To Swap or Not To Swap.....

For the past few months I've been frequenting a pretty cool makeup site called makeupalley.com. A part of the site allows for members to swap makeup back and forth. Which is great in theory. I almost decided to do this, and then I thought better of it. Of course everyone is supposed to sanitize the makeup before sending out for a swap, and all should do it before using something received from a swap, but this still kinda creeps me out. I don't even like to eat at buffet restaurants, why in the world would I use a lipstick that some stranger had their mouth on? It would be cool to try different products, but I just can't get over the ick factor. Am I weird? Does anyone else find the whole thing a little unsavory? Other than that, I absolutely love that site. It's really informative and a great place to find out about new products before a purchase. I really recommend anyone else whom really likes makeup to check it out.

To continue on the makeup theme of this post, I decided to post a pic of the color wheel in case anyone is interested. I hope everyone is enjoying their Sunday evening at home.

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Long time no blogging!

I have taken a short leave from blogger recently because I've had a lot of stuff going on with my health and just with personal things. I'm going to try to get back into the habit of it because I do miss it!

Christmas is just about a week away and I'm glad to report that my shopping is done. I did all of my shopping online this year. I think the boys are going to be very happy with what they are getting this year, even though the quantity is not as much as it has been in previous years. I just hope I feel somewhat "normal" again by Christmas. For about the past week I've been running a fever (among other symptoms) and have felt bad. I am pretty sure stress is causing some of it. My stress level is just through the roof. This time of year is hard on a lot of people, especially those of us who have loved ones who are no longer with us. I miss my Grandma everyday, but the holidays add extra sadness. The boys are the main reason I don't let it get me down too much. I want to make sure they have enjoyable memories of the holidays.

I feel a nap coming on, but I really need to get dinner in the crock pot first! Tonight it is beef stew in a red wine sauce and seasoned dumplings. I think the nap may win and we'll just be eating dinner a little later this evening! I hope everyone is staying warm and enjoying the holiday season!

Christmas is Coming!!!!

Well, I'm starting to get in the Christmas spirit. I got all my shopping done today online. I'm so grateful that I don't have to go out and fight the crowds! I absolutely do NOT like being in crowds, I'm kinda borderline claustrophobic I think. I was born to shop online however, LOL! I think this weekend we'll put the tree up and do some decorating. I got some new ornaments for the tree today, $9.99 for 76 of them at CVS. Pretty good deal I think. They are all gold and red. I'll post some pics when we get it up.

Haley Grace Morton was born this afternoon to my cousin Trisha. Welcome to world Haley!! I can't wait to meet you.

I've not been blogging much (hardly at all) lately. Things have been kinda crazy for me, I started on a new med and it's been rough getting adjusted to it. And with the holidays, stress over everything is never far behind. I am so thankful I got things taken care of early and now I can just sit back, relax and enjoy the holiday with my boys and husband.

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday.

My Christmas Beauty Wish List

The first thing on my list is a special holiday palette from Tarte called the jewelery box. This picture doesn't really do the palette justice. It is HUGE!

Next is this compact from Estee Lauder. How cute is this?!?!!

Then the Urban Decay 24/7 eye pencil set. I've always read such great things about these pencils, and this set has all the colors in travel sizes and a full size pencil in zero (black).

And my all time favorite fragrance, Burberry Brit. I like to have a variety of fragrances to choose from, but Burberry Brit is my go to.

This 100 color palette from ELF has every color a gal could ever want or need.

These Tarte mini cheek stains are just adorable. These are too cute to sit in the bottom of a makeup bag, I'd have to set them out!

Clinique almost lipstick in black honey. My very first lipstick love, and still one of my faves.

And last, but not least, on my list today is Lancome Definicils mascara. I've never bought a mascara that cost more than $10 or so, but I would splurge on this mascara.

Just a few things on my mind this holiday! Of course if I do buy any of these it'll probably be after Christmas when all these go on sale :)

Weekend Alone :)

Happy Friday to all! The kids are going to relatives this weekend, so Matt and I have the house to ourselves! That has not happened in quite some time. It'll be really nice to have some couple time. It's been a long time since we have been able to really spend any quality time just with each other. I'm looking forward to a good game of scrabble with him! That's my favorite game of all time. We also play 10,000 and Yahtzee a lot. Of course, he'll probably want nothing to do with that and he'll be on his music all weekend, but I can wish! I'll just have to find something to occupy myself. Which will probably end up being on my laptop. I want to get my photos organized like I want them. That is going to take some time all by itself. And there's always plenty of laundry and housework to keep me busy. Not that I really want to do that with my first weekend "off" in a long time!

