Exhausted!

It's been about a week since the last time I wrote! I have been super busy with school and next week I will be going back home to visit the friends and family...and of course get some In-n-Out, cheesebread at Northwood's Inn, Disneyland and lay out at the beach, since my body will be convinced the 75+ degree weather is actually summer. Of course, I'll have pictures for all to see :)


Since it's Saturday, I will leave you with a delicious picture of tonight's SNL host, Jon Hamm:

Y.U.M.

Oh, and last night I had a dream I was making out with George Clooney. haha That's a whole different blog post ;)

In a previous post, I shared an image of last years pumpkin... in It's Pumpkin Time! We went to a pumpkin patch yesterday, and there were some amazing views: 

Then, we came home to carve: 

Hope everyone has a fun and safe Halloween!!!!!

Shoo, Jimmy Choo!

I don't know if it's the rough economic time or my age, but I've become kinda obsessed with making my life financially better off. Unfortunately, as with losing weight, you often don't do something unless you realize the scale has a larger number than the last time you stepped on it, or the bills are a little higher than you remember.

After quite a few years of renting, I'm ready to begin thinking a home is somewhere in the future. I want my own mid-century, modern decor/open floor plan home with my own pool and aromatherapy garden. Clearly, I've been watching too much HGTV. Within the past few months, the hubby and I have decided it's time to grow up and start saving money and paying down bills once and for all. He read Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover and came out with some decent advice. Me, well I need something a little more up my alley. Last week, we went to Barnes & Noble, and I went to the Financial Advice section. That's where I saw this book:

It has exactly what I need, in my own spend-happy world: 

Part I: Style, Diet, and Fitness . . . for Your Finances

Part II: (Spending) Style: An Introduction to Your Spending Style

Part III: (Debt) Diet An Introduction to the Debt Diet (And How It Will Trim Down Your Debt)

Part IV: (Financial) Fitness An Introduction to Financial Fitness (And How It Will Beef Up Your Bottom Line - Once and for All)

While everyone has their own way of doing the budget or saving money, I love the ideas Catey Hill suggests. I'm a quarter way through the book and I have learned a bit about myself and spending habits, and how simple changes add up to a better financial future and outlook. 

Interested? Check out her website Shoo, Jimmy Choo! to look at her blog, order the book or check out the variety of tools she has to offer. 

P.S. I bought the book on Amazon, used, and in perfect condition for $4. What a bargain AND it was at my house within two days!

Early Wake Up!

Tuesdays and Thursdays are hard days for me, because I have to get up at 6 a.m. to go to school. The sun doesn't even get up that early! Throw in freezing Colorado weather and you have a torturous wake-up call. When I get up, the first thing I do is go to the computer. I read Twitter and listen to some music to try and wake myself up as best as possible. This morning, I think this song did just the trick!

David Guetta - When Love Takes Over 

It's Pumpkin Time!

In just a few short days, Halloween will be upon us again. I love Halloween, but for a different reason than everyone else. It's the anniversary of my first date with the hubs! This year we will be celebrating NINE (!) years together!! It's so hard to believe we've been together since we were a ripe age of 18, and it's gone by too fast. When we reminisce of those awesome times of being carefree with piles of money in the bank because we hadn't discovered credit cards, it feels like another life.

Anyways, each year we get three semi-small pumpkins to create a little family. One for the each of us and our dog gets his own. Typically, we do a traditional jack-o-lantern in the front with some sort of tribute to our anniversary on the back. Here is the back of last year's pumpkin:

October 2009

I'm a traditionalist when it comes to carving pumpkins. Today, as I was doing my morning Twitter read-through, I came across this: The Funniest Pop Culture Jack-O-Lanterns Ever . Need some ideas for your own pumpkins this year, try one of these! :)

Justin Bieber 

Snookie

Mr. Burns

Sarah Palin (Do at your own risk! haha)

Iron Man

10 Beauty Steals Under $20

For the past few weeks, I've been updating my beauty goods either because they've needed replacement or I need to change out shades and colors from summer. As a product junkie, I've tried plenty of things and since I've put myself on a home-saving budget I need to be picky with things I buy. Here are my current 10 beauty steals under $20:

