Friday, January 25, 2013

Facts About Me link-up!!


Today I'm linking up with Whitney from I Wore Yoga Pants for a Facts About Me post.  I did a post kinda similar before, so I'll try to not post the same facts.  



FACT
  I love, love, LOVE MAKEUP!! Check out my previous post and you'll see what I mean. 



Previous post will also give you all the deets on what I use so I look like a functioning human being every day.



FACT 
I love big, fat greasy burgers but hardly ever eat them.  I think when you change your lifestyle like I did in order to lose all the weight, you know how many calories and fat are in them and you just resist.  Actually, it's more about the bun and toppings (mayo and cheese) than anything else.  Yeah, being healthy can suck sometimes.


Damn you, Five Guys!


FACT 

I love Disney.  If you follow me on Instagram, you already know this.  If not, FOLLOW ME! (dessertsanddietsblog).  And everytime I go to Disney, I always get a Mickey pretzel.  Always.



FACT 

I still have TONS of hangups about my body.  In fact, I think I'm more judgmental about my body now than I was when I weighed 260 pounds.  It's sad but true.  I've come so far and yet I beat myself up about it.  Just being honest.




FACT

I hate running.  There, I said it.  I follow a ton of bloggers who boast about their running, which only makes me feel like a loser.  I get excited to run, love it, then start doing it, and hate it.  I love how I feel afterwards, but that's really with any exercise.  I would much rather have a one woman sweat session dancing up a storm in my bedroom.  I do it with the door locked cause I'm pretty sure I look like this....




FACT

I have insomnia. BAD.  Again, if you follow me on Instagram (did you do it already?!?), you know this.  It's horrible and I hate it.  I won't take RX meds for it because I'm scared I'll be one of those people who drives while sleeping and then kill someone.  It's happened and I have the kinda luck that I would be that someone someday.  So until it gets to the point where I could kill someone either way, I just use Benadryl almost nightly.  Anyone got any other recommendations?  And Melatonin don't work on this gurl!


FACT 


I double big fluffy heart LOVE Ryan Gosling.  Any movie he's in, I'm down.  He can do no wrong, my friends.  I just wanna watch him and eat popcorn and Reese's Pieces by the handfuls....is that so wrong?? And apparently I'm not the only one, just look at my followers on Instagram.  You bishes love him, too and I double big fluffy heart that about YOU!!!



Until next time, my loveys!! Have a great weekend :)



Thursday, January 24, 2013

What's In Your Makeup Bag link-up







So, I'm linking up today with Trista from Stewart Street for the What's In Your Makeup Bag post.  What fun!  I LOVE MAKEUP. And not just any love, like basically obsessed, Glen Close love.  

Anywho, here's a run down of what I use right now...



Wait, you said BAG not box right? And not two huge boxes either, huh?  My bad.  Told you my love runs deep.


Let's keep this to ourselves and not inform the hubby how much I spend on my said love.  This is just the stuff I keep in these boxes/totes.  I actually have more in my bathroom vanity drawer and another storage container full. He loves me for me, right?  I love him cause he's clueless about this stuff.


Here is what I use right now for my face.  I ALWAYS start off using my BB cream by Garnier.  I've recently been mixing it with a sample I got of the Tarte amazonian clay illuminating moisturizer.  The Garnier is really thick and creamy and covers great.  The Tarte is more thin and watery.  I use this combo when I just want something lighter in coverage, like during the summer time or when I'm just going to the gym.  Yeah, I'm THAT girl.

The E.L.F. tinted moisturizer is what I used before I got the Garnier.  It's $3 at Target and works just as well as the BB cream.  Grab that if you're a baller on a budget.

Next, I use Cargo and mix those two shades together (or just use the one of the right when I'm tan).  This formula is really matte on my skin, so that's why I use a light application of the BB cream first.  I have dry skin on certain spots of my face.  

The Visible lift I bought on a whim.  It's doesn't do anything even remotely to lifting.  It does match my face tone really well in the winter time and applies nice and smooth.

The E.L.F. powder I use and LOVE.  I buy it a little darker than my foundation to give me a glow without looking too fake.  It costs a whole dang dollar at Target.  The brush that I apply it with is also E.L.F. and that costs $3.  I've used top of the line brushes and have been burnt with them.  E.L.F. seriously makes the best brushes.  I do use a foundation brush from Sephora's top line BUT I forgot to take a pic of it.  Sorry!

The bronzer I bought only cause Sephora ran out of my all time fav, Benefit's Hula.  I recommend that one over the Balm one I have here.  The brush is from the Hula box.  

Blush is Nars Orgasm.  Love this stuff!  It has a cult following for a reason.  If i don't use that, I use my Stila convertible color.  But 99% of the time, I use this.  E.l.F. brush again for application.