I really need to buy some new Christmas ornaments for the tree this year. I remember last year she was looking pretty bare. I'd like to get some really pretty blown glass ones. I can have those kind now that the kids are older and I don't have to worry about them breaking them. I also have to plan out Thanksgiving. Though I'm not really sure who is coming and who is not. Regardless, even if no one else shows, I'll still have a nice dinner for my family. I'm pretty sure I have all I need except for the pies. I'm going to make them from scratch, except maybe the pie crust. I'll leave that part to Pillsbury and their refrigerated dough. I'd like to make a pecan pie and a pumpkin pie. I've never made pecan pie, so I'm a tad nervous about that. Instead of brown and serve rolls, I'm going to make some honey wheat bread. Holidays are the only time I get to use my nice china set and I can't wait! I want to get a new table cloth and a centerpiece for the table.

Well, the laundry is calling my name so this is all for now!

I just love this pic!!

No Rest for the Wicked

I just love pictures of sleeping cats, so peaceful! I woke up at about 1 a.m. or so and have been wide awake every since. This is a particularly stressful time of year for me. Lots of money pressures with the holidays and all. I am so grateful that I finally got my disability approved, that takes some of the stress off, but with 3 kids to raise, it's not near enough to cover all of our expenses. Really we should move to a more affordable home, but I just hate the thought of moving. We've lived at this house for over 3 years now and we're all comfortable here. Our home is in a very good location, I know that's something hard to find. All of our neighbors are great, also something that's hard to find.

As I said before, my butterfly rash is gone for now and I'm feeling a bit better overall. Raynaud's has been acting up a little, but that's to be expected with the cold weather approaching.

Wow...I just nodded off, so I better try to get some more sleep!!

Urban Decay from Hautelook.com

 

I am so excited!! I got my hautelook.com order today. I got such an amazing deal on Urban Decay. I got the cocoa sparkling body powder, big fatty colored mascaras in indigo and electric, and their matte eye shadows in chronic (the green shown above) and purple haze (not shown). For all of this including shipping it cost me less than $25. Needless to say, I have all ready tried them all out! The body powder I am officially in love with. It is gorgeous! I love the sparkles in it and it smells (and tastes) amazing!! It would be really great on the decollete for a night out. The eye shadows are pigmented and they blend super easy. The mascaras....well, I'm glad I didn't pay full price because I would've been upset. The color looks amazing on the applicator, but it takes a LOT of coats for it to show up, and the tube is more like a trial size than a full size. I checked on their web site and the size is what it is supposed to be. Over all, I am very happy with my purchase. I will definitely order from hautelook.com again, even if it does take them forever to ship. Being on a budget, I normally can not afford the higher end cosmetics, but with these kind of discounts I can :)

Things Looking Up :)

After a really, really crappy week things finally started looking up last night. Matt spent a lot of time playing a game with the boys last night, they had a lot of fun. I've been really quiet here online as of late. I just don't like being negative here on the blog or on facebook, I think that has a way of coming back to bite you in the butt. So I just took a little time out to gather myself.

I get to see my sister today!! I am really happy about that. I love it that she is coming to visit us more often. The boys are glad to see her more too.

My butterfly rash has took its leave (thank goodness). I hate, hate, hate the face rash. Of all the things Lupus does to my body the rash is the most visible. I don't think I'm a particularly vain person, but I hate looking in the mirror and having that reminder stare back at me.

I woke up really early this morning from some horrible nightmares. They felt so real and I woke up in tears. I remember from my psychology class (years ago) that keeping a dream journal and doing certain mental exercises can help a person control their dreams. I am definitely going to have to put some of that in practice.

I hope everyone enjoys their Sunday!

Shutterfly

I've never used the Christmas cards with the photos on them, but I'm going to this year! Shutterfly has a great promotion going on right now for bloggers. Everyone should really check it out. The link for more information is http://blog.shutterfly.com/5528/2010-holiday-card-collection1/

I have never specifically used Shutterfly before, but I will now, even for getting my regular photos developed.

Things Change

Well, things are settled down here for the most part. All of the drama that took place last night seems to be done with. I still have some negative feelings about things though. It seems as if I can't say anything right. Any opinion I have is the wrong one, any idea I have is no good, and apparently I am selfish and self serving and a lazy parent. I know the last parts to be untrue, but it still hurts that someone else could feel this way about me. Of course, those exact words were not said, but that was the meaning behind it. I feel so alone. I wish I had someone to confide in. I wish my sister and I lived closer together. I can be honest with her about my feelings and thoughts and they are okay with her. I feel like she respects my thoughts and feelings. I feel myself getting more and more depressed everyday. I am on antidepressants (yep, that's right. I'm not ashamed to admit it.) and maybe it's time to up the dose. I know Zoloft can't improve my situation, but it can improve my perception of it. I know if this gets read by certain people they are liable to be very upset with me. However, I feel like I have the right express myself. I'm not naming names or specifics, so I think this is entirely appropriate.

