Etsy Gift Ideas

I wanted to post a few things on Etsy that caught my eye.  I may have even bought a few for Christmas presents. I've listed something for everyone (men, women, girls, babies and boys).

I love this laser cut wood geometric puzzle.  It is made from sustainably harvested, solar-kiln dried, and locally grown Red Oak hardwood. This very challenging circles jigsaw puzzle includes a laser engraved "cheat sheet" on the bottom, which makes it difficult even for cheaters!  I think my dad or grandpa would love this!  I think I would too.  It would also be a cute little game to sit on the coffee or sidetable in the livingroom to entertain your guests.

Wooden Circles Geometric Puzzle ____________________________________________________________________________ 

Have a new baby girl in the family?  Get her ready for the cooler days ahead with these adorable boots and hat set.  These little booties and hat will not only be a fashion hit but keep her little toes and head warm during the winter months! Both are carefully crocheted with Caron baby soft white and pink yarn, and 3 pink buttons.  I actually bought this set for a friend of mine who just had her baby today.

Ugg Style Boots with Flower Bean Hat

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Sweet, creamy white chocolate....ribbons of milky vanilla....swirls of thick, rich valrhona cocoa.  White Hot Chocolate is a decadent treat that fills your bath with a multi-layered chocolate aroma. I bought these for every female in my family for Christmas.  Love them!  They have a ton of scents.  Check this store out, Savor.  She has the best customer service I've ever experienced from Etsy!  She also has bar soap, which I've bought as well. :)

 

White Hot Chocolate 2 oz Mini Creme Fraiche Whipped Soap with Cocoa Powder

 ____________________________________________________________________________ I love these earrings.  These sweet and simple peacock feather earrings are great for everyday wear or a special night out on the town. Also great as a special gift for a loved one or for bridesmaid gifts.

Peacock Feather Earrings in SILVER - Multi Layer Fan Drop Earrings

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Hand knitted soft and comfy cowl style scarf.  Two button closure and cable design make this cowl functional and stylish. Hand knitted in a soft wool blend. Perfect fall and winter accessory. I think any woman would love to receive this stylish scarf, I know I would!

Knit Scarf Cable Cowl

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This shop has the coolest leg warmers, which can also be worn as arm warmers.  Visit bidthings608, for a ton of different patterns..  As leg warmers, the fit on newborns, babies and toddlers is very scrunchy and worn from ankle to thigh. For adults & pre-teens, they are worn scrunched up from knee to ankle or mid-calf and also look great peeking out of boots. As arm warmers, pretty much one size fits most and looks great with the new style of 3/4 length sleeved jackets.

 Bright Colors with Black Animal Print Leg Warmers

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No more boring ties.  Teens can dress in style with these ties.  They are all so pretty.  MeandMatilda has a bunch of different patterns.  These would look so cute on a boy going to his prom or Winter formal.

Damask Necktie

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This outfit totally ROCKS!! :) It comes with the mohawk rocker earflap beanie, the guitar onesie, and the matching leg warmers. This outfit would make a great costume or just an awesome outfit for everyday wear!

Mom's Little Rocker Outfit

Happy Shopping!!

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Scrap Pages

My goal yesterday didn't pan out.  I didn't eat dinner until after cheer practice and I didn't do my exercise video.  After I got home, my entire body ached like I was getting the flu.  I don't ache today, so it must have been pains from running yesterday morning.  I'm out of shape.

I have several scrap pages to share today.  I'm trying to get back in the groove of scrapping, I think my mojo is slowly returning.  I created this page using Shabby Miss Jenn's Comfy Girly Home kit.  It is such a fun girly kit.

Since Jenn released a girly page, she had a boy kit by its side.  Can't leave out the boys! The kit I used for the page below was Cars Go Vroom.  This kit is jammed pack for of boy items.  My page doesn't do it justice.  My boys are growing up and don't care for cars, toys etc so I didn't use all of the fun boy items in the kit, but as you can see it works well for the older boys too. :)

This is me and my little guy, Hunter.  He, Hailey and I went out to the beach while we were on vacation to take some pictures and he wanted a picture of us together and Hailey was off running around, so we took a quick snap.  It actually turned out good.  I love it.  I used Scrapbook Girl kit for this page.  Again, my page doesn't do it justice, but it does let you know that you can use the kit for a normal page and not just for documenting your scrapping hobby.  I love the colors in this kit.

