Attempted Outing

So today I wanted to take Judah to the park because my friend Rachel posted cute pictures of her little Katie Bug on the swings and I couldn't resist! Well my friend Ann went with me. We loaded the stroller, etc. and went on our merry little way. Judah talked the whole way there, obviously thrilled about the whole thing (as if he knew!).

So we pull up and I was gung-ho ready to get Judah playing and screaming with delight. I open the back door to the car and here is what I see...

















There was drool and snoring... it was too much. I couldn't bear to wake him. We will try the park some other time. Meanwhile, being two females we went and got Baskin Robins as any good woman would in order to kill time and give her son a good "car nap". Suffering for the cause... I know, it's tough but I will make it! (-;

In other news... I died my hair yesterday at 6 PM. I had to be across town by 7 PM... not a good move. I laid Judah down for a nap and went to coloring like a mad woman! My plan failed - he woke up SCREAMING 10 minutes later. I had 1/3 of my scalp colored and my hands were full of dye. He was SO upset and then I finally went to pick him up holding him about 3 feet away from me and putting him on my bed. I was better off leaving him in the crib because when he realized that I was not going to hold and feed him it was all over. I thought there would be death by crying but we survived. Meanwhile, my hair turned out okay. All the nasty old blond highlights were annihilated!!
See?

Crazy Saturday Morning

So Micah went to Mission, TX to help our church there with a building issue. He is only gone for 24hrs, but wouldn't you know...

My dog (Brooklyn) decides to get a stomach virus in the middle of the night and starts puking all over every surface EXCEPT the tile which would be simple to clean. Ugh! Then Judah has been teething something fierce to the point where I just don't think I can take the screaming and agony anymore. I so wish I could take the pain for him. So....

I wake up at 5 AM to the sweet sound of baby screams. Since Micah was gone and the bed was free I just put him in the bed with me. Usually I would never do that but I didn't feel like getting up again every hour. So he slept pretty good after that. Then in the morning I went to let the dogs out. Being that they'd been pent up in our house for 4 days because of the rain, they went bolting out of the front door and down the street. Not before sliding through the mud in our front yard, of course. So there I am in my "wife beater" and a black bra! LOL A baby on my hip and BAREFOOT, at that. Screaming in my front yard at my dogs. This scares the daylights out of Judah and he starts wailing uncontrollably. So I have to start running down the street because I can't yell anymore. Running, screaming baby, wife beater... not good. Oh, and did I mention that I hadn't showered and my hair was ALL over the place in like a side slept-in ponytail thing and bobby pins were scattered about flopping around in there somewhere. Oh it was just not good. And to top it all off I look up and there are our neighbors all sitting in their garage watching the whole thing, seemingly very entertained. Lord!

So I finally get the dogs in the house (mud prints on the carpet and all) and I get Judah in his high chair so he can eat breakfast. Then it starts (imagine gagging noises from the pit of ... you know where) I had just made Judah's rice cereal and I set it down and ran to Brooklyn, trying to move her to the tile in the entryway. I missed. She spewed all over the front carpet for the 3rd time. So I put down a towel and went back to tend to Judah. Only to find... Well the pictures will better explain anything I could attempt to say....




















"Hey Mom, look what I did! You told me you wanted me to start learning to eat finger foods!"


















"Look, I am doing such a wonderful job. I only missed my mouth a few times!"

















"Mother, forgive me, for I know not what I chew..."

















Yes there is cereal in my son's EYES. Don't judge... you would have stopped to take pictures, too, if you had such an opportunity. He didn't seem to mind!

Make-up 101 (This Was Way Too Fun To Do!)

So I have about a million people ask me how I do my makeup and what colors I am wearing... yada, yada, yada... I finally decided to hunker down and give you a play by play. Do not try this at home (the photographing, that is... DO try the makeup thing!)

I am only going to do 1/2 of my face and by the end this will look really funny! What is even funnier is the "makeup faces" you will see me make!

So for the first time known to man I am about to do the unthinkable and I am going to take a picture of me in the "nude" (not really -- just my face!) This is me with NO added ingredients or preservatives!


Ugh... okay.... POST!














Am I still alive??? Wow - I thought that would kill me. I was wrong.
Since breath is still in my lungs I will start with step 1:

Step 1: Facial Highlighter















You want to put this in any areas that surround dark circles or any area that you wish to enhance based on your bone structure, etc.














