Six.

Ah, I love September 18th.  Our wedding was such a beautiful day, and we loved every minute of it.  It has been six years since then and while I can't believe it has been that long, I feel like we are in this great place of really knowing one another, and have a game plan for the future and what we both hope to accomplish together.  Tonight is going to be low-key, just how we like it.  Grilling some steaks on the grill and finishing up painting our bedroom.

Here's to many more crazy days and cozy nights, painting rooms and summer bonfires, favorite fish tacos and U of M games, silly puppies and video games, new patios and Netflix nights.

I love you more than words can describe.

<3

Master Bedroom Remodel!

Well, well, well.

Joey and I have taken on another remodel in our house and it is in full swing.  Our house is painted all one boring builders-grade white and we have been trying to cozy it up now that our warranty is expired.  It has been fun envisioning what we want to do to transform our house into our home!

Our first project was our little powder room downstairs because everyone who visits always uses that bathroom.  It was nice to spruce it up for guests.  It turned out really nice and we are really happy with it!  That first little change bit me with the DIY remodel bug and all of a sudden I was seeing so! many! possibilities! with our house.  We decided that next up should be our bedroom.  It's one of the rooms in the house we use the most and I wanted to turn it into our sanctuary.

So what have we done so far?  It feels like a whole lot of nothing.  We have done tons, but without major change, it just feels like you're just treading water and in the same dang position for a long time.  We painted the trim, which made such a HUGE difference itself.  It's amazing how crisp and clean a room can look with some extra-white paint on the trim.  That took at least 3 weeks between taping it off and actually finding the time to do it in between weddings, birthday parties and of course, work.

Last night, we were all set to prime the walls...until we realized we had to tape everything off and lay drop cloths down.  We invested in a paint sprayer (since we have a whole freaking house to paint) and quickly realized that we couldn't do anything until all of the protectables were protected.  So we got that ready because that only takes five minutes right? HAAAAA, NO.  Three hours later it was a wrap (literally) and we went to bed.  Prep work, I hate you.  Here are some pictures of the room after all of that was done:

It pretty much looks like the inside of an old-school milk carton.  (Also?  That tray ceiling is it's own monster, but that's a whole different post.)

So tonight we finally got down to priming!  Here's Joey in his glory with his new tools:

Double-fisting the painting supplies like a champ!  Obviously I watch and take pictures.

The primer has already made a huge improvement in the room and it definitely looks like it's ready for paint now!  Our goal is to have our room back by this weekend, because clothes in 4 different spots in the house along with a completely relocated bathroom makes for a very frazzled wife and I can't handle that crap before coffee in the morning while trying to get ready for work.

Getting there (I hope)!  More later this week :)

Dem Jeans

Does anyone else have a loathing of jeans shopping?  I would rather try on swimsuits with unshaven legs than go scouting for new jeans.  It's the worst, isn't it?  Body shaming to the CORE.  Your thighs got a little too thick, your ass suddenly inflated, a muffin has popped its top around your midsection and the length is always off.  Always!  There's only one logical explanation: THEYCHANGEDTHESIZECHARTONTHISBRANDBECAUSEIKNOWIFITINTHISSIZEBEFORE.

Just me?

I ran my old jeans into the ground.  Really, those things should have been torched long ago.  I think a couple of pairs are still lingering from high school.  Now in my defense, I don't crack those old flares out (I know) unless I'm working around the house or running crazy errands in the rain.  They were the go-to's for all of the non-fun things I had to do and I didn't want to put on my good jeans.  They also *may or may not* have sparkles on the butt pockets.  (I'll never tell!)

I have been on the hunt for a nice pair of distressed skinny jeans.  I don't like the overly crazy distressed jeans with rips everywhere, but some texture on them is what I want right now.  I got lucky and found a lovely pair from H&M that fit every single one of my strict criteria.  Behold:

I love these jeans.  They are perfect for dressing up or down, have the perfect amount of stretch and give and they have just the right amount of distressing.  Luckily, I didn't have to try on too many different pairs at H&M before I found these.  I am thinking of buying a second pair!

Now, about the flares.  I know this trend is coming back, but I don't want the full on flare, ya know?  I think I found a compromise with these American Eagle Kick Boot jeans. 

They're nice, but they're a little too long for me.  The 'short' style was too short and the 'regular' style is too long.  Such is my life.  Good thing there is an alteration shop in my town that I can get them hemmed for relatively cheap.  They're a good mid-weight jean with a really nice feel.  I didn't have to squeeze into them and they still have really nice curve and hug to them.  I have only had the opportunity to wear them a couple of times, so I am still deciding if they will become my new favorites or not.  Still, at least I found a few pairs!

So, where do you shop for jeans?  Do you have any go-to brands?  

V-Day Recap and Many Leather-bound Books

Happy Monday!

This weekend was a really nice one, filled with things to do for Valentine's Day and a mini home project that Joey and I tackled.  We didn't have any Valentine's Day plans at first, but when we both got home from work, we were starving and didn't want to cook.  Hubs suggested heading to Aubree's Pizza for dinner, since it just opened right down the street from us.  I had never been there before, so we tried it out and it was delicious.  We will definitely be going back, and that can be dangerous considering it's right down the street!

He also surprised me with a bouquet of beautiful lavender roses!  They are definitely a contender for my favorite flower now and they are making me crave springtime even more. We didn't realize it until we were eating dinner, but last year we did the exact same thing for Valentine's Day.  We ordered pizza in and watched the new Season 2 of House of Cards on Netflix.  Apparently, we like our V Day's laid back and casual.  We will probably be keeping this tradition up!  Unfortunately, Season 3 of HOC doesn't come out for another 11 days, but we were content with watching random shows on tv.

On Sunday we decided to put together the bookcase that his family got us for Christmas.  It's from Target, and we love it!  It was easy to put together with 2 people and only took us about an hour and fifteen minutes.  So excited to have it up, now I just have to fill it!  Isn't it a beaut?

Can't wait to get some cute bookends for this bad boy.  I may end up purchasing another one, too because I like it so much and I think I will need it for all of the books we have.

Have a great start to the week!

Xo

Finally Friday!

Hello Friends!

We made it to Friday...thank goodness.  This week has gone sloooooow.  Anyone else?  How was your week?  Here are some highlights of this week and things I am looking forward to this weekend:

1. I bought Express jeans for the first time last week, and unfortunately, after one wear, they aren't for me.  I am heading straight to the mall on Saturday to return or exchange them.  I finally decided to invest in some nice jeans and they did not work out well for me.  Ugh, oh well.  The search for great jeans continues.

2. While at the mall I need to go to the Macy's Clinique counter.  I'm at that point where all of my skincare products run out at once.  Why does that always happen??  I need to get some new foundation and a couple other things.  I may make a small run to Ulta, too ;)

3. I saw these beautiful flowers today after work and I thought they were so beautiful for Valentine's Day...the pastel colors are just gorgeous, especially the lavender ones.

4.  Joey and I are getting into the new show Backstrom with Rainn Wilson.  It started off slow but it's getting better every week.  Does anyone else watch?

5. The biggest thing I am looking forward to this weekend? Getting some good R & R.  We were swamped with things to do last weekend and it will be nice to have a pretty chill weekend.  Plus, it's going to be COLD.  Like, -8* cold.  I will definitely be staying snuggled up under a blanket pretty much all weekend.

Hope you all have a great Friday and Happy Weekend!

Xo

Spring Finds

With warmer weather getting closer each day, my mind has totally shifted away from winter everything.  I have been getting the bug to shop, but I'm trying to make sure that I really zero in on things that I love and not just impulse by for the sake of changing seasons.

In addition to sprucing up my wardrobe and makeup bag, I also have many projects planned for around the house this year as well.  I'm looking forward to injecting our home with more personality and charm and really making it feel like our space.

Here are some things I'm currently obsessing over:

Cedar Street Maise - Kate Spade

Stila Eyes Are The Window 'Soul' Palette - Sephora

XO Greeting Cards - Rifle Paper Co.

