Summer Must Haves...

Every time summer rolls around there's a few things I make sure to switch up in my beauty bag.  Things that just make summer skin and hair care a little easier.  There's a high and a low option for each of these, but I've used all of them.

1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.

The first is mascara - I never know when we'll steal away for a dip in the pool or a quick trip to the beach before dinner so I like to switch over to waterproof mascara during the summer.  I've been a fan of Dior mascara for a long time and the waterproof version is worth every penny, I also love Cover Girl's Lash Blast in very black!

I use Purity as my face wash and it really is the best ever, but I have trouble getting off all of waterproof mascara with it, so I use Estee Lauder's Gentle Eye Make Up remover.  I've also found that Loreal's Eye Make Up remover is a great drug store substitute. You don't want to over scrub your eyes and pull on that sensitive skin, the fewer wrinkles the better.

One of the biggest task of the summer though is protecting my face from the sun.  I have used Neutrogena's Ultra Sheer for quite sometime and I can wear it under light make up when I'm working outside.  I recently got some Coola Face Sunscreen in a Birchbox - and I love that stuff too!  I'd highly recoomend it, if only to see how good it smells!

The last thing for today is leave in conditioner - it's a must, in your pool bag and beach bag.  If you put some leave-in in your hair and sit in the sun for just a bit longer - man oh man do I love the feel of my hair after I rinse it and blow it out again.  I've got the Bumble & Bumble in my beach bag and the Garnier Fructis in my pool and gym bag -  I love them both!

I hope that everyone is having a great summer - we've been in hyper-drive here but I'm hoping the next month will be much more slow paced. 

Menu Plan Monday...

Oh hi.  I've been trying to decide what to do with this space, a life event of sorts drew me away (no babies or major tragedies).  I've tried to decide if I even wanted to keep it and  I think I will for now, I'll do some redecorating, talk about some different things and see how that fits and feels.  But I thought I'd start with a menu - cause well, it's been a while since I've made one to share. 

Last week was a big week for us - my husband fished one of the largest marlin tournaments on the east coast, and I worked the weigh station.  Exhausted is pretty much the understatement of the year so this week we're happy to be eating at home as a family instead of in shifts of half thrown together meals of leftovers and takeout.  I'm also keeping it simple, it gets hot down here y'all and the humidity is in all it's summer glory - so big heat up the house meals are out.

Monday - Spaghetti with salad and garlic bread
Tuesday - Grilled pork chops with grilled corn and mac&cheese
Wednesday - Cajun Shrimp Linguine with salad and rolls
Thursday - Grilled chicken with pasta salad and summer squash
Friday - Hot dogs with slaw and fries (fixed as a picnic to eat at the beach)
Saturday - Homemade pizza with popcorn and a movie
Sunday - Chicken stir-fry over rice

I hope everyone has a lovely week - I hope we're recovered from last week by the weekend.  I'll be talking about so must haves for your beach bags on Wednesday!


Head over to orgjunkie.com where I'm linking up with other bloggers sharing their menus and meal planning strategies

Continuing the Journey...

I've talked here before about our money.  Its always a bit tricky to be open and honest and not reveal what we feel is private.  But we didn't start out on the right foot,  at.all. and I haven't been shy about that.  We're still continuing our journey, but recently something happened that changed the course of our financial journey.  And it has been a strangely hard lesson to learn that all major things that happen don't necessarily happen with a lot of drama and a less than happy ending (because well, that's how our luck usually rolls).

The something that happened was a big deal for us, but it came and went very quietly and was life altering all the same.  Then I started to wait for it, for the other shoe to drop for the bad that was coming to out weigh all of that good (I'm a skeptic optimist at best).  I opened up our Total Money Makeover book again to look at where we are and where we are planning to go and my book opened to the following...
 

From the Total Money Makeover

"God tends to pour blessings on people going in a direction He wants them to go."  At that moment, reading those words was powerful and so comforting to my heart.  We'll keep going, we'll keep snowballing and praying and being thankful for our blessings in all of the forms they appear in. 




Obviously Dave Ramsey has no clue who I am - it's just working for us, it's just our story.

Menu Plan Monday...

I can once again attest to how important menus are.  Even one week without them seems daunting and it's been several weeks since we've had a solid plan.  We've been in a transition phase between our winter and summer schedules and are slowly working out the ever changing kinks.  This week will be a pretty "normal" one for us - normal by our standards anyway!

Monday - Baked potato bar with Salad
Tuesday - Dinner out for my Mother In Law's birthday!
Wednesday - Breakfast for dinner
Thursday - Venison steaks with roasted potatoes & squash
Friday - Pan seared triggerfish with asparagus and fresh bread
Saturday - At home date night - the boy will eat leftovers or some chicken nuggets
Sunday - Spaghetti with garlic bread and salad

Simple and doable.  Now, if someone could locate a laundry fairy and send them to my house.  Fishing season is rough on the washing machine!


Head over to orgjunkie.com where I'm linking up with other bloggers sharing their menus and meal planning strategies.

I Love Sunlight...

I need sunlight.  Like I need air and water.  I have always had a difficult time waking up when there isn't much light shining in the windows.  This little light has become my hero.  Like anything that makes big promises, like gets you out of bed happy every morning, I was worried I wouldn't like it.  It sat in my Amazon Wishlist for the longest time, I kept reading reviews, watching the demo.  You know how it is, then it went on sale!  And a time change later, I'm in love.  The way this light progresses really is a peaceful wake up.  I don't need an alarm clock there's no blaring noise that leaves me pulling the covers over my head. For those of you needing evening light, it also simulates sunsets. 

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) takes shape differently in everyone it affects and for me this has been so wonderful, if you have any questions about SAD ask your doctor or a qualified mental health professional.

Cutting the Processed... My big hangup...

We're making changes to be healthier, to live less processed lives.  But y'all, I have a hangup, a major one.  Diet soda. 

I've cut a lot of my soda habit, but still, I pick them up every week.  I do it without thinking.  I have one or two a day and that is cut way back.  And if you've seen "Hungry For Change" a food documentary, then you know that every chug of soda is like taking a of hit of drugs.  The whole formaldehyde retention in the brain.  Yeah.  As a biologist by trade and well versed in chemistry I know I'm not doing myself any favors. 

So I'm trying to take the next step and take my soda intake down to only a few times a week.  I'm going to go with drinking more tea, and keeping green tea at the office and getting a water filter pitcher for the office.  Hopefully I can keep from ending up like this...

Source

Menu Plan Monday...

March is here and spring isn't far behind!  I'm so excited for warm weather, bathing suits and sand - I hate being cold.  Along with everyone else in my house - we're all ready for a warm up!

There is a lot to be done this week, in our little world at least.  For us spring means a shift in schedules at our house, fishing is gearing back up and that means long days for the Husband and weekends with just me and the little guy.  It also means a lot more work for me at the office.  A lot.  But it's what we do and this week I should be able to start working from home more and giving myself a little more flexibility with remote access! 

Here's what we'll have to eat this week....

Monday - Let's keep it real... it's looking like take-out. (Haven't been to the store and my Husband has a meeting that will make him home late).
Tuesday - French dips with roasted carrots
Wednesday - Oyster Roast @ Church
Thursday -  Baked triggerfish with sweet chili sauce over rice with green beans
Friday - Pizza & Salad
Saturday -BBQ pork chops with roasted apples and bread
Sunday - PW's pot roast



Head over to orgjunkie.com where I'm linking up with other bloggers sharing their menus and meal planning strategies.