Remember the "Merry"?

The December air has finally rolled-in...another year is about to wrap-up and so come the days of shopping, card writing, and family visits.  The other day I was remembering past Decembers and how I was running around like a chicken with no head.  My relfection led me to recognize that each year I need to be reminded of what the Christmas season truly is.  Christmas has a different meaning for everyone and it comes along with different preparations for everyone.  As a society we have set a standard that Christmas comes along with gifts and decorating and spending loads of cash.  Today I invite you to take a look at your own traditions, at your reason for the season and remind yourself of what this time truly means.

Personally, Christmas is a blessing in that my family & I celebrate the birth of baby Jesus.  It is important because all of my blessings are God-given and Christmas is a time to acknowledge and give thanks for my life.   Of course every stress from this season's running around supresses my joyous thanking, so this year I came up with a little "trick" to constantly remind myself that Christmas is about celebrating my relationship with God, my family, friends, and even the obstacles I faced this year.  I have my "constant" reminder which is a cross I carry in my wallet.  When I am feeling stressed, sad, frustrated, or just not-so-jolly, I take the cross out of my wallet and I allow it to remind me of all the good in my life.  Having a constant this season will help to constantly remind you of what Christmas is truly about and it will shift your thinking into positive thoughts, which will in turn help you overcome the difficulties of this season.  Give it a try!  How about you go shopping when the mall is super crowded and when you begin to feel frustration rising up, take a look at your constant and allow it to help you calm down.  Your constant can be a cross, a piece of Christmas jewlery, a small ornament, a picture of your family, etc.  Do not allow negativity to come in between the many blessings that God has set out for you.  Look for the blessings in everything you do. 

Wishing that each of you can always have the MERRY in Christmas and that your focus point may always be in God and the millions of blessings He has showered us with. 

Merry Christmas bloggers!  Xo

"An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." Luke 2:9-14

MY Skin Care 101

Beauty, beauty, beauty!  One of my favorite subjects.  The big key to beauty is not in what brand of makeup you use, but rather in how you treat the foundation that is your skin.  No one has perfect skin due to the fact that our skin is always exposed to elements, chemicals, and even bacteria!  Many people have asked me how I care for my skin & what products I use.  I've had a long love-affair with my skin & through time I've learned my Ph, allergies, and what works best for me.  In this blog I will talk about my daily skin regimen right now (winter skin) and how I avoid break-outs, how I treat breakouts, and other small tips.  

WINTER SKIN
As the seasons change, so does our skin and so should our skin care.  As chilly days pour in, the skin usually becomes dry, loses moisture, lips become chapped, and our normal moisturizer will not suffice.  If you live in a warmer place that does not experience that many chilly days, you must still pay close attention to moisturizing and cleansing.  

Daily skin care routine: *Wash face (morning & night).  For winter, use a wash that is gentle on your skin, yet removes impurities & make-up residue. One of my favorites is the rose wash from Fresh as it is gentle enough for my skin & it cleanses really well.  Ladies, if you have a Clarisonic (awesome facial cleanser), use it once a week only during the winter & if you don't have one, look into it!  *Toning: I tend to stay away from toners, as they dry my skin, but if you enjoy this step, make sure the toner is not alcohol based. Alcohol tends to dry your skin & then you will have to moisturize more & more. *Moisturize (day & night): Use a heavy moisturizer that is cream based. Now if you have really dry skin, then consider using a moisturizer that is more of a balm, such as Vaseline like products.  Moisturize your face, under eyes, lips, and the rest of your body.  Pay attention to what needs a little more moisturizing.  Remember to use an eye treatment for under your eyes, as your skin is thin in this area.  Pure argan oil is an excellent moisturizer, as well as nourishment for your skin.  *If I wear makeup: Before applying foundation, I always wash my face & moisturize.  I moisturize my skin, under my eyes, and my lips.  During the winter, I stay away from foundations that dry up my skin and I make sure I use a super hydrating primer.  Remember that as the seasons change, your skin tone either gets darker or lighter & so you should change your foundation accordingly.  TIP: Make sure you do not apply old, expired foundation to your skin! This helps to prevent drying, breakouts & so many unwanted skin issues.  
When removing my make-up, I first use hydrating make-up remover wipes, then I wash my face & finally I use small round cotton pads to remove any excess eye make-up.  *Masks: During the winter I like to do "oat-based" (the Aveeno ones are great) masks, as they are gentle on my skin.  I only do masks once a month during the winter.  *Sun-protection: Just because it is chillier outside does not mean the sun is not there.  Sun-screen is so important during every season.  Usually my foundation contains SPF, but your moisturizer should also have it.  If you find that your moisturizer is lacking SPF, mix a little bit of sunscreen with your cream based moisturizer & that will work great.  *Tools: If you use brushes (as I do), make sure to constantly wash them, especially your foundation, concealer, and eye brushes.  There is definitely bacteria on your brushes & you do not want to
re-deposit it on your face.  Now, if you use your fingers to blend your make-up in, then make sure you wash your hands before you do so.  *Break-outs: A simple rule is that if you treat your skin well, then you are helping to prevent breakouts.  I tend to breakout on my forehead due to the foods I eat, if I don't cleanse my skin, etc.  The one thing I never ever do is cover-up my blemishes.  During the winter I treat breakouts using warm tea bags.  I skip make-up when I break out & if I must wear makeup then I use a BB (or CC) cream that is light but has coverage.  