NAKED palettes!  I would seriously run away and marry this makeup if i could.  Buy this, either one.  Just do it and do it now.  You'll love me and want to run away with me.  We can.  I'll bring the makeup, you bring the booze...or food.  Either way.

Ok, for the Naked palette, I use the color Sidecar the most.  I get tons of compliments when I wear it (on the street and at places like Sephora and Ulta).  I use Virgin or Sin in the inside corners of my eyes to make me look less sleepy.  It also makes your makeup look more professional and really pop.  I recommend you try it, again, just trust me and do it.

For eyeliner (which is the one beauty product I cannot live without), I use Urban Decay 24/7 if I want a more natural line.  If I'm doing a cat eye, then it's Physicans Formula Eye booster.  It doesn't do crap about growing my lashes like it claims, BUT it does go on perfectly.  If you're nervous about applying liquid eyeliner, start with this stuff.  It's cheaper too.  Also, another E.L.F. product, their $1 liquid eyeliner.  It has a thicker applicator, so I really recommend something you can build with if you are just starting out, like the Eye booster.

Mascara.  I love and hate it.  I love the way it makes my lashes look, I hate having to take it off.  Messy messy messy!  I use all drugstore products here.  I've tried some $$$ and honestly, they don't perform as well.  I use 2 different formulas when I'm doing a heavier makeup look.  If I'm going natural, I just use the Lash Blast volume.  The heavier look would be layering the Lash Blast and either the Falsies or the Mega Plush.

Here's a tip for you lovely ladies...if you get major clumps, try this: Wipe your mascara brush on a piece of lint free makeup rounds or tissue.  This takes off all the extra goop and gives you no clumps!  Also, when I apply the volume type mascaras, I only put those on the part closest to my eye.  Then I blink really hard.  I use the wand from the Lash Blast to then distribute all the formula.  


I hoard lip glosses like they're going out of style.  Or they stop making them...yes, Stila, I'm talking to YOU! I had a favorite Stila lip glaze color they stopped making.  I hoarded it until I used it all up.  Then I found Bare Escentuals Buxom lip gloss in Dolly.  That gloss rocks my pants off and it's even better than Stila, so HA! (No, I'm not bitter at all).  Another favorite of mine is the Makeup Forever red gloss.  That lip color lasts and lasts and lasts.  I get asked all the time what brand and color it is just because people are amazed at how bright it is all day long without budging.  Go get ya some!


That's it!  Yeah, I know it's a lot but it's good stuff.  There's some budget stuff that I pictured, so it goes to show you don't have to spend a fortune on your face.  If there IS one thing to invest on, it's lipcolor.  Why spend a few bucks for it just to come off easily when you can spend a little more and get it to last?  




Monday, January 21, 2013

Beauty Box Link Up with Allie!

Hey there, ladies!  Allie from Counting Our Cupcakes invited me to join her Beauty Box link up.  This is the first link up for me, so I hope I'm doing this right lol.





This is the second month I've gotten Ipsy.  I learned about it over at Megan from Miss Madison's Charmed Life.  I must say, well worth the $10 subscription.  I've always gotten at least 1 full sized product, sometimes 2!  Here's what came in this month's box:



1. Pacifica Tuscan Blood Orange Body Butter: OMG, this stuff smells incredible.  I put it on the minute I got the box in (around 2pm) and my husband keep complimenting me on the scent when he got home (about 8pm).  It made my skin really soft without being overly greasy, and it lasted a long time.  I will be buying more once it runs out, for sure!  This size retails for $7

2. Nailtini premium nail color in Frappe: This nail color took 3 coats of polish just to look decent.  I was burned last month with their glitter polish (chipped in less than 2 hours), so I didn't know what to expect from this one.  Well, it lasted the 2 days that I expect from my nail colors.  I get bored on the 3rd day and change it regardless, so it doesn't really matter to me if it lasts longer than that because it's gone.  Would I pay the $13 retail for this color?  Probably not.  I have 2 similar ones from Essie that cover a lot better.  Here's what my nails looked like on Day 3.  You can see the 1 nail chipped. 


3. Big Sexy Hair's Spray and Play: I already use this and the Spray and Play Harder.  Both work, you can't go wrong.  I stock up when Ulta has it on sale for $10.  Buy it, you'll love it, trust me!  My hair keeps it's curl for days with this stuff...and my hair never held a curl before this hairspray.  Here's me rocking 2nd day, slept on waves..



4. Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil: I heard a lot of good buzz about this product, but I could never justify dropping the dough for it.  I was so excited to get a small dropper full of this goodness!  And, it does indeed live up to it's hype.  I used about 4 drops of this oil on my ends and then rubbed the rest onto my flyaways.  My hair was so soft and shiny!  This is something I would not hesitate to buy in the future.  A little really goes a long way, too.

