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ROAD TRIP!

This past weekend the hubby and I headed to Oklahoma for our friends, Jimmy and Sandy's wedding. I need to preface this post with this: We were invited to 2 weddings in the same weekend. Our friends Eric and Jen got married, too. Unfortunately with plane tickets being $400-$600 we just couldn't swing it. I hate we missed it and wish them all the happiness in the world! So we went to the Oklahoma wedding since we could drive. I don't want this to sound like the wedding we went to was second choice, either. This was a hard decision to make. We stayed with our friends Jonathan and Erica in OKC and got to spend time with them Friday before heading to the wedding in Ardmore Saturday. It was a fun weekend!

View of our drive to Ardmore

Christopher with Jonathan and Erica's little boy. So cute! We had so much fun with him.

The beautiful bride with her son.

Delta Zetas!

Me with my "big sister," Lish

My handsome date

The casino we went to after the wedding. This part looked like London. There was also the Roman Coliseum and Vienna and Paris.

 



How I Do it Tuesday: Skin Care Routine

I've always been somewhat aware of taking care of my skin. My grandmother (who's 78 but looks 65) has always told me to always wash my face before bed no matter how tired, drunk etc I may be. I've followed this advice for the most part, although there are times I've been lazy. I will also say I've been pretty blessed with good skin. I never really had bad acne when I was younger and my mom has really good skin with not many wrinkles and like I said my grandmother looks younger than she is so I'm hoping genetics will help me age gracefully. But I also know that to look good when I'm older I have to take care of myself when I'm younger.

My sweet friend Kate, is also my esthitician. I asked her once what was the over-the-counter equivalent to the expensive skincare products being sold in spas. Her answer: Oil of Olay. I know, hard to believe. Now not just any Oil of Olay, but the Oil of Olay Pro X. It is the most expensive in the line (around $50 for day cream, night cream and eye cream) but that's pennies compared to what you'd pay in a spa. So, I've been using it for about a year and I love it. I don't use the Pro X facewash (can't justify $18 for it I know, I know) I use the Oil of Olay Regenerist at night and Target's version of the Neutrogena Oil Free Acne Wash Pink Grapefruit in the shower in the morning.

I also recently purchases the Clarisonic Mia Facial cleansing Brush. It. Is. Amazing. I mean life changing! My face feels so smooth after I use it, just like after a facial. You need to take your make-up off before washing your face with it. So, I have been using it in the shower in the morning since I washed my make-up off the night before. They recommend you use it daily but not more than once. There are also different brush components you can use. There's one for the body that's supposed to not only be good for exfoliating but getting rid of cellulite. Not sure if that works, but definitely worth trying! It's even good for men, as it can help with less irritation when shaving. There is a Mia 2 that's out and it has a timer that dings when you need to move to the next section of your face and has two different speeds. It also comes in a variety of colors. After reading lots of reviews, I decided I could count and that the 2 different speeds and colors weren't paying $150 for. I paid $115. Y'all, I'm telling you, it's completely worth it! It also cuts off after exactly one minute so you don't use it for too long.

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Follow Up to Yesterday's Post

I admit it, yesterday I might've sounded a bit down on the months of January and February. So here are a few things I'm looking forward to over the next 2 months:



The Super Bowl!!! I am ecstatic the Broncos are going!
I've been a Peyton fan since his first orange jersey (that's a University of Tennessee reference in canse you missed it.)
We watched the game yesterday at Fox and Hound with our friend's the Rivas.
We called it Manning v. Brady/Wilson v. Riva



Celebrating this wonderful lady's 90th birthday

 Aside from taking the tree down on Saturday, we did book our 2nd anniversary trip and I am looking forward to it more than I look forward to Christmas.



WALT DISNEY WORLD!!!

Only 10 weeks and 5 days until we leave! Can you tell I'm excited? I've been several times. The hubby hasn't been since he was a kid and I absolutely can't wait for him to experience it as an adult. EVERYONE should go at least once as an adult with not kids. It is so fun!







Least Fave Months of the Year

Last night, we took down our Christmas decorations. Go ahead and judge because if you're one of those crazies who posts incessantly about how you can't wait to decorate for Christmas and have it all up by Thanksgiving yet get it all down once the presents are opened I judge you. No, seriously. I don't get it, you're so excited to get it all out yet you can't stand it once the day is over? I digress. Last year, we didn't get our Christmas decorations down until almost February. Or maybe it was February I don't remember. The biggest reason we didn't take them down was shear laziness, but we'd come home and turn on the tree and it was so nice and peaceful why take it down? We also don't put our tree up until December 1st, or right after Thanksgiving. This year those dates happened to coincide. We decided to keep the tradition going this year and keep the decorations up through January (most of it, at least). I mean, why not? If all the crazies can put their decorations up a month (or more) before Christmas why can't I leave it up a month after? I don't want to put them up before Thanksgiving because I like my fall decorations. But after Christmas there's nothing to look forward to. So, the tree keeps up happy. January and February are the most depressing months of the year. It's still freezing, yet there is no Christmas to distract me with (or birthday). It's just cold and miserable. March makes me happy because even if it's still cold, you know it won't last long. At least not in Memphis. People ask me why I don't live in Colorado anymore. Hello! Because it snows in March and April there. Come Easter, I want to wear a new spring dress to church, NOT wear pants, sweater, coat and gloves. Okay, but off my soap box now. Here are some pics of the Christmas decorations we took down that have sent me into my winter depression.

Ignore the open coat closet. I love the caroller figurines on top of the entertainment center.
My mom painted those a long time ago. She has a set too and they have always been part of our Christmas decorations.

Tree in our room. My mom also has this as well, that she puts in the guestroom I stay in at her house.
You saw it here.

Made this from Pinterest this year.

I LOVE how we wrapped our presents this year!

Recycled my pumpkins

Light looks nekkid now

Oh, Christmas tree

I admit, the Christmas china is still out. It should get switched out today. We'll see...

 Only 10 1/2 more months till I get to get it all out again! And only 2 months and 1 day till the first day of spring! The Broncos play the Patriots today. GO BRONCOS!!! Make Brady cry!

How I Do It Tuesday: Make-up

Since I posted about how I left my make-up at home when I went to Colorado, I thought I'd give you a look into my morning routine. I actually wear A LOT of make-up. The key is to look like you're not wearing any at all. You don't want to look like this:



Primer is key for getting your foundation on smoothly. I also put concealer on underneath my foundation to really cover up any blemishes that may have come up or any dark circles. MAC is definitely my brand of choice. Their foundation is full coverage, but it doesn't feel heavy on your face. You can layer it if you need more coverage, too. The prep and prime powder is my absolute favorite. It looks white, but goes on clear. So you don't have to worry about your shade, it also gives you that flawless photo finish. NARS blush in Orgasm (you can guess why they gave it that name) is always my go-to. It gives a nice, natural glow but not too overdone. To finish I always use a bronzer. I always wear tons of sunscreen on my face, so I never get a tan there. (I don't want to risk getting wrinkles!) Bronzer gives you that nice glow and then your face won't be shades lighter than your body. No one wants to look sick!

 

 

 

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When it comes to eye makeup I love to mix it up and use different colors. I have a ridiculous amount of eyeshadow. MAC has this great recycle program where for every 6 empty containers you give them you get a free lipstick at any MAC counter in a department store. HOWEVER, if you take them to an actual MAC store you get a free eyeshadow. So, I never pay for eyeshadow. I always wait until I'm going to be in Nashville and take all my empty containers to the store in the Greenhills Mall. Sadly, Memphis doesn't have the actual store just counters in Macy's. I don't wear lipstick enough to benefit from that many free lipsticks. Anyway, below are the 3 eyeshadows I wear on a daily basis to work. I put the first one on the base of my lid, the second in the crease and the third I put a tiny bit in the outer corner of my eye. As far as eyeliner, I put white eyeliner on the lower, inner waterline. This makes your eyes look brighter and more awake. It's also a great way to get rid of redness if you stayed out partying the night before. Then I take a charcoal or brown liner right below that on my lower lashline. I also put it on my upper lasheline and after that I hold my lid up and line right through my lashers to fill in. The purpose of eyeliner is to extend your lashes. Last, I use Loreal's double extend mascara. It comes with a primer that coats and protects your lashes. But the best part is it's a tube mascara. So, it doesn't smudge easily and to take it off you literally just wet your fingers and rub your eyes and it comes off in clumps instead of running down your face. It's just as good as expensive tube mascaras I've tried but much more economical.  