This is what works best for me.  I recommend that you pay close attention to your skin & listen for what it needs. Also, before buying any skin care products, read their reviews & inform yourself before wasting money. There are many great drug-store products, but if they do not work for you, then go for what works best.  A little research goes a long way. 



Healthy skin is beautiful skin....take care of the foundation first! Xo

Written Motivation

Hey bloggers!  Happy November~the month to be extra thankful!  I love November because that is when I start to get into the Christmas spirit and Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays.  Who doesn't love the smell of pumpkin pie, the Fall air, and family time.  It is easy to get lost in the spirit of all the festivities and forget to spend a little time with yourself.  One of the things that I do when I spend time with myself, is to plan, plan, plan. Sometimes I over do it and then I become overwhelmed.  So to avoid that from happening I am going to use a system that not only helps me feel motivated, but that encourages me to move forward in all that I plan. 

My hubby has always had an interesting habit of writing down his goals & dreams in a notebook, then he prays about them, and when God grants him the achievement of his goal, he then writes down the date of when it came to fruition next to the goal.  I wanted to take this idea and make it my own.  Seeing as we are in the month of giving thanks (which in reality should be every month) I decided to start a new journal & write in the things I am thankful for & then next to them write one thing I can do to show my thankfulness.   This is a way to remind myself of how blessed I am, while also achieving so many things that I would like to do.  For example, "I am thankful for my home." -Because I am thankful, I will make time to clean my home a little more.  This is not about over doing anything, rather it is to help increase the value of the things or people you were blessed with.  

Many of you probably keep journals already, if you do, then re-visit what you've written & see what you can improve.  If you don't, then I invite you to start one alongside with me.  I am using this beautiful journal that was a gift, but often times I journal on my phone.  Whenever I think of new ideas, goals, or anything that I want to remember, I use the notepad on my phone.  If writing is not your strong point, you could journal using a recorder or video yourself.  Sometimes it is helpful to say things out loud for them to be believable to you.  Let your imagination & dreams go wild and aim for the moon!  

"SING like no one is listening, DANCE like no one is watching, LOVE like you can't get hurt, LIVE *like all your prayers will be answered.*"

The "C" Word

October is well known to be breast cancer awareness month and it is amazing how so many people come together to help raise awareness, funds, and hope for people you have been affected by this disease.  It is so important to have the knowledge and the courage to get yourself checked.  It is also vital to know your family history and express that to your doctor.  There are so many resources to learn about what you need to be doing to help detect this ugly disease on time.  Everyone has been affected in some way or level by breast cancer and so it is so important, especially for women, to not be scared to learn about it.  I have encountered women in their 20's who have been diagnosed; we know all too well that this disease does not discriminate. This blog is dedicated not only to those affected by breast cancer, but also for those who have encountered the hardships of cancer.  The "c" word is hard to swallow, especially when it hits close to home.  

Personally, October is a special month for me, because it is my mom's birth month.  My mom has gone through her journey with dealing with the "c" word and it was something that we never expected.  She was diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma (kidney cancer) in 2011 and it was so unexpected and way out of left field.  My mom was not quite aware of this type of cancer being in the family history and it had obviously skipped many generations.  When she was diagnosed, I remember going into "what to do" mode and deep down inside I was very worried.  I always tell the story of me being so angry with God & just crying out to Him asking why did this happen.  God revealed Himself to me and granted peace throughout my mom & myself.  In July 2011 my mom was fortunate enough to have a successful surgery & the tumor was removed. I thank God everyday for giving my mom another day & I also pray that I never take for granted the blessings in my own life. Tomorrow is my mom's birthday.  I want to wish my mom the happiest birthday & that she knows how strong she is & how lucky we are to have her be in our lives.  My mom's actions have always taught me to be strong and not to be afraid.  