That's all I really have to say for now.

Think Again!

Just when I think I am doing a pretty good job as a parent and a wife, something happens that concretes the fact that exactly the opposite is true. It is definitely not for lack of trying or desire. I do my best and still it's not good enough. I had no idea that a certain person was so very miserable. And I really feel like shit because I didn't know that it was as bad as it apparently is. So, what to do now? How can I make things better? I absolutely do not have the answer to those questions. The incident that sparked all of this has caused me to doubt so many things in such a short period of time. I think the worst pain in the world is to know that a person you love more than life itself is hurting and there's nothing you can do to fix it. So all I can do is cry and silently pray for the answers to be shown to me. My faith in certain things has been shaken to the core. Things I thought would never happen have happened. Things I thought would never be said again have been said. I am hurt and my heart is broken. The really bad thing is that there is no one I can talk to about this. I won't give details that personal in a blog, but I do think writing down how I feel about things is healthy.

All this upset has caused my butterfly rash to make an appearance. Just great. I've been in a flare for a while now, but I haven't had to deal with the rash. Not anymore, I get to look at that everyday in the mirror now. I should be on prednisone right now, but I can't stand what that stuff does to me. Sure, it makes things lovely in the short term, but after a while horrible is the only word I can think of to describe it. I am so tired of crying. I just have to have faith that tomorrow is going to be a better day.

It's Friday :)

Which makes my kids happy, but to me is just another day of the week. I managed to make it to Bloomington to my rheumy's office with the help of my husband (my chauffeur). It's such a long drive, I really wish we lived closer, but I like it where we are at now. It's getting to be winter now, so there will be no moving anytime soon anyway.

I'm in a better mood this evening, but I still have a lot weighing on my heart and mind. I wish there were a quick fix for all life's problems. I think living in the age of the internet has made us more impatient in general. No one wants to wait for anything, including me. The old saying that good things come to those who wait holds no power anymore. Why should we have to wait? Everything is at our fingertips. Ahh...sorry for the moodiness. I've been pondering life's bigger issues lately. It' made me a little jaded, I believe. I think a lot of what I'm going through emotionally is just another step in growing up. And some of it is just life.

Not a Good Day :(

Today has not been a very good day for me. I just found out this week that a family member is in stage 4 colon cancer. My heart breaks for his wife and children. I haven't seen him very often over the course of my adult life, but my childhood is filled with memories of him. I specifically remember him offering me $10 if I could catch one of his roosters. Now, back in the day that was a fortune to me! LOL :) I chased that rooster all over the yard. And no, I never caught it. All of this reminds me how fragile life is and how quickly it can be taken away. It's hard to imagine someone that you've always seen strong and healthy go through such a thing.

Beyond that, well, anything else I wanted to write about seems rather small and insignificant. I don't feel like I have the right to complain.

Julie and Julia and Other Things On My Mind

I love any movie where the characters are extremely real, easy to relate to. Julie and Julia is one of those movies. What I found easier to relate to is the real Julie Powell. I read her blogs and yes, I agree with the nay-sayers that she comes across self absorbed and self centered. But the Julie/Julia project was all about her quest for self awareness, and her journey through it. Therefore, how could you expect her to come across as anything but self centered and self absorbed? I don't think a blog can so correctly pigeon hole a person's personality. We are all complex creatures. I believe a blog is just a glimpse inside a person's head, not a complete tour through it. I cannot wait to get her books and also Julia Child's cookbooks. I am going to put those on my Christmas list this year. Hey Santa...are you reading this? :)

I voted yesterday, and yes I am proud of that fact. I think that the right to vote is one of the most overlooked freedoms we as Americans have. So many people I know don't vote because they don't think it matters. Yes, it does matter. In so many places in the world women especially are not allowed to be heard in the matters of how their countries are run. I voted for all of those women. I did it because I can.

Not much on the agenda today. I have a few errands to run, but that's it. I am very thankful because I'm not feeling all the great today. Oh Lupus, how I'd love to run you over with my truck then toss you in the river.

Good Night World

Right now it's my absolute favorite time of day. Things are settling down for the night. The kids are watching their Monday night shows and Matt is lecturing them on why they shouldn't try big time wrestling moves at home. I think the point is moot. But as responsible parents we must say such things anyway. I am in the living room enjoying listening to the music that is my family in the other room. I also have an ear out for my tea kettle. I'm looking forward to my cup of hot chocolate with marshmallow creme.