 

 

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So, that's a little look into my morning makeup routine. I know I could cut out some of this and get ready a lot faster, and yes there are some mornings where I have to get ready fast and a few steps get cut out. But honestly, I like my routine. Getting ready is my Jennifer time to myself before my day gets started. Of course after my face is taken care of, hair comes next  but we'll save that for another day. :)







2014

Happy New Year! I realize I'm a few days late on this post. I went to my parents' house New Year's day and wrote a post on the plane, it did not save. Ugh. Oh well, moving on. Did y'all all have a fabulous New Year's eve? We had plans to go to dinner with friends in midtown and then stay out for the big countdown, but sickness descended upon our house (well, on me the hubby has a much stronger immune system. So while I planned on spending the evening like this:

It was spent like this:

My flight left the next morning at 7:30, so maybe it's a good thing I didn't stay out late. Would you believe I left my make-up bag in the bathroom at home? I realized it half way to the airport and it was too late to go back for it. I think I would have rather left my clothes. I had it all packed up to put in my carry on and completely forgot. So, as soon as I got to Colorado I had to go stock up on everything. I tried to only replace the necessities and went to Ulta and Walmart. If I'd replaced it all, product by product it would've been a very expensive trip. So, I made do.

 



 From left to right: My view of the mountains flying over Utah, another plane I saw while in the air, the view of the mountains before the snowstorm hit.

 

I was so sad that my hubby couldn't come with me (he had to work) but we Facetimed him when we did presents with my parents, and it gave me lots of girlfriend catch up time.

 

My best friend is pregnant so she definitely didn't mind that all I wanted to do was lay around and hang out. We spent the evening on the couch eating take-out and frozen yogurt watching Sex and the City. We were asleep by 10. My how times have changed!



My cocktails of choice.

We got really crazy and had caffeine free diet Cokes!



 

After staying at my bff's Thursday night, I met up with my other close friend the next day in Denver (yes, I saw a pot store on the way, and yes there was a line. Sorry, I couldn't snap a picture). We went to Casa Bonita which can only be described as a Mexican Chuck E Cheese. Her boys are 5 and 3, so they loved it and we got a chance to catch up.

 



After coughing and hacking for a week and mixing concoctions like the one below (and oops! I drank the whole thing instead of a tablespoon) I decided to go to the doctor. 

Turns out it was just sinusitis, but they made me wear this lovely mask just in case. Sexy, no?

 

Before I went to the doctor, I had coffee with my sweet friend Kandy from high school. This is what it looked like when I left that morning.

At least I got some use out of my Bean Boots (found here)

 

I spent the rest of the day holed up in my parents' theatre room re-watching Downton Abbey in honor of Sunday's premiere (don't tell me what happened! I haven't watched it yet!)

 



 

My family did wait and have Christmas dinner until I got in town. We always have surf and turf. I prefer surf. No, I didn't eat all of those but I could have!

 

 This tree is in my room at my parents'. We have the same one in our master room, it's just lacking those fabulous Barbie ornaments!

 On the way to the airport Sunday, I spotted this guy in a tree. Right before I got to town, my parents' had 8 in a tree in their back yard. Cool, huh? "Merica.

It was a great trip, I'm now home where I apparently took the cold weather with me. 10 degrees?! Seriously? I can't handle it. Now that Christmas is over can't it just be 75 until next Christmas? Look for more posts revolving around New Year's and fresh starts, resolutions, etc. Cheers!