5. SOHO "Get a Grip" Concealer Brush: The concept of this brush is great as it is contoured to fit your grip, but the bristles were a little too hard for my undereye area.  I don't have really sensitive skin, so I don't know if it's just me, but I like my brushes to be nice and soft.  I use a foundation brush and then blender sponge on my whole face for makeup application.  I don't see me using this at all and will probably just gift it to my niece who uses concealer a lot, since I hardly do.

All these products came, as usual, in a cute little makeup bag.  It was a dark navy blue color and the lining had a brighter blue with white polka dots.  Cute!




Sunday, January 20, 2013

I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm SORRY!!

I'm a bad, bad blogger.  Shame on me!  Here I told you (yes, YOU, my one and only follower), that I'd try and post every damn day.  And I lied.  I'm sorry.  Very, very, very sorry!

Forgive me???

Anyway, I've been busy with life and the things it throws at you.  Asthma, breathing treatments, school forms, doctor's appts, blah blah blah.  Oh, and my 14th anniversary was yesterday.  Yeah, I had a crapload of stuff happening.  Excuses, excuses.

So, here's a recap of what went on this past week....




My daughter has asthma.  It sucks.  She also has allergies.  That really sucks.  And what is she allergic to?  Weeds and grass.  Basically I need to live in the effing desert.  So, every winter and spring she has to get breathing treatments almost daily.  That meant waking her up earlier than usual so that she went to school without wheezing.  She was sent home once this past week.  Her wheezing always gets worse when a cold front comes through.  I just wish the weather here was more consistent.  If it's gonna be winter, act like it.  Don't let it be 80s one day and freaking 30s the next day!  Arrrggghhh.  That's the end of my weather bitching.  


This is how all princesses should sleep.  



I cooked this and it was AMAZING.  Easiest recipe ever!  That's an extra lean pork tenderloin (about 1.5 lbs) with some rosemary on top.  Throw a can of jellied cranberry sauce on the sides and let it melt into awesomeness.


Not the most photogenic pork tenderloin, but that was one tasty pig!




And that's my daughter, stealing my veggies while I got up to get a refill on my water.  I can't even be mad at her wanting more veggies.



I did great with my working out.  Jillian Michaels?  Yeah, I quit that bitch.  I get really bored really fast.  I like to dance, so I started having a one woman dance party in my bedroom.  I blast my music and dance my big heart out.  I sweat like a mofo and love it.  On average I burn about 500-600 calories in 45-60 mins.  Sometimes I go longer, if the songs are pumping me up at the end.  My fav fav fav dance song right now is Ke$ha C'Mon.  Yeah, I'm lame.  But whatevs, it gets me going!  I also started doing a new arm workout routine on the days I don't dance.  I need to get some guns, yo!

That's my delicious pork dinner, right there.  


I'm gonna be adding more recipes and typical meals that I eat because I always get asked that.  People will ask me if all I eat is veggies and air.  They think you can't eat real food and drop real pounds.  WRONG!  So, I want to show everyone you can still eat all the foods you love and lose weight.  

Now, I just need to learn how to add a Pinterest button onto pictures of my recipes.  I've tried like 10,000 different ways and I STILL cannot get it to work.  FML.  I'm clueless.  If anyone can help, please let me know!  I'd appreciate it :)

Friday, January 11, 2013

Dinner is served!

I said I was going to try and post every day on the blog.  Yesterday I felt like crap and today I'm feeling exactly the same.  BUT, a promise is a promise!  This is my 2nd post of the day, so I'm making it up to you.

Even though I felt and looked like death, I managed to make dinner.  Christmas freaking miracle.  Ok, so only the family thinks it's a really complicated meal.  You don't have to tell them it isn't.  Shhhhh!!!

Here's the deets:



CROCKPOT ROAST WITH VEGETABLES



Get a good sized roast of your liking (I normally use a 2-3 pound london broil but this time I used a sirloin roast cause it was on sale).  You can use pork or chicken also, I've tried it all and it still tastes amazing.


Put that in your crockpot on high heat for the 6 hour setting.  Sprinkle these seasonings on top of the roast.

 
For the ranch since I buy it in the container, I just sprinkle on what looks the same as the package amount.

Add about 2 tablespoons of water to the seasonings that fall to the bottom.  Stir til smooth.

(Forgot to take a pic while it was raw, my bad)



Add a package of Baby bella mushrooms (whole or sliced)

 
Let that cook for about 4 hours, then add a huge bag of baby carrots (I get the 3 pound bag)

Let that cook for the reamining 2 hours.  If you aren't home during the day to add the carrots for the last two hours, you can just add them from the beginning.  They will just be more tender and fall apart a little easier.  Still yummy, though!
 
 
 


Lastly, mashed potatoes (I'm lazy so I get those Simply Potatoes that are in the refridgerated section).  Cook those in the microwave for a few minutes and then use the juice from the roast as your gravy. 

 
Here's what my son's plate looked like.  My kids don't like mushrooms, so those were all mine.  Sorry I didn't take a pic of mine. 
 
 
This is the one meal my kids NEVER, EVER, EVER complain about.  They love it.  And I hope your family likes it too!  Let me know how it works out for you.
 

A heartfelt post about weight

Well, it goes like this.  I'm lazy.  Well, not completely lazy but kinda sick.  Whenever my good friend Aunt Flo (TMI?) comes to visit, I feel like a complete piece of crap.  I'm worn down and just wanna lay around, kinda like your first day of the flu.  Or maybe I have the flu cause again today I feel like a lazy bitch.  Who knows?

I obviously did NOT work out yesterday, like I planned.  It really was something I was just doing to push myself further than my goal was.  Adding a second type of Jillian Michaels DVD to my lineup was reaching for the stars, sounded great when I talked about it, but then when it came time to do it, not so much. 

I haven't done any hardcore exercise routine since my surgeries about 3 months ago.  Before that, I was killing myself doing 2 hours of cardio and weights a minimum of 6 days a week.  It was brutal.  I love to workout and feel great afterward, don't get me wrong.  BUT, that routine was tough.  In the end did I end up hurting my body by breaking it down to much?  Who knows.  But, after that I did decide to start back slowly and work my way up to something a lot more manageable.

Am I where I want to be body wise?  Weight wise?  No, not really.  I could stand to lose a good 5 pounds.  BUT, I'm a healthy BMI weight and a lot smaller than what my Doctor even advised me to be.  I think that people that hit a healthy weight and still set even lower numbers for themselves are only looking for failure.  If you're at a good weight, want to get even smaller, don't get there because you are already at a healthy weight, you give up.  I've seen it with a lot of my family and friends.  This is why I don't get so down on myself for not losing those 5 pounds.  Because you know why?  I've lost 110! That doesn't mean just don't workout and eat what you want, though.  Because the hardest part of weight loss is the aftermath....MAINTENCE! Yep, it's the worst.  More on that later.

So back to the laziness.  I'm aiming to do the Jillian Michaels DVD at least 3-4 times this week.  I've already done it twice.  I WANT to do it again today, but like I said, I'm tired and not feeling so good.  I don't want to half-ass it.  I'd rather focus on getting/feeling better.  So, if I do it today, great.  If not, there is always tomorrow.  And I'm not going to beat myself up for that!



Have a great day everyone!

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Jillian Michaels kicked my behind in!!!

Today I woke up, fully knowing that I was going to be active with the family, and worked out.  And not JUST worked out, but I did a full Jillian Michaels DVD.  Yes, the FULL freakin' 55 minute sweat dripping, heart racing, fatigue inducing Banish Fat, Boost Metabolism DVD.  I.wanted.to.die.

 
 


This was my second time doing it, and while I hate it while I'm doing it, I actually really really really love it.  I feel so accomplished and strong afterward.  It gives me that feeling I used to feel when I did TurboFire and I was overweight.  I drank one of these bad boys below to fuel myself during my workout.  They work and taste yummy!


 



After I rocked that out, I showered and got ready for the kids to get out of school so we could go to the theme park.  My legs were already sore since yesterday and after the workout, man, they were shaky.  I was kinda dreading walking around, but I did it.  Here's some photos I took while we were there.

 
Yup, it's 80s here in January and the Christmas tree is still up.  Had to laugh at that one!
 
 
Shared this with the family.  I LOVE pretzels.  Ok, maybe LOVE isn't the right word...OBSESSED would be a better term.  I always, ALWAYS get a soft pretzel at the theme parks.  Hubby even searched for this cute one for me.  Gotta love him!  And yes, all those mustard packets are mine.  I prefer spicy but this is all they had.  Whomp, Whomp.
 
 
 
We all really like this ride, even went on it twice.  Sucks that it was the same exact experience both times though.  Arrrgghhh.  BUT, hubby was the Rebel Spy!  The kids thought that was awesome.  I was the Rebel Spy the first time I rode it.  Just sayin'.
 
All in all, a busy day.  Tomorrow I'm gonna try a new Jillian Michaels DVD.  No More Trouble Zones.  I'm looking to tone up a bit so I hope that helps.  I was looking forward to a day of rest after a day like today, but we'll see! 
 
Til tomorrow :)