Not really looking forward to the trip to the doctor tomorrow. It's the really not fun type of doctor visit. You know what I'm talking about ladies. But it is one of those necessary evils! Also now that I'm getting "up there" (toward mid 30's) I am wondering when I need to have my first mammogram. I don't know that much detail about my family history. I guess that's something I need to talk with my Mother about. I wonder if there is any correlation between Lupus and female types of cancer. Lupus is a disease that mainly affects women in their childbearing years. Now, that's not to say Lupus doesn't affect men or children because it does all the time. It's just that the majority of the cases are women. That is a topic I may bring up with my doc tomorrow. She is not a rheumy, but she may know something.

Well, I am exhausted. I had a very busy day today. I hope everyone is well and I wish everyone a peaceful, restful night.

This is one of the preloaded pics that came with my laptop. I love it!

Quest for Beautiful Hair

Ahh...the quest for beautiful hair. I've had short hair (like pixie short) most of my adult life. I've been letting it grow for a while now and it's finally at my shoulders, with the shortest layer just below my chin. I'm definitely a no-fuss kind of girl when it comes to my hair. I don't like to spend a whole lot of time styling. I don't even blow dry my hair but every once in a great while anymore. So, longer hair seems to suit me better. A pony tail holder and I'm good to go. I originally made the decision to let my hair grow because Lupus had caused so much of it fall out, and it just seemed to me that the more hair I kept the better. But...the condition of my hair was just not very desirable. Dull, frizzy, and dry were just a few of the words I'd use to describe my mane. I'd tried every shampoo and conditioner on the market in hopes of a miracle. Needless to say, none worked like I wanted. Then I had kind of an AHA! type of moment. What about changing what I put into my body? So I started on a regimen of fish oil capsules, vitamins, and I began to use olive oil for just about everything I cook. I also stopped washing my hair everyday. Because my hair is so dry, I only wash it 2 times per week. Also, before I get into the shower I rub olive oil into my scalp and hair and let it sit on there for about 10 minutes before I shampoo. I have noticed a BIG difference in my hair. It's still not where I'd like it to be, but it's much, much better. I've had less hair loss, it's shinier, it feels thicker, and it seems healthier. I'm definitely going to keep doing what I'm doing and maybe one day I'll have the hair I've always wanted. Below is a picture of the hair I want!!

Fake Eyelash Trial Run

Okay, I have never actually wore fake eyelashes for any length of time before. I tried them on once, and not knowing what I was doing, I took them off before they were on 5 minutes. I watched a few video tutorials on the proper application of false lashes, and then decided I was going to try it again. I used E.L.F lashes and duo waterproof lash glue. First I took the lashes from the package and measured them against my eye to see if they needed trimmed. They didn't, so I moved on to step 2 which is to wiggle the lashes back and forth to make them easy to work with. Next I put a small dollop of glue on the plastic tray the eyelashes came in and I used a q tip to apply the glue to the lashes. After waiting about 20-30 seconds for the glue to get tacky I applied the lashes as close to the lash line as I could possibly get them. I paid special attention to the ends by pressing lightly for a little longer because that's where false lashes usually pop off first. Then I used liquid eyeliner to line the upper lash line to make it all blend in. I next used an eyelash curler to blend my lashes with the false ones and then I applied mascara. For my first time I am happy with the way it turned out.

Trick or Treat

Tonight is trick or treating here and Justin is off and at 'em. Jacob is being a good big brother and going out with him. I, unfortunately, can't walk that far so I'm glad Jake is helping out. I didn't sleep well last night and I'm really tired. Trick or treating only lasts till 9 p.m. I think I can last till then!

Right now it's just me, the computer, and the couch. It's really quiet, a state this house doesn't often find itself in. Gives me time to think about things. I have plenty to do next week. I have to shop for Jacob's birthday next. It's just over 2 weeks away. He's going to be 14. It doesn't seem possible that my children are that old all ready! I guess that's just how it goes. Soon they will be on their own and then so will I :(. Well, that's not entirely true. Of course Matt will be here. But there will be no more babies to take care of.

I hope everyone is enjoying their Saturday! Have a peaceful and restful night.

Happy Halloween!!

Halloween is my favorite holiday. I've spent most of the last week watching scary movies on AMC with the kids. It's the best!! I like watching the scary, gory movies on tv 'cause they cut out all the parts I don't want the kids watching. Trick or treating is tomorrow night here. Justin has decided that he does want to go this year. Ian doesn't want to go and Jake is just too big despite his age. He's bigger than a lot of adults I know and he's only 13! I'm sure Justin will be more than glad to share his candy with his brothers. He's just that kind of kid.