(Click here for more application tips)


Step 2: Concealer

You only ever want to use your ring finger to apply concealer. It has the least amount of pressure and you don't usually get calloused there (unless you are my wonderful guitar-playing husband, in which case I would hope you never learn what concealer is - let alone wear it!!)




























Then you will want to use a brush (if you have it) to apply. Mary Kay has a wonderful brush set, however we don't yet have a concealer brush. I got mine at Ulta (shhhh....) but the next best thing is the ring finger. You can put concealer anywhere you want to, um... conceal? Ha! Above and just below the eye. Any zits or as we now like to refer to them as "blemishes" or dark spots. Try to use a shade that matches your skin tone. In looking at these pics I realize I need to go a bit darker! LOL




Step 3: Mineral Powder Foundation - By the way... this stuff ROCKS!!!!!!














The trick with this is to start with a tiny layer and add until you have the coverage you desire. You also want to get all the excess powder off the brush so that you don't get showered with powder. I learned to twist the cap into the empty lid and that pushes the powder up into the brush. Make sure you wash your brush after using and dry flat.
















Now I have effectively powdered my eyelashes and they have disappeared! But no more shiny forehead and uneven complexion! Yay!

Okay...


Step 4, Part#1: Shadow - Highlighter Color = Moonstone (another good one is Crystaline)














This color only goes on the base of the eyelid (From lash line to crease) and on your brow bone just under the eyebrow. This adds a glow in the right places.




















Step 4 Part #2: Shadow - Mid Tone - Chocolate Kiss (another great color is Vintage Gold)















This color goes in the crease area and just above to give it a natural shadow. You can get several application tips by clicking HERE based on your eye shape.
















A trick to eye makeup and pretty much all else is LAYERING. Before you get ready to apply liner if you put a thin line of the mid-tone color at the lash line with an eyeliner brush (part of our brush set) it will add dimension to your overall look and keep things from getting smeared or fading throughout the day!


















Step 4, Part #3: Shadow - Accent Color (Navy Blue)














Some other good colors for this are Iris, Golden Olive, or Denim Frost.

When using the Navy in particular you want to use VERY LITTLE. It is always better to get too little and add more than look like Bobo the Clown! Just dip the brush lightly and then...

Blow!











You will take the accent color and using a "c-curve" motion go from the corner of your lash line in to the middle of the eye. Then go back (always keeping the brush touching the lid - don't "flick" the shadow all over your cheek!) in the opposite direction to the corner and then up to the middle of the crease of your eye.































Then you will want to go back with the highlighting brush and blend all 3 colors together do they do not look "choppy" but smooth.

















Step 5: Eyeliner (Black)

With Eyeliner you want to start from the outside corner and work your way in with tiny connecting strokes. This will keep you from having "skid marks" and you will also not have to PULL your eyes out. I feel for you if this is how you do your makeup because gravity will eventually set in and, unfortunately, what goes OUT must come DOWN! Ugh.















Step 5, Part #2: Blending Shadow With Liner (I love doing this!)

So you take the Navy shadow and using the eyeliner brush go over the liner that you just applied. Then you can blend that up into the color on your eyes. It makes it look like one fluid sea of color! This is what makes things go POP!!
See??

















You can also put a highlighting powder in the corner of your eye closest to your nose and this will really widen and open up your eye.
































Now to resurrect those lashes!

Step 6: Mascara (not just any, but... ULTIMATE Mascara)

This part is pretty self-explanatory. Make an incredibly funny face with your top and bottom lips curled over your teeth and your eyebrows raised to the sky. Then put it on in small layers until you have the desired thickness.

















Step 7: Eyebrows! (Shading, filling, etc)

So this dang eyeliner brush is the coolest thing since sliced bread! I had an unfortunate "plucking incident" in 10th grade and my brows never fully recovered. I can't really "draw" them on because it is so obvious. I discovered if I take my brow pencil (Brunette) and rub it on the liner brush it softly fills in my brows in the most natural way I've found thus far! Yay!

Not too shabby, huh??
















So now we are done with EYES!! And now I look like a cyclops!!! So scary!



















On to the cheeks...

Step 8: Mineral Cheek Color (Color - Pink Petals)

First you want to make sure you use a brush that is thin and angled specifically for the cheek area. Don't use a fat powder brush because then you will not look contoured, you will just look pink!

Next you want to apply cheek color in the natural places to accent your bone structure. I have a shadow that already exists, be it fat or a cheek bone - who knows!? But that is where I put mine and I run it from the back to the front (the apple) of my cheek. Then blend backwards so it doesn't ever look streaky.















Then you can apply the mineral highlighting powder that we used to highlight the eyes. We have both a matte and a shimmer for whatever finish you prefer. I like a little glitz!

















All you do is apply this in the places you want to accent, much like the highlighting pen.
















See how it sparkles? :-)



Last, but not.... LIPS!!

Step 9: Lip Liner (Color: Dusty Pink)

You want to start in the middle, go out, and then work your way in with feathering strokes. Much like the eye liner.


















Step 10: Lip Color (Color: Sweet Nectar)

Apply from the outside to the middle and DO NOT rub your lips together after application of color or gloss. It causes it to clump on the sides and it will need to be taken off and re-applied sooner.




















Step 11: Lip Gloss (Color: Bronze Bliss)

You can apply the gloss the opposite of the lip color. You want the concentration to be on the center so you can start there and work your way to the corner. If you want less shine, spread the gloss in a thin layer across entire lip. If you want to really glow dot the gloss on and only put it in the center of the lip. Again... NO RUBBING! :-)
















Okay... now I need to do the rest of my face!

Before I do, remember BEFORE?: (ugh!)
















Well, I'd like to introduce you to AFTER!:














5 Words: Thank God For Mary Kay
While "Before" was pretty bad, nothing is scarier than "cyclops girl!" Ha!
I hope you enjoyed and learned something. Leave any helpful comments below!

I Love FALL

Today has been a doozie of a day, yet I don't care because it feels amazing outside! Judah is teething and running fever, fussy and irritable but when he steps outside he suddenly forgets the pain! See?

7 Months..... SEVEN MONTHS!!!!!

My little, tiny, sweet bundle of joy has, seemingly overnight, turned into a boisterous 7-month-old full of personality and charm. I have no idea what has happened to the past 7 months but I do know that they have been filled with more joy than I ever expected.






















Last night was a moment I will never forget. Tuesdays are Judah and Daddy nights. Micah watches him so I can go to my Mary Kay meetings. I came home and saw Judah's little blue New Testament Bible on Micah's desk in the front room. When I asked why it was there Micah said that he was reading it to him before bed and God gave him a scripture to speak over Judah. It was Psalm 27. He said God distinctly told him that Judah would live out that scripture. I was trying not to get emotional so that he would keep talking to me about it (you know men and displays of feelings... they don't mix too well.)



















He continues by pulling out a journal that was given to him by his spiritual father and he'd been saving for a special occasion. He started writing to Judah in the journal. It was the sweetest thing I'd ever read. I tried and tried not to cry but didn't quite make it to the end. Ugh!





















I am so amazingly blessed to have a husband that loves me and loves his family so much. Most of all, that loves the LORD! I thank God that our children will never know first hand what the word "divorce" means. Or what it feels like to be abused or neglected. I thank God that they will just assume it is normal not to experience fear because someone told them "you can't do it". That all they will know is positive reinforcement and that their discipline will be out of love, never anger. I am so glad to know what I know now and be able to pass it to the next generation.























I am so blessed.

Naptime with Mommy

Sundays are very tiring for Micah and I. We both lead discipleship groups in the morning and then we eat a quick lunch, head home rest for a few minutes only to change clothes and go to the church for worship practice. So this past Sunday in the midst of it all Judah decided he wanted to start having major teething woes! I was miserable right along with him feeling so helpless because nothing was easing his pain. He would not sleep, eat, play or be distracted in any form. Finally I was able to feed him successfully and he fell fast asleep in the middle of the feeding. Instead of putting him in bed I decided "man I'm tired too!" so I just leaned back and went with it! It was 20 minutes of heaven. Micah saw the chance for a photo opp. so here it is :-)


In other news...
I have perpetually been a nail biter from the womb! (okay so that's a bit of an exaggeration, but not much!) Here lately I started taking vitamins and BOOM my nails grew STRONG before I had any chance to bite! I took a retarded picture but I'm so proud that I don't even care if it looks good! LOL Here it is!