Revlon Smoothing Primer $9

Maybelline Dream Liquid Mousse $7

CoverGirl Lash Blast $7

Sally Hansen $5

Aveda Hand Relief (purse size) $12

Bath and Body Works Body Wash 

Black Currant Vanilla $13

L'Oreal HIP liquid eyeliner $10

J.R. Watkins Apothecary

Lavender Hand & Cuticle Salve $7

Sally Hansen Spa Lavender Foot Soak $7

Sonia Kashuk Foundation Sponges $6

Stylish Booties for Fall

I really like boots for the fall, though because I'm pretty short I have a hard time finding boots that look good on me. The perfect compromise for wearing boots is with the ankle-sized style since they are easily paired with jeans and other fall-favorite outfits. Here are some amazing shoes that I would really love to have waiting for me in my closet:

Me Too

Gabriella Rocha 

Chinese Laundry 

Franco Sarto 

Aldo 

Kenneth Cole

Looking Back on Season 4

Today is a sad day because Mad Men is coming to an end. Since the series is only 13 episodes long, it really feels like A) it just got started and B) it ends once things start really rolling along. To commemorate the ending of season 4, I've decided to use pictures as a timeline throughout the past few months. Even if you've never seen an episode, take a second to enjoy the eye candy:

Here is a sneak peek at the finale episode: 

[AMC]

Beauty Calls for Drastic Measures

I took my trusty Glamour Magazine to school with me the other day so I could have some educational reading between classes. As I flipped through the pages, something kept coming up in many of the beauty articles: fish oil capsules.

Georgia boutique owner in New York City said that one of her little beauty tricks to repair hair was to take two fish oils each day. A few pages later, fish oil capsules were said to moisturize the skin, improve brain and eye health and support the joints and heart.

Even Health.com explains how beneficial omega-3 fish oil pills are:  Fish oil contains two main types of omega-3 fatty acids: docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). DHA keeps the brain functioning properly. And EPA greatly benefits skin by regulating oil production to boost hydration and prevent acne, and by delaying the skin’s aging process to stave off wrinkles. A 2005 study in the Journal of Lipid Researchdiscovered that EPA can help block the release of the UV-induced enzymes that eat away at our collagen, causing lines and sagging skin. Because EPA is both an antioxidant and an anti-inflammatory agent, it can protect against sun damage and help repair it.


Since it's starting to get colder and drier around here, I was all for trying this beauty regimen. I should also mention I have an aversion to large vitamins or supplements. Gag. I bought my large bottle of omega-3's at Target and went home. Once I opened the bottle, I was horrified at the size. They were larger than large, and I was already panicking. After a few seconds of convincing, I finally took it. Whew, that was tough! 


Today, I took my second one and to distract myself, I made the hubby start a conversation just so I could ignore the fact that the pill was so large. I think after a few days and one-sided conversations I'll be able to take them easier! 


What other vitamins or supplements do you swear by?

Brooches and Baubles

Yesterday I mentioned that I am really loving the style influence of Mad Men. Though the show tries to stick to the actual time period as best as possible, there are definitely plenty of outfits and accessories out there that allow you to embrace the girly, classic look without looking old fashioned. Brooches, in the past, have felt too old for me. I have my grandmother's beautiful Cameo Lady brooch, but never wore it with anything as it's an heirloom. Now, brooches feel like a gorgeous accessory to add to any scarf, coat or sweater now that it's getting colder.

Never worn a brooch before or don't know how to add it into your wardrobe? Check out How to Wear A Brooch by Fashion Style Advice. As for some of my favorite styles, check out what I've found:

Nordstrom $28

Nordstrom $58

Overstock $33

Overstock $26

Overstock $46

Janie Bryant MOD

Even if you've never seen an episode of Mad Men, chances are you've come across Joan, Peggy or Betty somewhere. This show isn't just popular, but fashion designers are paying attention to the influence and retro glam look of decades past. The show's costume designer, Janie Bryant, has even used the success of the show to create her own fashion line, MOD for QVC to let some of us girls reveal our inner Joan. 

I'm really loving the retro look right now. It doesn't look costume-y...it's still chic enough to feel glamorous and ladylike. Here are a few items from the MOD line: