiking, rockclimbing, riding quads, biking, etc. I get really bad cabin fever if I'm stuck indoors too long.
8. Musical theater. Yeahhhh....I'm a big theater dork. A good chunk of songs on my computer are show tunes. I actually have a degree in technical theater. I used to paint the sets and backdrops. It's something that I would love to get back into one day. I love watching the shows but I am not the performing type.
9. Romantic comedies. #sorrynotsorry I'm not a very girly girl but I really do love my fair share of romantic comedies. I own so many of them and watch them over and over. I probably watch Pride & Prejudice once a month. #noshame
10. Shopping. I guess that's a little obvious.... It's the best therapy there is!
HATE
1. People with nasty attitudes. I can't stand people that go out of their way just to be rude or nasty to someone else. It drives me nuts.
2. Being late! It totally stresses me out! I'm one of those people that think being 15 minutes early is on time. lol! I don't like being rushed. My husband is the complete opposite. He's late for everything.
3. Doing the dishes. I will do any other chore in the house but I can't stand doing dishes. I think it's because that was my chore when I was a kid so I just grew up to hate it. I really need a dishwasher
4. Feet. They seriously gross me out! My friends used to tease me about my foot-phobia and try to touch me with their feet or put them near me. Yuuuuck!
5. Closed in spaces. I avoid elevators as much as I can. My college friends thought for years that I was just being health conscious and getting my exercise when I took the stairs but I just can't stand being crushed in an elevator with a bunch of people. It feels like someone has sucked all of the air out of my lungs and there is an elephant on my chest. I also start sweating like crazy. lol!
6. Any kind of bug in the house. I know it doesn't make any sense but if I see a bug outside, it doesn't bother me at all, but as soon as I see it in my house the creep factor goes through the roof. I guess it's because it's supposed to be my comfort/safe zone. lol!
7. Creaky floors. Anywhere you walk in my house the floor creaks. This wouldn't be such a problem if my daughter wasn't such a light sleeper. Everything wakes her up. She gets that from me.
8. Mayo. I actually gagged while typing that. I can't stand it. It's even worse when people try to sneak it into food and think I won't notice...trust me, I will. And I won't be happy.
9. When people interrupt/talk over me. Come on, that's just rude! I don't want to have to repeat myself a bunch of times just because you have diarrhea mouth. Hold it together!
10. MIGRAINES!
I didn't officially nominate anyone but if you do one of these posts I would LOVE to read it. Leave a comment below letting me know about it so I can check it out!
(**I was given a free product from Showinbuy for review purposes, however, all opinions are my own**)
I was so excited when Showinbuy contacted me about styling one of their dresses. They had so many to choose from on their site that I had such a hard time making a decision. I am extremely happy with the one that I ended up choosing.
The dress that I am wearing is called Sleeveless Lace Patched Slim Dress and it's only $22.99! Their clothing is super affordable and they ship internationally. The material of the dress is really soft and it has a convenient hidden back zipper in the back.
I love adding a pop (or two) of red to black and white outfits just to add a little bit of color. I think it helps give a conservative outfit just a little bit of a sexy vibe. That classy and sexy vibe was perfect for a date night with my hubby over the weekend. We got to go out for a nice dinner and then we saw Jurassic World! (It was so good!)
(**This post is powered by Brandbacker; I received a free sample for review, however all opinions are my own**)
Today I am really excited to tell you about Zakia's Morocco: MOROCCAN GHASSOUL CLAY MASK POWDER. I have been trying to find new products that I love and this one is a new must have on my list. I liked this much better than the last face mask I tried. This one comes in powder form but they include super easy directions with it. All you have to really do is add some water and mix to a consistency of thin cookie dough.
It went on super smooth and didn't sting or burn like the last one either. It tingled a little as it dried, but that just could have been the feeling of it drying against my skin. I have very sensitive skin and this didn't leave my skin red at all! I used it right before bed and when I woke up and looked in the mirror, my skin looked like it had a great glow to it. Even my husband noticed! It seemed to help a lot with my blackheads and really toned out my skin. It doesn't have much of a smell, which I really like. I'm very sensitive about smells.