I used Give Thanks kit for this page.  Have I ever mentioned that I love this man.  He doesn't think I show it enough, but I am madly in love with him.  He has his faults, just like all of us, but his kind heart and fun attitude outweighs his faults at the end of the day.  I can see us sitting on the porch sipping coffee when we are gray haired.  That may not be too far in the distance for me.   He, on the other hand, doesn't even have one strand of gray hair. So not fair.

So, that's it for today.  We are packing our bags for a quick trip this weekend.  More on that tomorrow.  Have a good Tuesday!

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Florabella Actions On Sale!

If you love photoshop actions, Florabella Actions are for you!!!  These actions are gorgeous! You can see them in action by visiting her site. She is even having a 15% off sale through today!!  Woohoo!

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Get Fit Update 11/28/11

I have no idea what I was thinking trying to start a diet and exercise program a few days before Thanksgiving.  I decided shortly after my post that I would wait until after Thanksgiving and then once that passed, I decided to wait until all of the leftovers were gone!  If I were smart, I would have exercised and just started my diet today, but I guess I wasn't smart or had a turkey coma.

Image provided by winnond

, either way I was just lazy.

At any rate, I started today.  I woke up this morning before my alarm went off and couldn't fall back to sleep, so I decided to get up and start moving.  I kept my pajamas on, put my tennis shoes on and went downstairs to run on the treadmill.  I ran 3/4 of a mile.  It would have been 1 mile, but I ran out of time.  I had to get the kids up for their showers.

Tonight, I will have to force myself to exercise because Hailey has cheerleading practice from 6-8pm.   My goal for today is to eat before practice and exercise after practice.

Here are my stats:

Weight: 148

Waist: 32 inches

Hips: 47.5 inches :(

Thighs: 25 inches :(

I'll post an update next Monday.  Fingers crossed that at least one of my stats will go down a number.  If I could pick one, it would be my hips.  I hate being short and wide.

Does anyone want to join me?  I would love to have a exercise buddy or two or three.  The more the merrier.  Let's get in shape so we don't break the scales over Christmas.  Who's with me?  Come on! Don't be shy. :)

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I Am Thankful For...

I am thankful for...

• God - He is my everything.
• My children - they bring me joy, laughter and love everyday.
• My husband - he is an amazing husband who provides and cares for us daily.
• My mother in Law - she watches my children while RJ and I work.
• My mom - she is my bestfriend.

 

• My family -  they are my village because it takes one to raise my children.
• My friends - they are my sanity.  They give me someone to talk to when it's most needed.
• My job - It provides for my family and brings me satisfaction at the end of the day.
• My coworkers - They keep me sane at work.
• My boss - he is the reason I've been so blessed at work.  I can't thank him enough.

  

• My children's teachers - they see my children 5 days a week and provide them with their education.
• My children't friends - they keep my children happy, I'm not sure what I would do without them.
• Sports - they keep my children fit and entertained.
• Food - it keeps us nourished.
• Our home - it puts a roof over our heads. 

 

• Warm bed - it gives us a place to lay our heads at night and keeps us warm
• Beth, Chris and their children - They are true friends that don't have to prove it, we just know.
• Our Troops - for protecting our country.
• The blogs I follow - they give me creative ideas and entertain me when I'm bored.
• AWD - it keeps me safe on snow filled roads

 

 

• Fresh Air - It keeps us healthy
• Clean water - no explanation needed.  There are some out there that do not have this. :(
• Sense of sight - for letting me see the beauty in life.
• Sense of hearing - for letting me hear my children laugh.
• My memory - for letting me store memories of my children growing up.

 

• Clothes - I would hate to have to walk around naked.
• Disappointment - for letting me realize what matters most.
• Sun - for bringing light and beauty to this world.
• Moon and stars - for brightening up the night sky.
• Mobile phones - to help me keep in touch with friends and family.

 

 

• My mistakes - for helping me to improve and be a better person.
• Computers - for making my life more effective and efficient
• Internet - to connect me with the world despite the physical space that separates us.
• Mother Nature - for covering our world with beauty.
• Life - For giving me the chance to have all of these awesome things to be thankful for.

  

 

* All pictures were taken in the beautiful state of West Virginia.

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Thanksgiving Decor

I was browsing the internet for Thanksgiving Decor and thought I would share my favorites.  All pictures are respectfully linked to the original source.