I got 2 things from Avon in the mail today. The first is twinkle and shine eye liner in gold gleam, the other is ultra luxury eye liner in metallic ruby. I can't wait to try out both of them!! I love eye makeup the best. I used to be very conservative in the makeup department, but anymore I like to play with lots of colors. It's so much more fun, which is what wearing makeup is all about for me. I still love my browns and neutrals, but I'll wear blue or purple just the same. I really want to try the rest of the line of metallic eye liners in Avon's ultra luxury eye liner line. The metallic sapphire also looks really pretty, I think that one is next on my to buy list.

Well, that's all for tonight. I hope everyone enjoys their holiday!

What You Don't Know About My Life With Lupus

I got this idea from another blogger who has Lupus. Actually their title was 30 things you don't know about my invisible illness, but I wanted to come up with my own title, and I didn't want to have to be pinned by 30 things either less or more. So...here goes....

1. What are my diagnoses? Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, degenerative disc disease (L4 and L5), and degenerative joint disease, raynaud's disease.

2. What has changed because of my illness? Absolutely everything. The biggest thing being my ability to do everyday tasks.

3. How many medications do I take? I have a makeup case full of medicines that I take, approximately 10 different meds at the present time. That number goes up occasionally depending on if I'm in a flare or not. I also take a weekly shot.

4. What do I wish people knew? That I am NOT lazy. That I do not like not being able to work or do things around the house.

5. What do I hear most often from people? Maybe you should get out in the sun more (sunlight causes flare ups).

6. What organs have been affected because of Lupus? My heart, lungs, colon, brain.

7. What would I do if I had one day free from these conditions? I would go to the beach with my boys and spend all the time I wanted out in the sunshine.

8. How often do I see a doctor (my GP or my rheumatologist)? About every 2-3 months.

9. What does Lupus feel like? Well...if I'm in a flare, it feels like a bad case of the flu. That doesn't EVER go away.

10. What surprises me the most about Lupus? How one minute I can feel fine, then the next I feel like I've been mowed over by a freight train. It comes on just that quick.

I'm going to limit my list to 10 because I think I'm going to do more posts like this one. I get new questions and comments from people all the time. Part of the reason I started this blog was to blog about my illness. Most people are clueless when it comes to Lupus. A lot of people go undiagnosed for that reason, and they don't get the care they need. Lupus is a serious illness that can be as mild as a rash to severe enough to cause death. I hope I can educate at least one person on this illness.

http://www.lupus.org

Sorry Doesn't Always Make It Okay

A blogger for the magazine Marie Claire recently wrote a completely disgusting article about overweight people, calling them "aesthetically displeasing" and comparing them to alcoholics and heroin addicts. Apparently a show called "Mike and Molly" on CBS inspired her to write this hate-filled article. Now after the backlash she (Maura Kelly) has apologized for what she wrote. In my opinion, her article on how much fat people disgusted her reflected more of her own self esteem and weight issues than what her perceptions of other people are. I'm appalled that Marie Claire allowed this article to be published. I, for one, will not be purchasing or reading Marie Claire any longer. It amazes me how she thinks that anyone is dumb enough to believe her apology. She obviously is just trying to do damage control and salvage what is left of her career as a free lance writer after this major faux-pas. Sorry just doesn't always make it okay, and this is definitely one of those times. Magazines such as Marie Claire are always preaching self love and body acceptance, and then something such as this gets printed?!? I suffered with an eating disorder in my teen years. Part of the reason is because of the huge pressure I felt to look a certain way. Now looking back, I can't believe I actually put my life in danger just to be thin. Reading what this idiot wrote makes me angry beyond words. She should not be allowed to spread her hate filled thoughts to the young women of the world. I have only one thing to say I'd love to say to her...Shut your mouth, your words disgust me.

http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2010/10/27/marie-claire-magazine-writer-slams-overweight-people-gross-compares-heroin/

Just Wanna Go Back to Bed!!

Ugh. It's just one of those days. I am in more pain than I've been in for some time now (at least a week or 2). Ian has a dentist appointment today at 10 and I HOPE Matt takes him for me. I think he's going to. I really don't want to think about how much it's going to hurt if I do have to drive him. But...of course I'll do it. The kids' health comes way before my comfort, so I'll do what I gotta.

Matt finished the laundry for me! He did laundry all day yesterday and he just put his last washer full in. I'm so lucky I have the help that I do. I got really lucky in the husband and kid department. They always think of me first and I know any one of them would do anything they could to make my life easier. They are very compassionate to me.

Not too much else going on today other than Ian's dentist appt. I think I might just go back to bed. What I wouldn't give to have the energy that I did before Lupus. Keeping the house clean, or the laundry done wasn't that big of a deal for me. Well, most things that I took for granted (like walking up a flight of steps) are difficult for me now. Yes, I have my good days where I can function on a mostly normal level, but there are the days where I feel so bad and hurt so much I just want to stay in bed. Today happens to be one of those days. I'm glad I can write about it. It helps me to be able to deal emotionally with what this disease has taken away from me. It helps me to not feel sorry for myself. It also helps to take the guilt away that I feel because of this disease. That's the very worst part of Lupus, I think. I feel so guilty that I'm not the Mom, or the wife, that I used to be. I think I've grown to be a better wife and Mom in a lot of ways though. I have more patience than I used to, that's one thing for sure!

Well, I guess that's all for now. Wishing everyone a wonderful day!!

Stressed Out!!

This picture is me today. Not only have I been in pain, but I had to be on the phone the majority of the afternoon taking care of some business that I'd rather not be dealing with. My shoulders are so tense, and I've acquired a headache. Sometimes I feel like no matter what I do, it's just never good enough.

Anyhoo...I'm putting all that stuff behind me for now. I am taking some "Sarah time" now, watching my scary movies and piddling on the internet, window shopping all of my favorite cosmetic sites. Wishing everyone a peaceful, restful night.

Busy, Busy Monday and Clearance Haul

Since Mondays are paydays, they are always super busy. Paying bills, shopping for necessities, running errands...seems like the to do list on Monday is a mile long. I wear out way before I am finished doing what needs to be done. I know I say this a lot but it's so true, I don't know what I'd do without my boys (Matt included). They help me out without any complaints or questions. If I am in pain and it hurts me to get up, all of them are more than glad to get me what I need. They are such a huge help to me. I used to feel a lot of guilt because I couldn't do all the things for them I used to, but I'm slowly getting over that. There's nothing I can do about it, Lupus, degenerative disc disease, degenerative joint disease are all chronic conditions that are not going to get any better. So I've just decided to count myself lucky to have such a supportive and helpful family.

I finished shopping for Justin's 11th birthday today. I can't say what I got him in case he reads this, but I'll write about it after his birthday. I think he's going to be very happy. I also got some awesome deals at CVS on clearance. I got the L'oreal lash boosting serum and the coordinating mascara, L'oreal Double Extend beauty tubes mascara, several Maybelline color sensational lip stains (in shades cranberry crush, plum flush, and bitten berry), a Maybelline lipstick in 160 cool watermelon, Physician's Formula organic wear lipstick in organic plum, and Sally Hansen Natural Shine lip gloss in sparkling champagne. For all of this I spent less than $25.00!!! They are making room for all the holiday makeup gift sets and they have put some really great products on clearance for 75% to 90% off.  I also picked up 2 sets of false lashes, they were on sale buy one get one 50% off.

I estimate that I got over $60.00 of products for less than $25.00. I am happy with myself! I don't have a lot of extra money to spend on cosmetics, so I am a super bargain hunter. I don't think I've paid full retail for a cosmetic product in years. I admit it, I do have a bit of a makeup addiction. But I don't drink, smoke, or do illicit drugs, so I figure I'm allowed this one vice, right? LOL :)

I'm getting a little tired so this is all for now. Wishing everyone a peaceful and restful night.

Dark Smoky Eye

Normally, I stay far away from such dark makeup. But I watched makeupgeek.com's tutorial on Avril Lavigne's dark smoky eye and I decided I had to try it. I am actually pleased with the results. It's a fun change up from bright colors. Here's a list of the products I used:

Covergirl smoky shadow blast (the silver one, I forgot the name of the color) as a base on my eyelid only

Covergirl eyeliner in black pearl

Stila matte mineral eyeshadow palette (the black)

Hot topic neutral eyeshadow palette

Covergirl eyeshadow the drama eyes palette (the white for highlighter)

Maybelline studio gel eyeliner in black

So, that's my latest makeup creation! I had a lot of fun doing it. Hope today finds everyone well. :)

Bright Spot in My Day :)

I had a great visit with my sister today. I wish we lived closer to each other so we could see each other more often. I miss her so much. I'm feeling a little sad now. I have a hard time making friends. I don't leave the house very often, I'm rather shy in public, and I just don't trust most people. Therefor I don't have many people I can confide in. Of course I have my husband, but that's just not the same as a best "girl" friend. So I cherish the relationship I have with my sister very deeply. Today during our visit we did our makeup and just hung out. She showed me how to download free ebooks and we watched some hilarious youtube videos. I wasn't ready for her to go home when she left!

My mood this evening is still a bit depressed. That has been the case for about the past couple of weeks now, and it just keeps getting worse. I'm definitely going to have to discuss it with my doctor at my next appointment. I hate feeling this way all the time. I can't even bring myself to enjoy reading anymore, and that's very unusual because I am a book lover. I'm not so depressed that I'm crying all the time or anything like that, but I definitely notice a downward trend. I just don't want to let it get out of control. I've been there before and it's not pretty. At least I recognize it's happening and am willing to do something about it.

There's another beautiful moon out tonight. I'm going to go gaze at it for a bit! Wishing everyone a peaceful and restful night.

I Should Be Tired!

I should be really tired right now, but that is just not the case. It's so odd because I have always been and early to bed, early to rise kind of gal. Now, I'm lucky if I can fall asleep before midnight most nights. I really did a lot of work today. So did everyone else in the house. I did a good thorough cleaning while everything was being moved around. It is SO dusty in this house. It's no wonder we all have sinus problems! I'm going to start looking for an air purifier and some better furnace filters. That should help the situation.

I don't mind so much being up tonight. Ian and I are spending some one on one time together. One on one time is really hard to get in this house. It seems like all 3 of them are always vying for my attention at the same time.

Devon is supposed to be coming up tomorrow and spending the night. I'll be really glad to spend some time with her. Sharon will be here tomorrow as well. We are going to do some of Marlena's make up tutorials from http://www.makeupgeek.com  I really love Marlena's tutorials. She's very talented and she's also very down to earth. Sometimes those makeup gurus can be a little condescending, but she's not at all. She has a few looks from her soda can inspired series that look like they'd be really fun to try. 

I have had a lot on my mind lately. That's probably the real reason I'm not sleeping well. When I feel overwhelmed like this I have a tendency to get short tempered and quick tongued. Then I end up mad at myself for being that way and I just feel more stress. It's a vicious cycle! I don't like to write a lot about issues I'm having, I don't want to feel like I'm whining. But maybe I should write more about things that are weighing heavy on my heart and mind. It would probably be a good release.

Okay...now I'm a bit sleepier. I hope the feeling lasts! Wishing everyone a peaceful and restful night. XOXO, Sarah Jane

Indigo Wild All Natural Products

I've been wanting to do a review on these products from Indigo Wild and I figure now is as good of a time as any. Anyone who is interested in being able to pronounce all the ingredients in the bath and body products they use will love this line of all natural products. Indigo Wild sells everything from soap, essential oil fragrance mist, to cleaning products, candles, and a line of doggie care products. 

They have a wide variety of scents, everything from almond and anise-lavender to rosemary and tea tree-citrus. Their soaps are what they are most famous for. They are handmade out of goat's milk, which has a PH balance almost identical to our skin. The soaps are my favorite product they sell. They smell wonderful, clean effectively, and leave the skin soft and touchable. I've tried several of their scents and my favorite is frankincense and myrrh. The scent is deep, sweet, full bodied, and your man will love it as much as you. One thing to remember before purchasing these soaps is that if you have very sensitive skin, be careful which scent you pick. Some flavors, like cinnamon, will irritate sensitive skin.

The web site is also super cute. It's easy to navigate and fun to look at. The company is in St. Louis, MO so you are supporting an American business, which is important in this economy.

I give Inigo Wild 2 thumbs up. I highly recommend it to anyone who is into all-natural products. Their slogan is great too...."any more natural and you'd be naked!" LOL , gotta love it!!

Productive Day

Matt's parent's gave us their old big screen TV because they got a new one. I am loving the bigger screen! It was very nice of them and I do appreciate it very much. So, in order to make room for the TV we had to rearrange the house. Which is not a bad thing, because it really needed a good cleaning. Feeling okay today, just a bit of a headache, probably from all the dust flying around. It's starting to go away now, thank goodness!

I'm in a much better mood today than I have been. I've been pretty depressed and just have felt bad in general. Being cooped up in this house all the time has been taking a toll on me emotionally.

Justin did absolutely awesome on his report card! He got all A's and B's and one C. I am so proud of him. He's been without his ADHD meds almost all year so far and his grades are better than they've ever been. He even got a satisfactory in conduct. Jake and Ian have been doing very well in their school work too. I am so proud of them as well.

That's about it for now. I wish everyone a peaceful and blessed day. :)

Stila Blanc palette

I love this make up palette by Stila. I am really happy with the way my make up turned out this morning. The products I used are:

Stila palette in Blanc

Avon waterproof eyeliner in chocolate brown

Covergirl Exactlash waterproof mascara in brown

Revlon Colorstay foundation in buff

Covergirl invisible concealer in ivory

Revlon matte blush in 003 perfectly peach

Wet and Wild lip liner pencil in 666

Revlon colorstay lip gloss in peachy sheen (not shown)

I just love, love, love Stila eye shadows. They may be more pricey than drug store brands, but so worth it. You really get a lot for the money too. The pans are huge!

I finally got my technique down for my outer v on my eye lids. I think it boils down to having the right brush for the job. I used Essence of Beauty (CVS) crease duo brush set. I used the smaller one because my eyes are small. The Essence of Beauty brushes are inexpensive, but the quality is great. The are my favorites along with my ELF brushes. That's all for now :) Have a blessed day!

Good Morning :)

Good morning to everybody! I love this picture. Wouldn't it be awesome to wake up each day and see that? How could you have anything but a good day after that?

Not much on the agenda for today. I need to finish up the last bit of laundry and school for the older 2 boys. I'm trying to figure out how to incorporate physical education into our home school. It's more than a little challenging because I can't do most exercises. I wish there were a YMCA near by. That would be best. But, since there isn't one I have to get creative. I'm going to talk with the boys and see if they have any ideas on what they'd like to do. I know Jake wants a weight bench. Seems like there is always someone getting rid of a weight bench, so I'll keep my eye out.

Well, time for me to get this day started. Wishing everyone a peaceful day!

My Top Ten Products

Here's a list of my top ten favorite beauty products of all time...

1. Benefit's Benetint. I absolutely love this stuff. It lasts a long time and wears evenly, it doesn't leave a ring around the lip line.

2. L'oreal Voluminous mascara. This is the best mascara of all time. I've yet to find any mascara, drug store or high end, that compares to it.

3. Revlon Colorstay Foundation. This is the only liquid foundation that truly lasts all day and looks natural all day. It doesn't cake up or turn orange.

4. Avon moisture therapy intensive treatment hand cream. A little goes a very long way, and my hands couldn't do without it in the wintertime.

5. C.O. Bigelow rose salve. Comes in a huge tin, has multiple uses, and smells lovely. I use it on my cuticles, on my lips, on my elbows, knees, or anywhere else that needs intensive spot moisturizing.

6. Burberry Brit perfume. I am a perfume junkie, I like to have lots of options. But, more often than not, this is my go to fragrance. It's not overpowering and just the right mix of sultry and sweet.

7. Olive oil. I use it for everything from a makeup remover to an intensive hair conditioner.

8. Healthy Sexy Hair argan oil hair treatment. It makes blow drying much faster, and protects hair from damage. Also great for smoothing down frizz, fly aways and split ends.

9. Wet and Wild eyeliner pencil. These pencils are amazing quality for only 99 cents each. They go on smooth and last an impressively long time for not being water proof.

10. Covergirl Amazemint lip gloss. I can't say enough good things about this lip gloss. It feels like a lip balm, it's not sticky at all, lasts for a long time for lip gloss, the colors are sheer and very pretty and there are lots of color options. And the mint flavor is awesome! My favorite color is called happy hour, it's blue but don't let that put you off. The blue is supposed to make the teeth appear whiter.

This is my latest top 10 list. Hope you found some inspiration to try something new!

You're Not Old Enough!

Oh, how many times I find myself saying these words to my boys. To me, they are still my babies. I still (and probably always will) feel the need to protect them from things that may hurt them. But when is it appropriate to let go? Ian and Justin are both asking me if they can have a facebook page. I've been stubbornly saying no on this one. I just don't feel like they are mature enough to handle all the issues that come with putting yourself out into cyber space. I've done my best to talk with them about the dangers of predators online, and I'll of course monitor their activity on facebook very closely. They are all very internet savvy, I've just held them back from social media. So, at what age is the right age to let them break out on their own online? There is a definite part of me that believes that erring on the side of caution is the right thing to do. But, I don't want to smother them. So....I don't know what I'm going to do on this one. I have no reference point because there was no social media (or wide spread use of internet for that matter) when I was their age. I am very lucky that at 14, 13, and 11, the boys are still very innocent. I think that is a good thing. There is plenty of time for them to learn how cruel and uncivil the world really is. I don't shelter them from the facts of things, as a matter of fact I'm very open and honest with them about everything, but they don't need to experience those things just yet. This whole being a parent thing is one tough gig. I just hope I'm doing it right! Only time will tell on that one.

Here Comes Christmas

The last part of the year I am completely broke. The boys' birthdays are in September, October, then November, THEN Christmas. This year Justin is on me for a cell phone. He swears all the other kids have one. Slowly, but surely I am softening to this idea. I would feel more comfortable with him walking to the library by himself if he had a phone with him. Of course it would be a prepaid and he'd have to earn money to buy minutes. I still believe that a cell phone is a privilege and not a right. If I get him one, then the other 2 boys will insist on one too. I've been considering getting them one for a while now. They are both teenagers, so I feel it would be appropriate. Looks like the kids win this one! Wishing everyone a peaceful day :)