Personalized Scroll Pillow - Joss & Main

Apothecary Jars - Pottery Barn

Gold Foil Desk Calendar - Paper Source

Ibilin Heels - Aldo

Gold Canvas Print - Joss & Main

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush 'Luminous Flush' - Sephora

Learning How To Fold My Clothes

I was recently introduced to this book by Marie Kondo and I've got to say...she definitely made me realize that my life could use some decluttering and organizing.  I don't know what it is, but I get attached to my clothing.  I remember where I got everything, where I wore it, what kind of outfit I turned it into...and for this reason, I have kept a lot of things that needed to go.  A lot.

So I did a mini purge. (This is not what she teaches in the book but it's all I had time for at this point!)  This was a nice way to dip my toes into letting go of some really old things that I loved, but never wear anymore.  It felt really nice to do this, especially before Spring gets here. I wanted to really look at what I own and see what truly "sparks joy" for me like Marie teaches in the book.

So after the mini-purge, I realized my drawers could use a makeover in the folding department because they were still unorganized and cluttered.  I admit that I am the clothes-in-the-drawer-smasher where I pull things out, look at them, throw them back in and throw my weight into the drawer to get it to close because I'm running low on time and patience.

Marie has a whole system for decluttering and organizing your life but the one thing I felt like I needed immediately was a new way to organize my drawers.  Her method was perfect, and exactly what I was looking for.  I can now see all of my clothes at a glance, without frantically grabbing and stuffing.  I would have taken pictures of my stuff, but I was so excited to get started on my drawers I didn't take any before pictures, so, you're going to see my husband's drawers get a makeover ;)  When he saw how my drawers turned out, he asked me to do this to his!  (Little did he know I was going to do his next anyhow in my fit of a folding spree.)

I went from this:

to this in a matter of a forty-five minutes:

Now I didn't just do one drawer of his, I did his entire dresser in that time period.  By looking up Marie's KonMari method of folding on YouTube, I was able to teach myself how to do it and so I figured I would snap some pictures while I was folding.  Here's a step by step of how it's done.  (oh, and let's just pretend everything was ironed beforehand, mmkay?  Hey, this is real life people and my sister stole my iron!)

First, spread out the shirt face down on the floor.

Fold in the right side and then fold the sleeve back toward the outside...

Then repeat on the left side, so that you have a long skinny rectangle.

Once it looks like this, fold from the bottom to the top...

...so that it looks like this:

Then fold once more from bottom to top.

If you've done it correctly, the shirt should be upside down.  Next just flip it and stick it in the drawer with the rounded edge facing upward!  This makes it really easy to see which shirt it is because the design is in plain view, and easy to grab with the rounded edge facing up in the drawer.

Ta-da!  So easy.  I couldn't believe how nice everything looked when we were done, and I can't believe that my drawers actually stay nice when I take something out.  TRY THIS.  I promise, you will want to hug your dresser after.  Let me know how it turns out!

Xo

Serial Podcast

It seems like I am always a beat behind everyone when it comes to the latest trends in technology.  I am never really romanced by all of the tech-y things that come out on the market because, quite frankly, it's just more crap to take care of.  More cords, more chargers, more syncing this and downloading that.  Honestly I just don't care.

Despite that, I do try to keep up with what people are reading or what they're listening to.  I'm pretty sure everyone has heard of the podcast Serial by now, but this is the first podcast I have ever listened to.  (I know.)

I downloaded the episodes last night before bed so that I could listen on my way to work yesterday morning.  You guys.  I got hooked on this so quickly that I listened to it on the way home from work last night, when I was in the shower, and while I was putting my crockpot dinner together for tonight. It's so interesting!  There are so many twists and turns to this it is so hard to say who's guilty and who's innocent.  I have always admired cops and lawyers but I am appreciating them in a whole new light.  I'm already on Chapter 5 and I am looking forward to listening to it on my commute again tomorrow.  I have already got a few people into it as well, like Ashley.

Who else has listened to it?  And can you please tell me what I should line up to listen to next?  I have a feeling I will be done with Serial within a week ;)

Winter Skin Woes

I understand that because I live in Michigan I should expect cold and snowy winters.  I get it, it's par for the course around here.  We've grown up shoveling, snow blowing, salting and driving through horrible weather conditions but I am OVER IT.  So over it.  Cabin fever has hit me especially hard this year and I want nothing more than 70 degree days and sunshine around the clock.  But it's February, so there's that.