"YOUR BRIGHTEST DAYS ARE AHEAD"

It is no secret that my favorite make-up brand is Mally Beauty & this month Mally has a new kit that is dedicated to breast cancer awareness.  Mally spoke of this kit and it hit close to home, so close she had me crying like a baby.  The kit is a tribute to Mally's mother who was called to her heavenly home due to breast cancer.  Mally tells the story of her mother always saying to her "your brightest days are ahead."  In support of this I wanted to get this kit & I am so happy I did.  It has amazing products & it reminds me that my brightest days are also ahead!  

Through this blog I urge everyone to continuously be informed about your own health, family history, and don't let this horrible disease or any disease intimidate you.  Fight for what is important to you, pray for strength, and live everyday to its fullest! 

Above you see the cute tote that came with the kit! This kit includes an illuminating refiner (powder foundation), a beautiful pink lipstick (Pilar, this is Mally's mother's name), a shadow stick in "empowering lilac", a volumizing mascara (my favorite mascara ever), an eye liner in "fearless brown", and under eye brightener.  I will do a look with this kit in a future blog. I can't wait to try all of these goodies.  

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM! Xo!

It Is Not In the Quantity, But Rather In the Quality!

MARRIAGE MONDAY

Seeing as my relationship with my hubby is one of the most important things in my life, I decided I would post a Marriage Monday blog post & give some advice on my own personal experience.  I promise not to make it boring and it will be advice anyone can use in the future, whether you are married or not. 

I have been married for 2 years now; yes it is not a long time, however my philosophy is that it is not about the quantity, but rather about the quality.  So today’s post will be about taking that huge step of getting married or taking the step of getting more serious with someone.  My #1 recommendation is that pre-marital counseling be the first thing on your mind.  Before getting married, my hubby & I sat down with our Pastor and we had a long session that included taking an assessment.  As a couple we enjoyed doing this because it opened our minds to things we had not thought about before.  For example, you get to discuss merging finances, having children, the ways in which you handle arguments, etc.  Most couples do not invest in thinking about those things and the return is not so great. 

Pre-marital counseling is not therapy by any means, but it is a huge aid in getting to know your relationship.  Usually we know the roles we play in our relationships, but have you looked at the relationship as a whole?  Another recommendation is that you use the counseling to your advantage.  This type of counseling can be done every 3-5 years to assess what has improved, what has fallen through the cracks, and what can be improved.  There is no relationship in the world that is perfect, but a good, healthy relationship requires work from both parties.  Part of that work is to learn not to blame your spouse or partner, but rather look at the mechanism as a whole & assess what can be improved. 

Change is inevitable throughout the years, thus relationships need to grow along with that change.  There are many tools out there to help relationships & many people willing to help.  Be smart about where you seek your counseling.  A good counselor will listen, encourage steps that can be taken to improve certain areas, and will always start with prayer!  Your friends or family members may not always be the best source of counseling because their nature is to defend instead of listening. 

It is to my knowledge that many couples go to pre-marital counseling because it is required of their Church before getting married & that is great; however, use these resources not only once, but throughout your relationship.  I cannot stress enough how much this has helped in my marriage and it was the driving source to propel us to work on things even before we got married.

A wise relationship seeks knowledge, help, and encouragement whenever and however possible.  It is easy not to seek for what we know we are in need of, but I try my best to seek for those things as it helps later on.  I hope this helps at least one relationship out there.  Please leave me comments if you have any questions. 

~It is not in the quantity, but rather in the quality~Xo

Beauty Favorites: Fall 2013

Those closest to me know that I love to give beauty advice...whether it is solicited or not!  This blog post is dedicated to my favorite Fall beauty & hair products.  My skin and hair are my top priorities especially as the weather changes.  Throughout the years, I've learned what the best products are for my skin type and I am constantly educating myself on the current products.  These are *my* personal favorite products that I've been currently using and loving. Hope you enjoy it & become motivating to beautify & care for your best features! 








(Mally Beauty's Perfect Prep Primer on the right)

SKIN: For the fall my skin is a little more dryer than it is during the summer.  During winter my skin gets extremely dry and that is when I go for a heavier moisturizer.  But for the fall, I am sticking with my rose hydrating gel from Fresh. This gel feels super light, yet gives my skin the necessary amount of moisture and it smells like rose water.  Moisturizing is a girl's best friend (next to diamonds) and I tend to it both in the morning and at night. When I forget to moisturize, my skin feels "thirsty" and rough.  Ladies, another very important thing is to moisturize your under eye area. My rule of thumb has always been that starting in my 20's, I would begin to moisturize under my eye; this helps with wrinkles later on in life.  My fall under eye treatment is by Elizabeth Arden & it is "good morning eye treatment."  It is an extremely moisturizing eye treatment, so due to its richness I only use it in the morning.  Finally, if you are applying any type of foundation, please remember to use a primer!  My fall & winter favorite is from Mally Beauty; it is Mally's "perfect prep primer."  Primer is so important to not only help your make-up look flawless, but it also helps with allowing your foundation to stay "intact" all day long.  Mally's primer is also a moisturizer and it is like having a "cloud in a jar."  The primer I use when I am going out and am wearing a heavier foundation is from Smashbox & it's their "photo finish foundation primer."  Both of these primers are oil-free, so if you have oily skin they both work great.

For foundation I am using Mally's BB cream Face Defender because it light, easy to apply, and it is moisturizing. It feels like you are putting a light lotion on your face. I use my imitation "beauty blender" in purple to help me apply the foundation evenly.  My favorite concealer is from Nars and my shade is in "ginger."  I use concealer under my eyes, especially in the morning when I want to look awake!

To finish up my skin, I use blush & highlighter to bring out my features a little more.  My favorite blush right now is from MAC "pinch o' peach" and it is a bright pink.  As a highlighter, I am loving Benefit's "soft focus highlighter," because it has a golden undertone & it gives such a natural looking glow. (see picture on the right)


LIPS: My lips start to chap when fall begins, so I moisturize throughout the day. My all-time favorite lip treatment is from Fresh and it is the "sugar lip treatment." It smells like candy and glides on so smoothly. I apply this treatment when I start my make-up routine & it leaves my lips ready for lipstick or gloss.











Fall lipsticks are a must! My two favorite ones are: "taupe" from MAC and the "maroone" lipstick you see in the picture. I have no idea what the brand of the maroone one is, but it is a beautiful color for fall & it has a small amount of shimmer.

FALL NAIL COLOR: My current favorites (as seen in the picture) are: "beauty junkie" from Sephora by O.P.I and that beautiful blue/green polish from Avon.  I love darker colors in the fall and these two are so pretty. I am letting my nails grow this fall, so I am not wearing my usual colors.


Nail tip: use oil, water & salt to help your nails grow. 







HAIR: In the fall I tend to change up my routine by washing my hair every 2-3 days, instead of every other day; this helps to conserve some of your natural oils which are great for your hair. I also try my best to brush my hair three times a day and I moisturize my hair like a crazy person.  I switch up my shampoo every 2 weeks, as it helps my hair not to get use to one thing & my hair feels cleaner.  Also, I use an extremely moisturizing conditioner AND (very important) once every 4-5 months, I apply a hair treatment.  Normally I purchase the olive-oil based hair treatments & use half the packet to moisturize.  Leave the treatment in for 20-30 mins & then rinse with "cold" water.  My hair reacts very differently when I use warm/hot water to rinse.  After washing my hair I dry first with a towel & then apply my Milania "argan oil infusion serum."  This serum is amazing & I use it every time I wash my hair!  (the serum is also great to apply to dry skin)  I have tried an imitation "argan oil" and it just does not work.  Moroccan oil is also a great alternative.  If you have oily hair, make sure to moisturize your hair often & try not to apply hair sprays or serums that are too oily. My rule of thumb is that if it works great on my skin, then my hair will love it. My favorite hair spray is "elnett satin" by Loreal; it is light weight and does not clump your hair. In fact, I've curled my hair & used this hair spray and the next day my hair is super smooth. Also, remember to use a heat protector, especially during the "cooler" weather season when we tend to straighten our hair more. My favorite heat protector is from Herbal Essences.  Finally, just as we trim our nails, we must trim our hair. I trim mine every 3-4 months & this helps my hair grow, and it keeps my layers looking fab.

I hope this is helpful to someone & feel free to leave me comments on this blog or my IG (gdean0409)! XO!

KNOCK, KNOCK!

Knock knock, who's there? OPEN UP! Open up who? YOU. 

Sound confusing? To some it may and to others it might make you laugh. Today I was reading an email from someone very dear to me and it occurred to me that sometimes I am so closed-minded, especially when it comes to something I want nothing to do with. Yet whatever I shut the door on, keeps knocking and saying "let me in!" It can be a thought, something you know you need to do,  something or someone you've been putting on the back burner, something you said or did or did not do, something someone else said or did! It is a constant door bell ringing that wants to be invited into your life. 

Most times it is not worth having those thoughts be a guest, but other times you need to fling the door wide open & say come in! You see, the things that we run from the most, are the things that will propel us unto a higher level of understanding and peace. Until we stop running we will be tied to things, thoughts or people that keep knocking and knocking. 

There is a reason things happen the way they do in your life. There is a reason people say certain things to you and there is a reason you read a book, devotional & scripture. Nothing throughout your day is pure coincidence. Open your eyes and ears wide and pay attention to what is going on. What is knocking at your door? What has been knocking at your door? 

Many people live day to day with that uninvited guest at their door, because they are afraid of what will happen when they say "come in." Quite frankly, I am afraid of what will not happen if I never let my "guests" in! I am so certain that when you face your fears and allow yourself to do what you never thought you would, God can then fully work! And when we LET God work, amazing things happen. 

Today I invite you to take 2 baby steps: 1-Identify what has been knocking at your door? Healing, peace, forgiveness, love... 2-Allow yourself to do one small thing to be able to let that "guest" into your life. Maybe read a devotional about that subject, talk to a friend about it, write a letter to yourself, etc. 

KNOCK, KNOCK! Are you willing to ask, WHO'S THERE? 

Hallow Fall

HALLOW FALL!

We are officially in October and how time seems to fly!  October is one of my favorite months because not only is it Halloween, but so many people I love and adore have birthdays this month! A new season calls for house decorating and preparations.  I started on my Fall and Halloween decorating.  I like to keep it simple, yet fun and colorful. I am especially excited this year because at our former home we were in a closed building and we would never get trick-or-treats.  Growing up Halloween was the best time of the year and I would stay out all night going from house to house.  I miss those days so much!  So I am preparing this year to have all types of characters come knock on my door.  Below I am sharing a few things I like to do to decorate around the house.

I love to decorate borders and I've been using that black and purple "bat" string for years now.  I put out the not so friendly pumpkin that is perfect for Halloween. I try to recycle as much as I can and then add more little by little. I am sure I would go crazy shopping for new things.

One of my favorite things to use to decorate, all year round is candy!  Almost every season has its own special candy and I take full advantage of that.  I have these cute bowls that are shaped as leaves and pumpkins, so I picked up some candy corn (my favorite) and distributed around the house.  I also put one of these bowls in the bathroom, but with soap and small hand sanitizers in it. I also have two giant candy holders with lids that have purple candy in them to match the black & purple decorations.

I have not finished all my decorating; if you'd like to see more pictures as the month goes on, follow me on IG: gdean0409.











I will be posting some Fall and Halloween make-up, as well as my Halloween costume!   Hope you enjoy this month (next month is Thanksgiving!)  and eat lots of candy corn.

PS: My October coffee mug was one of the gifts my mom gave me for Christmas...go figure...     XO!

Speaking of trick-or-treaters knocking at your door, here is my latest blog:
 http://tourthroughmyjourney.blogspot.com/2013/10/knock-knock.html

Im devoted...are you?

Everyday I try to start my day by reading my two devotions: the Gaby needs Jesus one and my couples devotion. Devotions act as my breakfast and give me the energy needed to get through my morning. It has become my habit no matter what is going on and it is like that morning coffee I just have to have! My favorite devotion is "Jesus Calling" and I read it almost everyday right on my Kindle. It is a breathe of fresh air among devotionals. It is narrated as if God is truly speaking to me alone.  
So why do I keep talking about devotionals? The truth of the matter is that we all have our daily devotionals and we have all formed habits that are engraved in our routines. All of these devotionals vary according to interests. Did you know that the word devotional by definition is strictly related to spiritual or religious worship? So why is it that we confuse our devotions? We are sometimes devoted to worrying about tomorrow, devoted to money, devoted to work, and the devotions go on and on. Where we spend our devotional time shows what our hearts are devoted to. 
There is no reason to beat ourselves up for we are all human, but we are certainly not of this world. I invite you to focus on today and see where you are carving your devotional time. See if you make time to be devoted to God and how do your actions align with that. God gave us the gift of today and that is where we need to devote our time, energy & attention. 
This morning my devotion on "Jesus Calling" was about God reminding me that He is always with me so I must not worry about tomorrow. My couples devotional today was about finding joy in every situation.  Devotionals are uplifting, inspiring & fill you with God's presence in your life. Tomorrow is the start of a new month, I invite you to start a daily devotional and see how God starts to move your heart. 
Suggested devotionals: 
"Jesus Calling" (Christian bookstores or amazon.com) 
Www.biblegateway.com (they have men, women & family devotions)
Crosswalk.com (they have a great devotional for students) 

There are so many resources to look into. Today commit to reading one and go from there. For those who already read a devotional, kick it up a notch & tell someone (friend, coworker, neighbor, etc) about what you read today; be a walking testimony of what you read. Let us find joy in our devotionals! 
Xo 

24

Hey bloggers, happy September!  Time sure flies and I just celebrated a new year.  Thank you to everyone for the amazing and abundant love on my birthday and everyday!  My day consisted of taking care of myself for a change.  I decided that this year I would guide my own day and chose to do what felt good for me.

 The night before my birthday, my hunny & I went to go see a firework show for Labor Day and it was beautiful.  It is important to do things out of our normal routine in order to mix things up.


Another must-do for my birthday, was to get a manicure. I am a very girly girl and I got a french manicure in honor of my hubby. I usually pick my nail color based on what I know my husband likes =)


On the actual day of my birthday, I got dressed up and did my make-up to my liking.  The first stop of the day was to Sephora (my favorite beauty supply store) and as I was checking out, the make-up artist says to me:"Can I tell you something? Your make-up is really good.  It looks exactly like something I would do."  I had a pure joy attack!  I have been working really hard to learn different techniques and skills and I finally experienced reaping what I sowed.  That was one of the highlights of my birthday.

Birthday dinner: my good friend gave me a gift certificate to Buffalo Wild Wings.  I have been there many times and I love that you can play poker or trivia while eating.  We had an assortment of food and my favorite thing was the honey-barbecue wings!  It didn't hurt that I had a handsome guy as my birthday date.

Following dinner we went to have dessert of course! I'm not a huge cake lover, so my birthday treat was homemade ice cream.  My other good friend called a local place by where I live and bought dessert just for my birthday.  It was a sweet surprise and gift.







Finally, my birthday could have not been complete without a nice glass of Char!  I was saving this bottle of wine for a special occasion as it is a bottle given to me by my sisters.  I love that the label says "wine sisterhood."


I had a blessed long weekend and I am thankful for all my many blessings.  Year #23 was not easy, but it was meaningful.  I decided that my birthday would be my "New Year" and I would start fresh in every aspect of my life.  God has given me so much, that the least I can do is work hard, love others, and truly appreciate what I have.  I have also vowed to sweep any and all negativity under the rug and throw it away.  Time for a new rug!
Hope YOU have a beautiful September! Xo

Independently Stylish

I am behind on my posts for my blog, but I do want to thank all of those people who have been reading my blog.  I love to de-stress through blogging & God knows I need to release stress!  So this post is dedicated to one stylish Independence Day that I will never ever forget with my "B" family.  

 
 Fourth of July style: I went for a "grecian" up do as it helped immensely with the Miami heat (ha-ha!)and I did a very soft-natural make-up (used my Naked2 palette). My outfit: black & white striped H& M maxi dress ($12! people) and my red, white & blue flip-flops (they were a gift).  

 The best thing after a delicious dinner is dessert!  My friend & sister for life, created the dessert you see on the right and it was a masterpiece.  

It is definitely the people who make the party fun, enjoyable & you kind of never want to leave. Xo

Straight-Up

(Image source: www.bethenny.com)

This past week I started reading a new book, which I love to do, but I rarely have time.  It is such an amazing book that I finished the extensive 5,000 pages of it on my Kindle Fire in four days!  Every time I was forced to put it down (someone has to clean) I was so eager to go back to reading.  This amazing book is “Skinnygirl Solutions: Your Straight-Up Guide to Home, Health, Family, Career, Style and Sex.”  Notice that the book title starts with “Skinnygirl” and that is due to the great fact that the author is Bethenny Frankel.  Bethenny is the creator of the Skinnygirl empire which includes alcoholic beverages, shape wear and many more things which are all discussed in this book.  I am not a book critic, however I am a woman in her early twenties seeking as much knowledge about life as possible and that is exactly what I found in Bethenny’s latest book.  I am dedicating this blog to “Straight-Up” convince YOU to read her book because every girl should!

This book covers absolutely every aspect of a woman’s life from living a healthy fit life, to parenting, to understanding money, career & business.  Not only does she cover the everyday topics, but she also explores the topics of sex, marriage and all of those taboo topics women dare not talk about.  Reading this book was a “girlfriend” experience, in the sense that I felt as if my best friend was giving detailed advice about things that every girl needs to know.  Women should fully get to know who we are and this book helps us discover just that! 

Each chapter is creatively accompanied by drawings that help support the topic at hand.  I have to say that the drawings were one of my favorite details.  Also, throughout the book, Bethenny brings in expert advice from various sources to help elaborate each topic.  The book also includes up-to-date public figures (celebrities, business owners, etc.) that Bethenny uses to show the everyday woman that you can reach your full potential. 

All in all, the book is at the top of my favorite books. It has added so much valuable information that I can use in my own life as a student, wife, and ever changing woman. While reading the book there were multiple times that I told myself that I need to buy a hard copy because there is so much information I will be using in the future. The book has helped me to explore who I really am and most importantly having this new found knowledge is definitely power! 

Quick side note: the very first Skinnygirl product that I ever tried was the Margarita and I became hooked on it.  Margaritas are my favorite drink, so when I found this low-calorie, delicious drink, I fell in love.  Now I am moving onto the Skinnygirl wines. 

Don’t judge! J Xo

CC: Constantly Changing

Life is a constant revolving door, going in and out.  We call that revolving door "change" and most people rather avoid it than confront it.  As with anything in life, it is better to allow change to happen rather than to fight it and stay within your comfort zone.  I am pretty sure I could write a blog regarding change every week.  Today though, I want to focus on one aspect of change and that is the attitude with which we accept changes in our lives.  Early on we form this idea of what our world will always be like and we don't anticipate the upcoming changes.  How can one anticipate the unknown? You change your perspective and you learn to trust. 
I have experienced huge life changing experiences, some that I've brought upon myself and others that are the subsequent effects of events.  I tend to categorize all of the changes in a negative and positive category.  Lately though I've boxed all of the changes into a positive category.  Most successful people would agree that the big difference is found in the mind frame that you choose to receive and welcome changes in your personal life, at work, and even spiritually.  It is an amazing exercise to practice accepting change and it builds a muscle like no other.  Personally, I like to stop myself when I'm sinking into the endless negativity pit by figuring out how to use change to my advantage or how it can help others.  I shift my thinking to embrace and welcome change, no matter how hard it can be.  Another small activity I practice to embrace change is to do something I've never done before everyday.  It can be something as small as taking a different route to work.  This helps your brain to think outside of the box, which is a big help when learning to embrace changes. At the end of the day, change is a growing factor in the world and it will be negative or positive depending on how you decide to accept it.  Through tough times, remind yourself that change is constant and it drives us through the different cycles of our lives.
Embrace what is different, see change as constant and trust God through it all!

I Have to Do What?!

Part of growing up is learning to do what you need to do as opposed to doing what you want to do.  It is not an easy concept to grasp and people learn to be selective with it.  It is easy to do what we need to do at work or school because we know we are expected to do so.  However, we may not always do the right thing when it comes to other people because we feel as if we are not expected to do so.  The truth of the matter is that in order to have growth as a person, you have to learn to do what has to be done and discern what exactly that entails.  Sometimes doing the right thing takes much courage and patience.  And most of the time we find an abundant amount of excuses as to why we cannot do the right thing. 

Let me tell you the story of a young stubborn young lady who always held a grudge.  When someone hurt her feelings, insulted her, or put her down, she would replay the scenario over and over in her head.  It became such a big problem that it made her stress level go through the ruff.  She wanted to let go of those not so great memories and focus her attention on the people who brought good things to her life.  One day she felt God tugging at her heart and He said to her: “you need to forgive and really forget.”  She thought “I really have to forget?!”   

