Friday, March 7, 2014

Friday FIVE

Oh Friday!  I have been waiting on you since Monday and am so happy you finally showed up to the party.  This week's favorites are mostly from my J'Adore Vox Box and a Dove product they asked me to try a few weeks ago.  All five items have one thing in common...they are helping me survive this winter that just won't seem to go AWAY!

1.  John Frieda 3 Day Straight
I have UBER curly hair and if that wasn't enough it is super super thick.  If I dry it with a hair dryer it takes almost an hour and if I let it air dry it takes more than a day to completely dry.  I have been getting the Keratin treatments since they came out and before that I did the japanese relaxer treatments.  So when this bottle of 3 day straight arrived in my J'Adore Vox Box I thought...how good can it be?  Well let me remove my foot from my mouth, because this ROCKS!  Seriously, I sprayed my hair with about 14 sprays and blow dried it.  It took less than 30 minutes to dry and stayed super straight and FRIZZ free for the next 5 days, not 3 but 5 and that includes my daily crossfit workout and being pulled into a ponytail during showers.  What was even better was the fact that it didn't know any band lines...those tell tale signs that you have had your hair up that make you want to dry it all over again...well that might be a tad too far.  I have already purchased my second bottle and am convinced this is every working mom's dream!

2.  Boots Face Mask
This hot cold weather has been brutal on my skin.  I tried my Boots Botanics Clay mask last night, because I have had to cancel my facial 3 times due to meetings, kids schedules and snow days.  I have NEVER used a Boots product before and if they are all like this I am sold.  This mask left my skin brighter, tighter and yet it felt completely hydrated.  So happy Influenster's Vox Box program introduced me to this product as I probably wouldn't have purchased it on my own.

3.  HERSHEY'S!
I am pretty sure that every man who works for our contractor knows we keep a bowl of candy by the front door!  Since construction starts again on Monday, I am extra thankful for these pink, silver and red Hershey's kisses.  I especially like that their Valentine's Day colors match my room!  In our house silver, sparkles and chocolate are ALWAYS in style.

4. Dove Deodorant
I have to keep it real.  Influenster sent me this about a month ago and I was like, it's deodorant, does it really matter the brand?  Then I realized I had been using Secret forever.  So I tried it.  It actually feels like lotion, which of course made me panic that it wouldn't work and if you have been in these old D.C. buildings when the heat is on you know they make our August weather seem cool.  Well guess what friends....it is AMAZING!  Seriously works, feels like lotion and comes in so many scents there is most certainly one you will like!  TRY IT!.

5.  Julep Hand Creme
Have you caught on to my winter theme yet???  My current favorite if the Julep hand creme with power cell complex.  It was in my Maven box and each month I love trying out new things that I would never purchase on my own.  The best part is that Maven members get FREE shipping and 20% off on all of their other purchases!  You can get your first Maven box for FREE.  Just sign up HERE.  Their nail polish wear like shellac and come off super easy, but from their lip balms to their eye primer/concealer, everything is great quality!

It feels good to be back and looking forward to blogging rather than feeling like I failed when the day got away from me.  I plan on spending the weekend with the littles, but Mini K wants to help out in the "shop" so make sure to follow us on Instagram for new product sneak peeks!

Thursday, March 6, 2014

You Are Going To Die.....

You Are Going To Die...

That sentence really gets your attention right?  Yesterday, was of course Ash Wednesday and the start of Lent.  I found myself with a client in town, a ton of meetings and not a lot of time.  I decided I could "grab ashes" at St. Peters on capitol hill and walked in for the 12:15pm service.

The priest started his homily with:  "you are going to die....just hopefully not today."  I think I have been thinking about his homily for the last 24 hours in an almost daze.  How often to we put our faith or what is important on the back burner.  If you are a list maker like I am, how many lists do you have going at any one time?  For me it is way more than I want to admit.

In a world where having it together and being caught up is so important it is way too easy to be caught up in the ways of the world and the things of the world, rather than what is truly important.  The next now 39 days for me are more about trying to finally kick the things I don't like about myself to the curb and embrace and accept the things that truly matter.

I realize this probably sounds like the most random post for a lot of you, but with Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter and Facebook you really only see one side of a person and I for one will admit, I try to put the best of whatever I am going through that day out there.  I mean how many times have you caught yourself thinking or saying "I don't really care that so and so is stuck in traffic, or went to the grocery store or the classic their kid went to the bathroom on the potty."  I admit to having cringed at those posts, but let's be honest I know I have had days where just getting through my meetings, processing orders and getting to the grocery store has seemed like an Olympic event.

I am a big believer in accountability, so I feel a need to put it out there...

For me this lenten journey is about not only taking the time for what is important, but recognizing that on some days it just won't get done; and when that happens it doesn't have to be someone's fault.  Perfection is not reality.  It's fine to try and be the best version of yourself, but when you look around and realize you don't have anyone to call when the bottom falls out, and if you have kiddos the bottom falls out at least once a week (until you have a glass of wine!), was it really worth it?  I am so so thankful for the friends that are ALWAYS there.  WHo don't laugh at me when I ask them the same question for the 20th time because they know I am struggling with my answer.  I am blessed to have so many strong Christian believers in my life who hold me accountable.  I woke up early this morning to pray and reflect.  I usually run around early in the morning and try to get a bunch of stuff done, but today it was just to reflect and you know what:  I got more done today than I have in a long long time.  The master wanted to school me on the first day of this lenten journey and I have a smile on my face as I type this and realize, he has always been there, but unlike my to do list that often leaves me feeling like I have fallen short, he finds joy when I make time for him.  The priest closed by saying God gives us 168 hours in a week and really only asks for 1.

Perspective.   It's all about your viewpoint.  Now please don't think post means I have gotten on a high horse, in fact it's just the opposite.  I realize that I need to step back and think, calm down, ironically some of the same things I tell my kids, minus the "don't you think the Disney channel has been on long enough?"  I still love my family, and my friends and my day job and of course Pineapple Grove, but the reality is that if I don't invest in myself then all of those things cannot reach their potential either.

So thank you to all of you that are friends in real life, that send me random texts, or still claim me as a friend even after you know that I am oddly addicted to nugget ice and to those of you that have supported my business, thank you for being a part of something I love.  I am truly hopeful and committed that this lenten season leads to something far more than 40 days, but a grace that I can carry with me, because who couldn't use a little more grace in their lives?