Oh, and did I mention the havoc that this weather is playing on my skin?  Oh no?  Well, let's talk about that then.  This winter has been extremely drying on my skin and I just don't know what on Earth could combat it.  I am still on the hunt for the perfect moisturizer for my face because nothing seems to penetrate enough without breaking my annoyingly sensitive skin out.  Help a sister out and send some suggestions my way!

My lips feel like raisins and I keep plastering balm on them.  Thanks -10 degree windchill, you know how to whip the skin off my lips.  For a while I was using Jack Black and then I ran out and stupidly bought Carmex which just dehydrated my lips even more, so I finally bit the bullet and bought some Bite Beauty Agave Lip Mask.  It seems to be working well so far, so I am hoping this keeps up the good work!

My nails have also decided to be a total piece of crap to deal with, so I keep slathering on some vitamin gel to try to help them get growing again.  I am trying to keep nail polish on them, too so that some strength can build up so they don't chip as easily.  I cannot wait until the weather warms up and I can go get a manicure and pedicure that will actually help my hands and feet feel normal again!

Spring, I miss you.

Xo

Copying the Internet

I was poking around on YouTube last week and I watched this video that taught me how to de-pot MAC eyeshadows from the individual containers.  Since I had five of them laying around, I figured I would get all the supplies and give it a go this week.

Believe it or not, this was super easy!  I was worried, because whenever I try to copy a hack it usually turns into a big fat failure.  This one involved melting plastic.  (Can we say fire hazard?)  Luckily, I was really pleased that it was actually easy to do, but it required a very watchful eye!

The things you need:

Flat iron (I used my 2" Chi)
Strip of magnets
Small, flat knife
Scissors
Quarter
MAC eyeshadows to de-pot

Before I started with the eyeshadows, I traced the quarter onto the magnet sheet and cut out circles that fit perfectly onto the back of the MAC eyeshadow pans.  After that, by using the small knife I popped the top part of the plastic container out which houses the shadow pan.  I then placed that whole piece onto the heated up flat iron and watched it closely while the plastic melted ever so slightly away from the edges.  After about 20-30 seconds,  I took the pan off and used the knife to remove the whole pan.

After I let it sit on the knife to cool a bit (it gets hot!) I put the magnet onto the back of the pan and let it sit again.  Using the same technique I did with the inside pan, I took the outer shell of the MAC eyeshadow and put the label side down onto the flat iron.  After about 15 seconds, I took it off, used the knife to remove the label and slapped it right onto the magnet.  DONEZO.

It really was easy to do and I actually had quite a bit of fun with it.  My 15 color palette is almost full!  Only 4 more colors to choose!

Here are my colors in the columns from top to bottom:

Naked Lunch

Satin Taupe

Charcoal Brown

Rice Paper

Era

Brun

Woodwinked

All That Glitters

Nylon

Cranberry

Fig 2

Let me know if you attempt this and how it goes for you!

Xo

Bigger. Better.

Well now.  That was a nice little hiatus, yes?  You all know the drill: the holidays hit, family, friends, parties, foodfoodfood.  It happened to me, too.  Anyways, I'm back!

I always look forward to a new year because it's a blank slate of sorts.  2014 was hard.  So incredibly hard.  While I look back on that, I can't help but to be happy that I was on the other side of it by the time the year came to a close.  I definitely was not where I thought I would be by the end of the year.  I was way past that.

For some reason, 2015 has had an uneasiness to me.  I feel like I want to grow so much as a person this year in so many ways and I have no idea where to start.  So I took a step back and I thought, how do I get to that place, that place that seems so elusive and enigmatic and so much bigger than I can handle?  Rule number one: don't try to figure it out from the start.  I do that way too much.  I set lofty goals (which is a good thing) but I don't set the smaller goals that are the stepping stones.

That's what this year is going to be about for me.  Finding, implementing and using those stepping stones to plunge into bigger and better things for myself this year.  Where do I want this blog to go?  Honestly, I have no idea.  But I'm going to write about my likes and loves, because I have a lot of them.  I'm not going to try to fit into a box out there in the blogosphere.  Wherever I land that is most comfortable to me is where I want to be.

