Two things I love.

1) Free stuff.  There's really no need to elaborate.  We all love free stuff!

2) Makeup.  As you're all aware.  And if you're not, then you REALLY don't know me very well.


I've always loved makeup.  Love, love, LOVE. 

I used to wonder how everyone was able to get their eye shadow to be so fabulous with different colors and shades and not look like a clown.  Cause that was totally what happened to me when I'd try more than one or two colors, especially if it was a darker shade.

Turns out I just didn't have the correct tools.  Those little sponge-tip applicators?  No good (well, not much). Good quality brushes make a HUGE difference.  No wonder the one super cheap brush I had did nothing for me.  And I needed a primer, that's why everything creased and eye liner NEVER stayed on and eventually melted all over the place.

I also needed someone to show me the correct way to apply shadow.  Yes, there is technique involved but it's very simple to learn. It's all about patting your shadow onto your lid with a brush and then little tiny circles to blend.. the windshield wiper motion that I ALWAYS did before?  It's rarely used now.

Now, where did I learn all of this from?

classycosmetics.blogspot.com

 My super cute and multi-talented friend Janae (is there anything she can't do???) went on a mission for her church to Russia and one of the other missionaries there was Jen, the blogger of Classy Cosmetics.  Jen is so, so much fun and does an excellent job of teaching you everything in a way that you'll understand.  Her video tutorials are also a huge help so you can SEE how to make everything come together.  She does a wide variety of looks and happily takes requests. She also covers basic things like doing your brows (I do my brows every day even if I do nothing else), color charts (buh-bye circles under my eyes), getting a fantastic red lip (although I still result back to my nude gloss) and applying false lashes (so fun!).  You have a question about ANYTHING that deals with your face?  She'll answer!!  Jen is also working on some 5-minute looks for those of you who don't have much time to spare.

So this is where the "two things I love" comes into play..  the more followers that Classy Cosmetics has, the more FREE GIVAWAYS that Jen can do!  I hardly ever win so I really need a lot of chances..

All I'm asking is for you to hop on over to her blog and then please, please, please become a follower.  PLEASE?  For me?  If you're even slightly interested in makeup you will enjoy her blog, I promise!  And if you win, can I come over and play??  I'll bring clean brushes....

Also, if you're in my neck of the woods and aren't understanding something or need a little help, I would be MORE than happy to pass on what I've learned.  Anytime!

Playdate.

Last Tuesday I hosted a playdate. 

Besides cleaning up the house, so that the little kids can just mess it up again, I also brought out our nice things.

Such as, a fresh roll of toilet paper.

For those of you with 2 year olds (or younger) then you understand what I'm sayin'.

Anyway, once everyone arrived, the kids played a little and then we ate lunch.  You can tell how much fun was had by the massive amounts of crumbs that were on my kitchen floor.  I'm going to go ahead and guess that baby Traveller really enjoyed having such a wide variety of lunch options while crawling around.  A baby buffet, if you will.  At least I had mopped recently.

While I was chatting with my fabulous friends, Drew was sweating bullets about his fish tank or beloved TV being broken.  (this was a very valid fear, after all, we DO have Carson and know what he's capable of...)

What he didn't realize was that out of eleven children, the only boys actually playing, were ours (Traveller was busy with his buffet, remember?).   That means the basement was rarely visited and it was Kaitlyn's room that was the big hit. 

It didn't take long to clean up.
We did, however, have one minor casualty.  Every play date has to have one. 

I didn't put the (new) container of baby wipes up high enough in Kaitlyn's room.

Totally my own fault.

And totally worth every penny- adult conversation is priceless!! 

Can't wait to do it again.

Happy Birthday, Carson!

Nothing like your child's birthday to make you blog again (has it really been a month??) but whatever works, right??

This past Thursday was Carson's 4th birthday.  Although he was upset most of the morning that he wasn't six.  Or five.  Finally by the end of the evening, he was content with four. 

Carson used to be my kiddo that hated to smile for the camera.  He'd frown and give you angry eyes.   He now looooves the camera.  Why?  Because he can make all the silly faces he wants.  He loves it!

The day before his birthday, I took mini cupcakes and apple juice to his preschool for his birthday.  He loved telling all the kids it was almost his birthday and having them sing to him.

I think what I've been most excited about with Carson turning four is that we're leaving the THREE's BEHIND!  We all know how much more difficult three is than two.  Carson has always been HARD full of energy and it's been just wonderful to have him grow out of it a little.  Meaning, I can go to the grocery store and he doesn't randomly run off somewhere.  He stays by me in the parking lot.  He LISTENS to me.  Pure.Bliss.

Let me elaborate.  Him staying by me = The heavens open up, light shines down, music feels the air, rainbows pop up in the sky, birds chirps and all is right in the world.  Ahhhh.. I've been waiting for this for a LOOOONG time!  (although to be fair, he was my easiest labor.. just everything else after that has been more... challenging..)

Carson still totally loves Lego guys.  Batman Lego. Toy story Lego. Star Wars Lego.  Blue (Minors) Lego.  Indiana Jones Lego.  He was very happy that two of his presents involved Lego Guys.

He loves to run around, sing Ghostbusters and Best Day Ever on Rockband,  ride his bike, color, fight with Kaitlyn, drink apple juice, eat breadsticks, sleep on the top bunk and watch movies.

He absoluetly loves going to preschool and jumps up and down when I tell him it's Monday or Wednesday.  His favorite friend at school is Tressia (sounds like Trisha).  He is AMAZING in the puzzle department.  I'll even let him start a new one when I'm there to pick him up because it takes so little time for him to complete (even the hard ones!!) and I can't help but stare.

His best friend right now is STILL Mindy.. he loves that girl.  But when the big kids tease him, he says he'll marry her but he won't kiss her.  Just a big hug.  He misses her a lot.

He teaches Kaitlyn all sorts of things.  That louder is always better.  Pressing "A" (thank you wii) will make anything work.  How to fake burp and then yell Excuse Me.  If you put a Littlest Pet Shop up high, you have to yell, Heeelp Meee, AAHHHHH as the pet plummets to the ground. The importance of claiming your "spot" and NEVER giving up if someone else tries to sit there.  If you get into the chocolate stash, you should always get one for mommy or you'll end up getting in trouble.  That if you call Dad at work, the first thing you say is, "I pooped!".   How to throw a fake punch, with sound effects.  And of course the, "Becky, You're my best Mommy" quote.

Carson definitely wears his heart on his sleeve.  When you look at his face, there is never any doubt of what he's feeling at the moment.  From grouchiness or pure excitement.  Thank goodness it makes for excellent entertainment.  I am so happy he's part of our crazy family.  He definitely fits right in.

My favorite part of his birthday is that he was so surprised that a) he got to open all the presents without getting in trouble and b) they were all for him.  Very different from his Christmas experience..  I'm glad he had such a great evening.

 

Happy Birthday, Carson!!  We love you!