Moroccan Ghassoul Clay Mask - A weekly mask with natural and organic clay from deep inside the Ancient Atlas Mountains of Morocco are the perfect skin treatment for cleaning, detoxifying, toning and rejuvenating. A facial mask treatment made from Ghassoul clay can be relaxing and give your skin a new healthy glow. Ghassoul clay's most impressive properties in skin improvement are its capacity of absorption and adsorption due to its high level of ion exchange. Ghassoul is a mineral rich, light brown clay that blends extremely well with water making its application to the face and skin a smooth and delightful experience. Use on skin and hair - it even makes for a fabulous shampoo; mix a small amount of powder in your favorite shampoo - wash and rinse. Super cleansing!
These are the features as listed from their site: PURE AND NATURAL - This exquisite all natural and organic detoxifying clay is unique in its composition, quality and purity; It is meticulously selected from ancient mineral-rich deposits, found deep within the fertile Atlas Mountains, and contains 100% pure Ghassoul
FAST ACTING - Simply mix with a little water to create a smooth creamy texture, then glide effortlessly over your face, neck and hair as desired; Within seconds, you will feel a gentle tightening, as the intense detoxification begins to absorb impurities and harmful substances, cleansing
STUNNING RESULTS - You can expect a buttery soft, smooth and toned skin complexion, free from dryness, blemishes, blackheads and blocked pores; Your hair will feel light, manageable and conditioned, with curls defined and frizz controlled; Eczema, psoriasis, and acne are treated and calmed without stripping your skin of essential natural oils
MULTI-PURPOSE - Our Spa grade Ghassoul Clay is a versatile and multi-purpose daily cleanser that can also be used as a detoxifying face mask, skin conditioner and hair restoration treatment; It delivers one of the world's most powerful deep pore facials WITHOUT harsh chemicals, and can be applied daily to even the most dry, flaky and sensitive skin
I did not try the hair mask yet, but I am definitely going to give that a try. Zakia's Morocco is also offering 10 Gift Certificates of $50 each! You can enter below with their giveaway form! BUT if you don't win they are also offering 20% off for my readers with the code: ZMBLOG-201. All orders over $35 have free shipping too!
I read A TON of books again this month (FIFTEEN!!)! I've been on a roll lately, I guess. I have been doing one mini book review post a month for quite a while now but I'm wondering if I should start splitting them up and do two a month so it's not sooo many at once.... What do you guys think? Would you rather me just keep things the same and list all the books I read that month in one post, or is it a bit too much information for you? Let me know what you think!!
Paper Towns by John Green My rating: 3 out of 5 stars
This was my first ever John Green read, and I still have mixed feelings about it. I really love Quentin and his group of friends, and even the interactions with his classmates because they seemed very real and like people I would have known in school. But I really didn't like Margo at all. At first she didn't seem bad but then as the story went I liked her less and less. Without giving anything away, I would like to say that I'm glad Quentin made the decision he made at the end.
Caught Up in You by Kim Boykin My rating: 3 out of 3 stars
This one was a really quick romance read (104 pages) so I finished it in one sitting. I enjoyed it, but I also felt as if it could have used more story in some places. I think it would have been more complete with just a few more details. (c/o NetGalley)
There Goes the Bride by Catherine Mann My rating: 3 out of 5 stars
This was another really quick romance read. I think the author did an amazing job with the chemistry between the two main characters. It really sizzled. I wish it was just a teeny bit longer. I didn't feel as if I got a good feel for the characters. (c/o NetGalley)
Down the Aisle With Bridezilla by Carli Palmer My rating: 3 out of 5 stars
I've always loved books that involve weddings and Bridezillas so I was really excited about this one. I thought there was going to be a little more humor in the book than there was. It was just another demanding bride after another and Megan (the main character/wedding coordinator) always seemed completely miserable. I didn't feel any real "sparks" between Megan and her love interest at all either. It was a fun read with lots of quirky and crazy brides though. (c/o NetGalley)
Luckiest Girl Alive by Jessica Knoll My rating: 3 out of 5 stars
First I would like to say that if you are not a fan stories involving things like: graphic violence, rape, adultery, eating disorders, etc then this is definitely not the book for you. I felt as if the story started a bit slow and then got really good towards the middle and then fell flat for me at the end. I wanted a bigger punch at the end! I was waiting and hoping for something big to happen but it never did. Almost every character in this book is VERY unlikable, including the main character. But I think that intrigued me even more. (c/o NetGalley)
Love in a Time of Monsters by Teresa Yea My rating: 5 out of 5 stars
I ended up loving this one! It was my first fantasy read in quite a while. I loved how flawed and damaged the main character, Cat, is even though she is supposed to be the monster slaying "hero". This book is a lot grittier than I expected it to be. There were so many times that I couldn't put this one down because I needed to know what was going to happen! (c/o NetGalley)
If You're Not the One by Jemma Forte My rating: 3 out of 5 stars
I thought the concept for this book was really interesting: a woman who is unhappy with how things are currently in her life is involved in an accident that sends her into a coma where is is able to see how her life would have turned out had she chosen a different paths. It ended up dragging on a bit for me, especially when she kept going back through her and Tim's story. I couldn't stand his character at all so I had to force myself through those storylines. The story kind of ends open-ended and leaves you to sort of make up your own ending about what you think she decides to do. It ended up falling a bit short for me.
This story was designed to be a mix between Swan Lake and Robin Hood, so I knew I would really like it. It is a Christian novel (which I actually had no idea before starting it) so there were a lot of mentions of God, and praying, and things like that. I don't normally read too many Christian novels but the religious undertones didn't really bother me at all. It ended up being a pretty nice love story.
(c/o NetGalley)
Spelled by Betsy Schow My rating: 3 out of 5 stars
The really cheesy play on words got old really fast. "pix you" "oh for Grimm's sake". Once I blocked out all of those I was able to enjoy the story a bit more. The princess starts out very self centered and I hated her at first so it was nice to see her go through a bit of transformation, and grow up a bit as the story goes on. I really liked Kato's character a lot. I like how the ending set it up for another book. I also enjoyed all of the references to other fairy tale characters. (c/o NetGalley)
The Lie by C.L. Taylor My rating: 3 out of 5 stars
This one definitely kept me turning the pages. I wasn't sure what to expect out of this one and it had my heart beating like crazy during some of the "5 years ago" chapters. You had no idea who to trust or what was really going on some of the time. I wasn't overly surprised by the ending, however. Once they said Leanne was alive and out of an institution I kind of figured she would be up to something. I really liked Al's character a lot (c/o NetGalley)
It started out with so much potential but there was just something missing for me. they focus on her job in the company more than the relationship between the main two characters and then when something happens you expect for some kind of romance but it's came off more as lust. I would have liked to have seen them talk about everything that happened more until leaving it for one short talk at the very end. I didn't dislike it...it was just kind of "okay"
(c/o NetGalley)
Forward Pass by Desiree Holt My rating: 4 out of 5 stars
I wasn't quite prepared for the heat factor in this one. It was much more of an erotica romance than I am used to reading but I ended up really loving it. I love stories where they have known each other all their lives. I love their witty and sarcastic banter back and forth too. The only criticism I would have is that the ending felt a little bit rushed (c/o NetGalley)
Paris Time Capsule by Ella Carey My rating: 2 out of 5 stars
I just couldn't get into this one at all. It sounded like such a great story: A woman from New York inherits property in Paris from a woman she doesn't even know. She tries to uncover the truth about why she inherited it instead of the family. It started really slow and never really picked up for me, and the love story felt like it came out of no where. (c/o NetGalley)
Faking Perfect by Rebecca Phillips My rating: 4 out of 5 stars
I really liked this one. I only wish there was a little bit more about Tyler in the book. we don't know too much about him other than him having a secret hook-up relationship with the main character. he was probably my favorite character though. I enjoyed "watching" the main character grow as the book went on. going from someone that was extremely desperate to fit in into someone who realized that it's okay to be yourself. (c/o NetGalley)
Shroud of Roses by Gloria Ferris My rating: 3 out of 5 stars
I really like Bliss' stubborn and witty sarcasm but I actually wasn't found of her "boyfriend" at all. Most of the time he acted as if he didn't care about her at all or treated pretty crappy. I understand that he had issues in his past, as did she, but I wouldn't have put up with it. Other then there relationship, the mystery itself has me pretty curious but I wasn't very surprised by the ending either. I enjoyed reading it but it just fell short for me in a few areas. (c/o NetGalley)
What have you been reading lately? If you are on Goodreads, we should be friends!
We had a pretty busy weekend this time around. Saturday we had a birthday party for our friend's daughter, and Sunday we went to my father-in-law's band show. It was so much fun! I think there should be an extra weekend day that if specifically for resting from the weekend. lol! I'm exhausted...but that's a typical Monday feeling, I guess.
My father-in-law's band played REALLY well, and there was a huge crowd. They play covers from band's like Lynyrd Skynyrd, ZZ Top, Eric Clapton, Bad Company, etc.
(This is a post sponsored by beFormal, however all opinions in this post are my own. )
Wedding is upon us now, and I know that I have a few weddings to go to this year. Since I am a stay at home mom, I don't really have too many reasons to dress up but this is one of them and I love it. Who doesn't love an opportunity to dress up and look really good for a day?!
One of the first places I look for dress inspiration is online. beFormal has so many beautiful dresses that I have been drooling over. They offer a variety of different colors, lengths, and styles of dresses.
I love every single one of these dresses! I don't think I can even pick a favorite. I love dresses that are sexy but still conservative. I don't like to show too much skin, or wear anything too short. I'm also a big fan of the flirty girly styles too. It just depends on my mood and the occasion.
Along with gorgeous cocktail dresses; you can also find cheap wedding dresses at beformal, if you are a soon to be bride. My favorite are the lace wedding dresses: http://www.beformal.com.au/list/lace-wedding-dresses-c113344/ . There is something so romantic about lace, I think!
My husband and I (when we were just a newly engaged couple) originally thought about eloping to a beautiful beach and getting married all by ourselves, but in the end we went with something a bit bigger: a destination wedding. It was really beautiful and I'm glad we did it that way in the end, but we have been talking about having a renewal of our vows on the beach with just us someday. I just think it's so romantic. I saw so many dresses on this site that would make perfect beach wedding dresses.
What dress is your favorite? Do you have a bunch of weddings to go to this year too?
One of my favorite things to thrift shop for are dresses. I feel like I only wear a fancy dress once or twice before I get rid of it so I don't want to have to spend an arm and a leg for it.
I have a couple weddings to go to this year so I've been trying to find something new to wear to them. I also would like to find more comfy spring/summer dresses. I used to have a bunch of them but I think they may have been donated by mistake....oops!
I took all of my photos in this post with my camera phone, so some of them didn't turn out to great. Sorry about that!! Also, be warned that I have a pretty mean RBF (resting bitch face)... you are forewarned! LOL!
Dress #1: I really liked how this dress fit, but I felt like it was just a bit too short. I actually pulled it down a bit just to take this picture. lol! This one got left at the store.
Dress #2: If you couldn't tell by my less than excited face in this picture, I was not a fan of how this one fit. It bunched really strange in the bust. This one go left behind in the store too.
Dress #3: This red dress is actually an Express dress and the material is super soft and fit great. Perfect little Spring/Summer dress. Bought $4.99
Dress #4: This one was a New York & Company dress that fit okay, but I felt like I had something similar at home and I just wasn't overly excited by it. Left it at the store.
Dress #5: I saw this fun Loft dress on the rack, and really loved the colors so I thought I would give it a try. It was a small but seemed really big on me. Left it at the store.
Dress #6: I saw this pretty navy dress and instantly loved it. The detailing on the shoulder and waist was so pretty. I have no idea where I will wear it but I bought this one for half off! Only $3.99! You can't beat that!! I have a wedding to go to in September so maybe I will wear it there...or is it too fancy?? What do you think?
Total spent: $8.98 for 2 dresses!
Do you think I made good choices? Is there something I should have kept but didn't?