Sometimes, starting small opens up something pretty big.

Um, where did October go?

Here we are, the last week of October already.  I really have no idea how that's possible and I continue to be dumbfounded about how quickly this whole year has gone.  I thought that October was going to be a pretty low key month, but it quickly filled up with birthdays, projects and Halloween parties.

Our weekend started out with a nice relaxing Friday night with Hubs and I taking it easy, ordering pizza for dinner and enjoying downtime after a hectic workweek.  The dogs appreciate this downtime as well, considering they get to hang out on the couch with us :)

(I really don't know how Miss Lulu was comfortable with this, but homegirl was passed out.)

Saturday turned into a much busier day then anticipated, but in a good way.  After breakfast, Joey had to do some lawn work so and I got a call from my Mom asking if I wanted to go to the mall.  I never turn down an invitation to the mall, obviously.  It was a really nice time!  We spent way too much money at the Clinique counter, per usual, and I put a good dent in my Christmas shopping.  I got all of our niece and nephew's gifts halfway done, and I got some great deals on stuff.  It feels good to get going on all of that so we're not scrambling in the next few weeks (WEEKS?!) before the huge shopping rush.

Later that evening we got all dressed up in our costumes and went to my best friends' annual Halloween party.  It was different this year because their newborn son, Vinny joined us this year in his Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle costume!  Babies in costumes are just the cutest ever.

Sunday turned into a busy day as well.  My sister Ashley spent the night after the party and we made a big pancake spread for breakfast.  Then we all headed to church and Joey and I went and got me the new iPhone 6!  I am liking it so far and I'm excited to dig in more and find out the new cool things it can do.

Then we had a nice little lunch date at Panera and afterwards went to Helzberg to turn in our wedding rings to get them checked and redipped.  I feel so naked without my ring!  I keep having mini heart attacks when I realize there is nothing on my finger.  I'm going to need to put one of my costume ones on temporarily so I don't keep having spaz attacks the next week.

I hope you all had a relaxing weekend!  Anything interesting happen?  Let me know below! 

High Five for Friday!

Every Thursday night I'm amazed that I'm already preparing a post for Friday again.  I am so ready for it though.  I think when I push the snooze alarm for an extra fifty minutes on Thursday morning, that's pretty much signaling I am D.O.N.E. for the week.

1.  This past weekend was so much fun.  We took our Godsons to Greenfield Village for their Halloween walk.  It's over a mile long and it winds through the whole village with carved jack-o-lanterns lighting the way.  The boys got candy, we walked through a haunted bridge and a haunted wood forest and saw the Headless Horseman.  We had perfect weather which made it even better.  There's nothing like a beautiful October night for a walk.

2.  Our friends came over for dinner on Tuesday night.  We made a pot roast and got a chance to catch up with them since their wedding last month.  They told us all about their honeymoon to Costa Rica (so freaking beautiful!) and we played some cards.  It's wonderful to hang out and catch up with our closest friends, especially since we all have such busy schedules now!

3.  I have been drinking my kale, spinach and avocado smoothies every morning and it is improving my skin so so much!  My skin is much more clear, more dewy and it has been making my body feel great, too.  I got Joey on the smoothie train, so he is having one every morning, too ;)

4.  We are already winterizing our sprinkler system!  I can't believe it's that time of year already.  We got the last tree planted on our property that we needed this week, so we are officially finished with the basic lawn requirements.  Man, it takes a lot to turn a dirt lot into an actual yard.  Next year should be much easier to keep up with so we can focus on the patio!

5.  We are leaving for the Bahamas in one month! ONE. MONTH.  We have both jumped on the workout train again, and man am I feeling it!  Ab Ripper X from P90 X is no joke and just to torture myself further I have been throwing in Denise Austin's Boot Camp.  I am determined to be super toned for this vacation, so hopefully I will stick with it and see some great results.  While I was working out, I had a workout buddy join me:

She's looking pretty fit, don't you think? ;)  I love my little workout buddy, she's the best!

I hope you had a great week!  What is your favorite thing that happened this past week?  I would love to hear about it!  Don't forget to link up with Lauren, too!

Wish List Wednesday

We made it to the middle of the week!  The weekend is getting closer and that makes me very happy. This past weekend the weather was gorgeous...perfect temps, cool air and that crisp autumn feel in the air.  This week, though has been plain crappy.  Damp, cool and rain rain rain with no signs of letting up.

With the weather getting cooler and cooler, it reminds me that the  holidays coming up way too quickly! I have been trying to get my Christmas lists together for who we need to shop for and how much money to allocate.  It's also the perfect time to compile my own Christmas list for when Hubby asks for ideas ;)  Here's my Wish List Wednesday compilation for this week:

SOLE SOCIETY LYLEE BOOTIE

This bootie is exactly what I have been looking for.  Not to dressy, not too casual and can be worn with anything from jeans to leggings.  I definitely need my shoes to be multi-purpose these days.

MAKE UP FOR EVER HD CONCEALER

I have been scouting around for the next leap I want to make in high end concealers and I think it's going to be this one.  I have heard rave reviews about the staying power and coverage of dark circles, so I want to see if it lives up to the hype.

MAC FIX+

I have a lot of glittery eyeshadows that I would like to use wet sometimes, but I need this stuff to make it work and make it stay! I have also heard that this makes your complexion look amazing if you spray it over your face after you apply your makeup for the day.

FOSSIL CECILE MULTIFUNCTION LEATHER WATCH

Yummmm.  I love love love this watch!  Simplistic and elegant and will match everything.  I love that it's a neutral band and that the gold isn't overpowering.  I have an all stainless steel watch that I love and wear all the time, but I need something totally different in my collection to switch it up.

What are you guys loving and wanting to add to your Christmas lists?  Do tell!

High Five for Friday!

Hello Friends!  With another week comes another five things that have been awesome this week.  Let's get to it!

1. We are taking our Godsons to Greenfield Village tomorrow night!  It is a wonderful historic village that is part of the Henry Ford Estate.  I am really excited about this because I have never been there, either.  Every year in October they have a mile-long jack-o-lantern walkway that's all lit up and beautiful and the kids wear their costumes. People go crazy for it.  I am a huge jack-o-lantern fan, too.  If you follow me on Instagram, one of my decorations made it on there last night :)

2. This work week went super fast.  I got more responsibilities handed to me at work, so it is definitely keeping me really busy.  I like it though, it makes the weeks go by really quickly.

3. I have gotten back into the swing of drinking my green smoothies again.  It's amazing how much better they make me feel.  They make my skin glow, my hair shiny and they make me feel better all around.  Joey decided to make his own concoction and he loved it!  I think I got him hooked ;)

4. I did a lot of organizing this week which always makes me feel so good.  I cleaned out our filing cabinet and separated all of the old stuff from the necessary stuff.  This is not earth-shattering but trust me, we tend to get overrun by papers and they end up getting stashed.  It's been in the back of my mind to do it for a while and I'm so glad it's done!

5. My inlaws came over last Sunday and we enjoyed a really nice spaghetti dinner with them.  It was nice to talk and catch up.  They brought us a delicious pie filled with blueberries, cherries and apples with a strudel crumb topping.  It.was.delicious.  They also got us a giant pumpkin for our porch!  It makes it so nice and festive for the holidays!

Joey and I plan on carving some pumpkins closer to Halloween.  I love doing that, it's one of my favorite things to do.  What are some of your favorite Halloween traditions? Do you carve pumpkins?  Roast pumpkin seeds?  Inspire me!  I always love to hear about the fun things other people do around this time of year.

Well, this weekend is my Dad's birthday, so we should be really great!  I can't wait to get out of work tomorrow and kick off the weekend.  I hope you had a great week!  Link up with Lauren below!

Let's Talk Hair

So.  This is definitely a subject that I both love and drives me crazy at the same time.  I love doing my hair and watching tutorials on YouTube and trying to recreate them, but more often than not I am not loving the results.

So what kind of hair do I have?  I have natural waves in my hair...and not the cute, Victoria's Secret sexy beach waves.  They are the weird, cowlick, frizzed out version.  If I blow dry my hair, it's relatively straight but I usually need to do some heat styling to get it to look a little more natural and effortless.  Add in the fact that my hair is super thick and gets greasy easily and I just get frustrated and ticked off. 