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I know I haven't post much on the personal front, its only because I don't have much going on.  We've been pretty lazy this past week.  I'll get back into my normal post next week.  I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving!  Stay safe shopping on Black Friday if you do that sort of thing.  I, personally, would rather sleep and put up the tree on Friday than shop.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

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Get Fit!

Remember this post? Yeah, I still haven't started.  FAIL!

I received it in the mail super fast, but have yet to open it and try it, or even watch it for that matter.  I'm hoping with me posting this, I'll force myself to do it.

This is my plan.  I'm going to do the 30 Day Shred again.  It worked like a charm last year and I love that it is only 30 minutes.  Hopefully, this will help me get in the groove of exercising.  Last year, I lost 30 lbs with diet and exercise.  Over the Summer/Fall, I've put 10 lbs back on.  I'd like to lose 20lbs to get to my goal weight.  If I continue to sit on my behind and do nothing, I'll can just throw all of the hard work I put into this, away.  And I'm not going to let that happen!  I'm going to start today. :)

After doing the 30 Day Shred for 30 days, I'm going to start on the Tracy Anderson Metamorphosis.

As I promised in the link above, I'll post a weekly journal with my goals, accomplishments and even failures.

I'm ready to...

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Anyone with me?

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Creative Thanksgiving Treats

Below are some Thanksgiving/Fall snacks I've pinned over the past month that the kids and I are going to try soon.  Not the healthiest snacks out there, but very cute!

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I hope you all have a very Happy Thanksgiving on Thursday.  Tomorrow is the kid's last day of school until next Monday.  The hubs is off all week and I have to work through Wednesday.  Boo!! At least, I'll have four days off soon. :)

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My Current Favorite Beauty Products

Makeup

I love the Avon MagiX primer.  It goes on like silk, and has an SPF 20.  It does something to the appearance of your skin, your pores, the way light hits your face, that's subtle but undeniable. It does not provide heavy coverage, or a creamy moisturizer feel. It's somewhere between a light satiny powder and a touch of magic.

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I want to try this as well, but I haven't.  It is cheaper and I love all elf products.  Have you heard of elf?  I stumbled upon them at Target.  The products are very inexpensive.  I think the primer is $6.00, but most items are around $3.00 and $1.00.

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I'm not a foundation girl.  I haven't worn foundation for probably 15 years.  I don't like that foundation makes my skin feel heavy.  I've alway just worn bare minerals powder foundation.  This was the first product that I stumbled upon in Target.  It was $3.00, so I thought what the heck.  It is a tinted moisturizer with a SPF 20.  I put it on my face and my face automatically glowed.  It is almost like a mouse consistency and it definately feels like a moisturizer.  I tend to have oily skin and this does not make it any oiler.  It feels great!

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I add this primer before adding my eyeshadow.  It  makes my shadows last longer and the shadow appears more vibrant.  The shadow does not crease either. If you buy this by itself its $1 which is a great deal.  You get a fair amount of product and just a little goes a long way, literally a dab is good enough for one eye.

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This is another product from elf.  It is an under eye concealer & highlighter.  I don't normally use a concealer, but I do have faint dark circles under my eyes and I have a birth mark on my forehead.  It doesn't make my dark circles disappear completely, but it certainly makes me look more awake and fresh.  If you have very dark circles, then this product probably isn't for you.  It doesn't hide my birthmark completely either, but I haven't found a concealer that will.  This one does fade it though.  I use the highlighter on my brow line and in the corners of my eyes as well.  I think that is what really makes my eyes brighter.

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I love this coral blush from elf as well.  It isn't out of this world, spectacular, but for the price of $1.00 it is fantastic.  It is comparable to any other blush I've tried.  With the primer, it stays on all day.  I especially like the color of coral because it gives a natural, youthful color to the cheeks. 

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I love Mary Kay's mineral powder.  I got started on mineral powder when I tried Bare Escentuals mineral powder but found it expensive.  Mary Kay's is a bit cheaper and covers the same.

 

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I put this lip gloss on my lips before my lipstick.  I wouldn't say that it is a must, but it is the one I use.

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I use Revlon ColorBurst lipstick in 070 Soft Nude over the Mary Kay Lipgloss.  The lipgloss makes the lipstick glide on very smooth with no creases.  I love this color because it is natural color.  It doesn't stay on all day which is a downer.  I do have to reapply throughout the day.

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I love this eye combo.  It makes my hazel eyes stand out.  I love the matte finish as well.  Very natural and pretty.  It stays on all day and does not crease.

 

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I love the look of a clean, natural and youthful face.  All of these products give me that look.  I've never been a smokey eyed girl or a red lipstick girl.  I want to look like I spent very little time on my face but I also want it to look flawless.  These products I've listed give me just that.

I also use a black eyeliner and black mascara.  I'm not sure what brand of eye liner I use, but I'm not too picky when it comes to eye liners either, as long as they glide on easily and doesn't look like I used a marker.

I'm still looking for the perfect mascara and I haven't found it yet.  If you have any suggestions, I would love to hear them!!  I've tried the following:

Cover Girl - NEW! - NatureLuxe Mousse Mascara - I like this one, but it doesn't make my lashes look full enough.

LashBlast Volume Blasting Mascara - This one makes my lashes look super full, but the bottle doesn't last long and it flakes by the end of the day.  This one is probably my favorite so far, but has its cons.

Bare Escentuals - Flawless Definition Waterproof Mascara - Black - It didn't give me a full enough lash and it smears.

Maybelline Great Lash Mascara - This mascara also flakes really bad.

Volum' Express® The Colossal Waterproof Mascara - This clumped up my lashes and also flaked by the end of the day.

Maybe I should probably try the Elf brand since I love their other products.

Face Cleanser

I love this face cleaner combo.  I have acne prone skin and this cleanser is awesome!  I don't have terrible acne, but my forehead was always rough, my pores were deep and I always had a couple of pimples on my face.  I can't go a night without using it.  All of my breakouts are gone, my pores have shrunk and my forehead is so smooth.  By far, the best product I have ever used.  I was reading Kandee Johnson's blog and she recommended it.  They are currently offering 40% off on this trio, so you can get all three for $35.00.

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I like a little extra eye cream and this is what I use.  I have no idea if there is any other product out there that is better.  This is the only one I've tried and continue to use, so I don't really have anything to compare it to.

 

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Hair

I just stared using this.  It is L'oreal's sulfate free shampoo.  I didn't expect it to suds up, but it did, which I like so I can tell that all of my hair has been washed.  It felt heavy and coated at first, but now my hair is silky and very soft.  Love it!

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I could not live without this product.  The smell is different but I actually like the smell.  I think this is my signature smell. lol  This leaves my hair feeling great.  I put this on my hair before I dry it and a little after my hair is styled to tame the flyaways.

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This is another favorite.  I use this before I straighten my hair to protect it from the heat from my straight iron.  It makes my hair really shine without looking oily, which is ironic since it is oil.

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So, there you have it! My favorite beauty products!  If you have any questions, just ask.  If you have a product that you would like to recommend, I would love to hear it.  Also, any recommendation on mascara is greatly appreciated!! :)

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Abscessed Tooth

I know this probably isn't a blog worthy post, but like I said before, I'm documenting my days on here.

Hailey had a knot on her gums.  I couldn't figure out what it was because it kept coming and going away and it didn't hurt her.

So, I took her to the dentist and they told me that it was an abscessed tooth.  My husband has had an absessed tooth before, but his entire face swelled up and he was in severe pain.  If Hailey would have had those symptoms, I would have known it was an absessed tooth.  Maybe I was just being ignorant, but I had no idea an absess could look like a small flappy, swelled up piece of skin.  Some days it was there and some days it was not.  She never complained, but she did show it to me a couple of times.  This may sound gross, but I guess the days the bump wasn't there, the puss had drained. 

Anyway... now that I grossed you out.  We had a couple of options, but we chose to pull it since her permanent tooth was about to come in.  She had mixed emotions, scared at first, then brave.

This was after they numbed her.  Her crooked smile was adorable and she wanted to see it.  Can you tell which side is numb?

It only took the doctor a couple of minutes to loosen the tooth and pull it.  Pain free with no complications afterwards.  I told her a couple of months ago that she couldn't get braces until she lost 8 teeth.  That's not a rule, but she wants them so bad that I had to make something up to keep her from begging to get them now.  She's lost 5 teeth.  Four have grown back in and one is loose.  Once the doctor pulled this one out, she shouted, "I've lost 6 teeth, two more to go and I can get braces!".  Oh boy.  I should have said ten teeth.

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