All Things in Moderation!

Tomorrow is the Super Bowl and ya'll know what that means - delicious food and drinks!  (Have I ever mentioned that spell check counts "ya'll" as a misspelled word and it makes me mad?  I guess I work with the redneck dictionary...)  Anyway, Weight Watchers will have to sit back and shut up tomorrow because I am making my favorite dip ever - Spinach and Artichoke Dip!  I'll be making some other things too, but this one is my fave.  I almost wish I could make it today so I could steal a few bites!  This is NOT my recipe so I can't take the credit but I have made several versions and this recipe far outdoes the others!  Check it out...

Ingredients:

*4 cloves garlic (pre-roasted)

*1 package frozen spinach, thawed and drained

*1 can artichoke hearts, drained

*1 container Alfredo-style pasta sauce (weird but oh so good)

*1 cup mozzarella cheese

*1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

*1/2 a package of cream cheese

All you have to do is mix all of this wonderfullness together and then bake it for 30 minutes in a 350 degree oven!  Finished product = dip heaven!

I better not eat too much though because I still have to fit into this dress for a wedding soon.  Actually, it is not until March but you can never be too prepared.  I love this dress because it is simple and I can really fab it up with some accessories and great shoes - I can't wait to wear it!  I know what you may be thinking, it is winter and it will be too cold for this.  Well, in Texas winter doesn't exist so I am positive that March will be bringing spring weather.  If it is a little chilly for some odd reason, I will throw on a cute sweater...plus the wedding is inside anyway!

Thank you J. Crew for taking over my life with your new spring line!

OK, before I go I have to tell you about two new beauty finds that I am in love with already!  They are both from Smashbox - the first one is a little strange, but very cool!  It is called O-Glow and it is what they call an "intuitive blush."  It is basically a clear cream and when you spread it on your cheeks it turns a color that compliments your skin tone.  I don't know how it works but it does!  This is NOT for a lot of color, but more for a dewey type look...very natural.  They have intuitive lip glosses as well but I haven't tried those yet.

The second find is the Muse line of lip glosses...I particularly like the Creamy Berry because it has those subtle undertones that really bring out the whiteness of your pearly whites!  Love it!

I think I'm done for today.  That was one hell of a rambling post but my mind is working high speed today since I FINALLY got good sleep on my Tempur-pedic.  Anybody else have one?  I will have to tell you about that later...

XOXO  Have a wonderful evening and have fun watching the Super Bowl!!

Missing in Action

First of all, THANK YOU, THANK YOU to everyone who commented on yesterday’s post! I got so many fabulous recommendations for great mascaras – now I just have to pick which one I will try first! I really appreciate everyone who reads and gives their fashion/beauty advice!! I have another question for you toward the bottom…

But now for the real dilemma…I might have lost something; something very important, in fact. On our wedding day, Drew game me a charm bracelet from James Avery with one charm on it – it was going to be an anniversary bracelet so every year, we would add another charm. (If you are not from one of the southern states you might not have heard of James Avery, but you really should check them out!)

Anyway, I thought this was so incredibly sweet of him and now I have gone and lost it – am I a jerk, or what?? I have looked everywhere…in my purses, in the apartment, in the car, EVERYWHERE! Not to play the blame game, but I have a specific cat in mind that has been caught several times digging in my jewelry drawer – I don’t know how she does it. I really think she might have gotten it out to play with and then she forgot to return it. No manners!

I told Drew that it *might* be missing and he seemed OK with it. Maybe we can replace the bracelet and the first charm if I promise to be extra careful with it this time around!

(I also happen to LOVE this ring)

Well, now that I got a good start on mascaras, what do you ladies recommend for foundation?? Do you wear it? Do you like it? I never wear it because I don’t like the feeling of having a bunch of stuff on my face. Luckily, I have pretty good skin these days (NOT the case a few years ago – I credit Proactive as ridiculous as that is) so I don’t feel like I need a lot of coverage – I just want something to even things out. What do you think??

Mascara Mayhem!

OK.  It got me.  Those commercials with the amped up (fake) lashes and the cute little "stiletto" shaped bottle.  I should have known that Lash Stiletto is not all it is cracked up to be...but why was it so enticing?  The commercial mentioned extreme length and "patent black shine."  Why then, did it take three coats for me to even notice a difference?  Dang...I wanted to like it so bad!  It did have a little something to offer in the length department, but offered no volume and the "patent black shine" was MIA.  

I am ALWAYS on the search for great mascara.  I really like my current choice, the Double Extend Beauty Tubes, but since it is one of those "two-parters" as I like to call them, it takes a little too long to get the effect I want (it is great however for weekends when I have the time to mess with it).  

For a while there I really like MAC's Zoom Lash but the hold it had on me quickly disappeared and I moved on.  It was a quick relationship to say the least.

I always seem to drift back to the old stand-by (Great Lash) and in fact I have a bottle at all times in case I get frustrated with the mascara flavor of the week.  It is loyal.  It is my friend.

Am I crazy?  I can't commit to a mascara...I need help, an intervention, something!  I need ideas, ladies!  What are your favorite mascaras?  HELP!  My lashes will thank you!

XOXO

Converted!

If your hair requires a flat iron like mine does, you have to check out the Paul Mitchell version. I know, I know - the Chi rules all but this my friends, is truly a miracle product for me! Now I don't want to offend any Chi lovers (especially since I have never had anthing but one) but the Paul Mitchell is where it's at. The temperature adjusts which comes in handy if you are just doing a touch up and don't want to scorch your hair any more than you already have to. It also has a more rounded edge so if you want to avoid the stick straight look you can actually curl under the ends a little without busting out the curling iron. Combine this nifty tool with the PM "Skinny" collection and you will never look back. Do it - because Paul Mitchell says so!