Not forgetting those negative events in your past is a defense mechanism and we all do it in order to protect ourselves from what we think could possibly happen again.  Throughout my personal growth I have learned from experience that doing the right thing requires me to have amnesia about the events that have hurt me in the past.  I have to do what?!  I have to learn to really forget negative things and move forward.  Ultimately it is not up to me to fix other people’s mistakes; I can only do that for my own shortcomings. 

 

There are a few things that I personally do to help me move past hard times in my life and to help me with what I NEED to do.  First, I look at a clock and remind myself of how precious and short my time is here with my loved ones.  Second, I write out exactly what is bothering me, this helps me understand why exactly I feel the way I do.  Also, I remember that “forgiveness is a gift to the other person” and “forgetting is a gift to myself.”  At the end of the day we are all called to do different things that may scare us, but that might just be the opportunity to help you grow in your personal life and that will spill over into all other areas of your life.  By the way, the young stubborn lady above is me and she is a work in progress day in and day out.  

Mally Beauty: Evercolor Eyeshadow Stick

Everyone who knows me well is fully aware of my make-up obsession.  Make-up is something I love to do to release stress.  I am a full believer that make-up cannot fix problems, but can it boost your confidence & your day!  I have been experimenting, learning and practicing with make-up and God bless my friends for allowing me to use them as my dolls.

If you are not aware of who Mally Roncal is, please go google her!  She is much more than a make-up artist, she is a beautiful soul!  Mally has created an amazing make-up empire called Mally Beauty.  I first learned about her on QVC and her personality drew me in & I ordered her products to give them a try.  I have been hooked ever since!  I have been wanting to write a review about my favorite Mally products and I will do that in a different post, however, today I am going to tell you about the Evercolor Eye Shadow Stick.

A couple of weeks ago, Mally had a Twitter give away & by the grace of God I was one of the winners!  My prize: my choice of an evercolor eye shadow stick.  I decided to try Mally's "deep plum" shadow stick.  Plum is a beautiful color and I fully intend on using it for my fall smokey eyes.  The eye shadow sticks are amazing because they have primer in the product already and it gives you a long-lasting effect for an all day wear.  The best part is that you don't have to have great make-up artist tips in order to
obtain a beautiful eye look; you just apply it on your lid & you go!

 The deep plum is amazing for a smokey eye and so I tried it (on my friend) and I wanted it to look darker and smokier. The shadow stick also serves as an under eye liner which gives it an even smokier effect!  For this look I also used Mally's eye primer and her volumizing mascara. This was the first time I used a deep plum for a smokey eye and the first time I used a shadow stick to do so!  I love the finished product and I will definitely be practicing it more & more for my fall looks!




Mally's Evercolor Eye Shadow sticks come in a variety of colors. My favorites are: saddle shimmer (my all time favorite shadow!), violet, copper rose & this deep plum!






Xo~God Bless!

SUMMER FUN

Well, we are almost through with summer time.  I love everything about summer: the weather, parties, free time & all the fun that comes along with this season.  This summer has been interesting and definitely a time of preparation for the changes that are rapidly approaching in the Fall.  It has been raining so much, which in Florida means two things: it's hurricane season & Fall is around the corner.  So before it is officially time to say Adios to summer, I wanted to take a stroll down memory lane & relive all the goodies summer brought!

I made a delicious and not so healthy summer dessert in a jar!  What could be better than s'mores & cheesecake in a mason jar?!  They were the perfect size and now it is one of my staple summer desserts. 




Party time! I attended a birthday party in which we had to dress up as if you were in your favorite era.  It was interesting to say the least, but so much fun.  My friends are so creative & they rocked their eras.  
My outfit was "recycled" and I actually cut part of my sleeve so that I could have a matching head band.

One of the best events of this past summer was the Rendezvous Conference in South Beach.  This was the third year I attended and it was unbelievable.  Part of being a Christian is always feeding your spirit through different outlets and conferences is a great way to do so. Israel Houghton & the New Breed performed and there were various pastors who preached amazing words.  I love that my friends share the same interests when it comes to our Christian walk. ~Surround yourself with those who lift you up!~


 My hunny & I went on a little adventure to Pikes Peak in Colorado.  It was beautiful and it took a lot of faith for me to go on such a scary drive. When we reached the top it was snowing & it was a beautiful scene. God is definitely a talented artist! 
                                         *Apparently BIG FOOT lives on that peak! Yikes*

Stay tuned for upcoming blogs by subscribing.  Feel free to leave me comments (you must have a gmail or blogger account.)  Hope YOU had summer fun! Xo