The funny thing is, I know what the issue is...product.  I know I need to get better products to help get the hairstyles I'm trying to do to actually stay in place.  Luckily, with all of the blogs and YouTubers out there, I have found a select few items that work for me for my daily hairstyles.

OGX MOROCCAN ARGAN OIL WEIGHTLESS HEALING DRY OIL

This argan oil is pretty awesome.  After my shower I comb out my hair and use 5-7 sprays all over my hair.  It detangles it, smooths and shines and keeps the blow dry time down.  With my thick hair I really need that.  Double bonus is that it's cheap and smells heavenly.  At $7.99 you can't beat it.

OSCAR BLANDI HAIR LIFT MOUSSE

This mousse is a bit on the pricey end, but I have been loving it so far.  It adds just enough volume for the day to day hairstyling.  I have noticed that when I use this, it helps control the oil in my hair.  I have found I can go longer in between washing my hair when I use this mousse.  That saves me time and helps keep my hair healthier with less washing and blow drying.

ORIBE DRY TEXTURIZING SPRAY

I have talked about this spray before and I loved it right from the beginning, and now that I've used it for quite a while, I'm still loving it.  It is great for second and third day hair.  It allows me to backcomb to get height for fancier hairstyles, combats any oil with it's dry shampoo properties and it gives my hair grip to pin it up or back.  Using this in combination with the Oscar Blandi mousse has really given me more flexibility with styling.  It's expensive, but I only use it when I absolutely need to.  I will definitely be repurchasing when this runs out!

These three items are my core team so far, but I still need to find some products that work well with curling.  Since my hair can get greasy really easily from the wrong products, I have to watch what I use and test things out to see how they work for me.  I need something lightweight that will give my hair lots of grip and staying power without weighing it down with thick creams or gels.  What are your favorite products for those kinds of styles?  Give a girl some help!

High Five for Friday!

I started out this week pretty tired and thought that Friday would never get here.  Luckily, this week went by pretty quickly, considering it was a weird week that was kind of out of the norm.  Here's a recap of the best parts!

1. We got back from our trip to Pennsylvania on Sunday evening.  It was a great time!  I got the chance to see almost all of my aunts, uncles and cousins and that was great since we haven't all been in the same room together in about ten years.  It was especially wonderful because both of my Grandpap's turn 80 this year and we were there for very close to their birthdays.  My Grandma turned 77 on Saturday when we were down there!  Triple birthdays?  Yes please!  And, how sweet are they? I am so thankful that they are all still in my life :)

2.  Joey is back home!  He had to do his last trip to Erie, PA this week and he's finally back now!  So glad to have him back so we can enjoy the weekend together.  When he is gone, weeks go by S-L-O-W-L-Y.

3.  My cousin is getting married on Saturday, so we are going to his wedding.  He is marrying a wonderful girl and we are so happy for them.  It will be great to have a night out with hubby and my sisters and be able to get dressed up and dance!

4.  I am continuing to use our new washer and dryer and luhving it!  That thing is the best.  Also?  I would pick doing laundry over dishes any day.

5.  I busted out the Halloween decorations!  The house is looking pretty seasonal around here, and it's such a nice change.  If you follow me on Instagram, I snapped this picture of these slippers I forgot I had in one of my Halloween boxes and I was pretty excited about it.

I hope you have a great weekend, friends!  October is such a lovely month.  The air is cooler and crisp, but it's not in that awful cold weather yet.  I hope to get some cornstalks and pumpkins for outside on the porch sometime this week...hopefully we have some time to do so!

Don't forget to link up with Lauren below!

Hunter Boots

With how awful winter was in Michigan (and everywhere, really) last year, we are all betting on a winter that is not much better this year.  Snow, ice, slush, ice, more snow and more ice.  Oh yeah, and SUBZERO TEMPS.  I am not looking forward to that at all.  Let's not go lower than the teens this year if we must, mmkay?  DO YOU HEAR ME, WEATHERJERKS?

One thing that I was mad at myself for not investing in before all that bad weather hit was a quality pair of winter boots.  I had a crappy pair from Target that got me through but they weren't tall enough and didn't have enough tread.  With ice that was inches thick on every sidewalk and driveway, es no bueno.

This year, I am going to order my Hunter boots.  I have been wanting these for years and I'm going to spring for them this year, and soon.  I need to get them in my possession before snow hits and all the people buy them up and raise the prices.  I think I am going with the original tall in matte black.

Ahhh, can't wait.  I'll probably get the wool sock inserts as well.  They're perfect if you need to change your shoes at the office.  Wear socks already in the boots and you're all set.  No extra crap to haul to and from work!

What's your go-to winter boot?

Wish List Wednesday

All of the beautiful seasonal clothes have got me wanting to run to the nearest mall and throw down the plastic for chic clothing this season.  However.  I need to space out my purchases a bit to *ahem* keep the wallet in check.  

Since I'm tempering my shopping habits, I have compiled a wish list of things that I am keeping my eye on to buy the next time I go to the mall or online shop, so that I remember what I want and don't just impulse buy other things that are not so high up on my list.  Surprisingly, I have a lot of clothes from last season that I will put into rotation again this year, so I'm focused more on only a few staple pieces that will enhance my wardrobe.  And beauty items, of course.

TOO FACED BETTER THAN SEX MASCARA
I have wanted this for a very long time now, since my sister Ashley picked it up about a year ago.  I had been in a phase of loving Maybelline Falsies mascara for such a long time that I didn't want to go high end with my mascara. Since I had found a great drugstore one that worked for me I figured I wouldn't splurge on it.  But now?  I want.

TOO FACED PRIMED AND PORELESS PRESSED POWDER

I want this powder so so badly, but I am a little bit leery on purchasing it because my skin is so temperamental.  I am hoping it doesn't break me out if I decide to take the plunge and buy this.  Spot testing will be my friend for a while on this one.  Has anyone else bought this?  How did it work for you?

SOLE SOCIETY MIIA FLAT

Dear goodness.  This shoe is absolutely perfect, yes?  Honestly what I have been on the hunt for for MONTHS.  I have just discovered Sole Society and I think it's going to become my new best friend.

SOLE SOCIETY OMBRE MUFFLER

See? Told you guys.  I have also been wanting to get really big snuggly scarves this year and this muffler from Sole Society pretty much fits the bill!  I am all about comfort and flexibility this year with cold weather clothes and this would fit in perfectly.

These four things make me so happy to look at, so they must become part of my closet and make up bag soon, right?!  What are some items you have been eyeballing lately?  I want to know what you want for your closet, too!

High Five for Friday!

Once again, Friday rolls around.  It has been quite an exciting and hectic week!  Let's get to it:

1. My beautiful best friend Kim had her baby yesterday!  Mr. Vincenzo Thomas Hunter (seriously...what an awesome name) was born at 12:08 weighing 7 lbs, 12 oz and 21.5 inches long.  He is just ADORABLE and I want to snuggle on him all.day.long.  Can't wait to spend more time with him in the coming week when they're all home!  I will post pictures as soon as I get permission from them to put them on the blog!

2. My grandfather is turning 80 next week, so we are making an impromptu weekend trip to PA to see him!  I can't wait...most of our family from both sides will be there, so it will be a great time to catch up!

3. I started the dreaded summer/fall clothing swap.  This year I am vowing to get rid of a lot of things I have not worn in the past few years.  I tend to get sentimental attachments to clothing, so it's very hard for me to part with things.  I'm super nostalgic and love fashion, so it's a hoarding combo. ;)

4. I am getting really excited for October to roll around.  I will start putting out my Halloween decorations!  I usually reserve September for fall decorations and then add in the Halloween stuff soon after.  October is one of my favorite months of the year!  Bring on apple cider and donuts all day, erry day.

5. I have just discovered Sole Society.  WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN ALL MY LIFE?!  The best part?  They actually have lovely shoes and boots in size 5 to fit my tiny feet!  I will definitely be shopping there through fall.  The scarves are just delicious looking as well.

Adorbs. Want.

I hope you all have a great weekend, friends!  See you Monday!

P.S.  Link up with Lauren below!