A few of my Favorite things...Well Hair products..

Ya know when you go to get your hair done and she puts all these amazing products in your hair! You have volume you've never seen before, and your locks just look like they can dance! You walk out feeling like you can step into the next pantene pro-v commercial. The only down side is these products are REDIC- expensive!! And you just can't get your self to spend $30 on that little tube of frizz defuser or volumizer....
Well I finally found a few products that work AMAZING and are from the local drug store! My first and most obsessed lately....

The got2b Glued Volumizing powder.. Man I love this stuff!! I sprinkle a little in my roots and rub in with my fingers and my hair practically jumps off my head! It adds a ton of volume and for ones who have thinner hair, it makes it look a world thicker! Plus, it's only $6.99 at any pharmacy, walmart, target, etc! I swear by it!!

Another sweet product I discovered...

The Mega Whip Marshmallow Hair Texturizer! This stuff is unbelievable!! It's around $12.99 at any of those same stores I mentioned, but a little goes a LONG way!! This stuff is great for when your hair feels too "clean" or soft to style it. It adds texture to give it a little oomph! I like to curl my hair put a little in my fingers and run through the curls! It keeps the curl from going flat, and also adds some kind of wonderful! 

For those of you not familiar with Teasing.. I'll give you a little run down. 

This little guy is pretty cool! They can run anywhere from $3-$15 buckers! Honestly, I get the cheap ones and they work just fine for me! Teasing is to add again my favorite word, Volume to your hair but also lifts and gives your hair that A-lister look ;) Its a must have for a fun night out, date, work,anything! You start at your roots and lift pieces of your hair and brush downward underneath giving your hair a "Teasing effect" , flip the piece back down and softly comb over to smooth over.. There are also a TON of teasing tutorials on youtube and may sound difficult but is easy peasy! This lifts the roots so that if you were to straighten or curl, it gives the look you just walked out of the hair dressers! 
So the Before and After:

with these products:

A night out with my hair did:

I am no hair professional and don't claim to be one, but I do know a good deal when I see one! These products are my fav so far!! I'd love to hear any little secret hair tips you guys have! Have a blessed day all :)

Carry On

This is very true...
Life has a way at peeling away at our layers sometimes! I had been going through a little rough patch a few weeks ago. Some struggles and stress were packing on.. And my beautiful sister sent me this lovely little man orange! I could not help but laugh and as simple as it is, very true! 

I noticed when you focus less on what you can't control and focus on what you can change, you gain self-motivation, a self-control. Saying, "Im not gonna worry today, Im just gonna do!" It does help, cause when you speak something out of your mouth it comes out and goes right into your ears! You can allow that to be well with your soul. 

These past couple years have not been the easiest, but I want that to make me stronger, not weaker! I want to say, I made it through that, I can make it through anything! Everyone loves the under-dog story.. the one where he's being brought down, discouraged, hurt, and in the end he is a conquer! Thats why we love those singing competitions, its everyday people who don't have much going after their dreams! We are wired to succeed, its figuring it out that gets to us. Instead of focusing on what we don't have, it's being thankful for what we do have! 

When we get face planted in the mud, we gotta pick our self up, fix our hair, brush our shoulders off and keep going! Letting the rain wash away the dirt for a new sunshine to warm our souls! Sometimes I get carried away with this stuff and maybe get a lithe to insightful, but its truth! And to be honest, even though I "preach" it I do still fall short of this positive way of life sometimes (ask my family) lol! Really  though, we are meant for so much more than to sell ourselves short! We can be find hope in the hopeless, strength in our weak moments... We just gotta find it deep with in ourselves and keep going, Keep carrying on! Have a Blessed weekend Friends! 

Doing something out of the ordinary

So I did something a little different this morning, something unexpected... 
I had different plans this morning with not having my son for the day. But with being sick this past week I decided to sleep in wake up grab my books & computer and go take a drive to the city market over in Tosa. a place I haven't been in a while. As I was standing in line looking for the menu that I remembered used to be on the wall, there was no menu! So I asked the woman standing at the register with not a very cheery face on looking like she could smack at me at any moment, "Excuse mam, where is the menu." She just pointed behind me, no smile no kindness, nothing. As I decided what to order I started to tell her what I was gonna have.  She didn't seem happy at all, and she told me the table Id be sitting at when normally you get to pick your table. I asked for wifi and literally as if I had asked her to hand me over all her money!Everything about this woman was not pleasant.

So I go to sit down, and thoughts start coming to my head "wow, that was rude, didn't she ever hear of a game face at work?" and so on! As I sat at my table and caught her in the corner of my eye cleaning tables, a flood of sympathy and love came over me. *NOTE* this does not happen with me often, especially when a person is not being very nice, I tend to gain opinion/judgement pretty quick out of anger...ok so anyways, I'm looking at this woman and my bad thoughts start turning into "Well maybe she's not very pleasant cause she's not very happy, maybe something is going on in her life where all around she just doesn't enjoy life right now, maybe she is hurting, or feels stuck or alone"... So now Im sitting here in this cafe going through a battle with my self and thoughts. So then I think well theres nothing I can do for you, Ill just say a prayer... That should help! 

 And yes, Prayer is a wonderful gift in my opinion, you can do for someone. But this situation got a little heavy on my heart..which isn't usual for me. Normally in our daily lives when we think of going out of our way for someone or doing something nice were thinking of loved ones, our close friends,our kids, etc. Not a complete stranger who on top of it, wasn't a very joyous person... So Im looking at her and feel like a prayer is nice, but then I remembered there were times where I was out shopping or even working, didn't want to smile, felt alone, sad, and Im sure if a complete random act of kindness was taken it would of turned my frown upside down for at least a moment or have been a little reminder that Im not alone, someone cares. 

So whats the first things that pops in my head to do for this grumpy stranger? Flowers.... Yep! I instantly thought of my bringing this lady flowers in front of all these people and her getting offended and swapping them over my head! I thought I cannot do this. This is so off the wall. and what if she is just fine, and looking angered is her look! No, no Im not doing this. well I couldn't deny that I needed to do it. So then I said well seeing how Im not familiar with this side of town, I will go get flowers if ONLY there is a store nearby. I step outside and there is a sendiks grocery store flat in front of my nose pretty much! Im standing in the cold parking lot, holding my books and computer and all I say is "Im really doing this"

I go in and find 3 gorgeous bouquets of fall colors sitting there immediately. For a good deal as well! Walk out go back across the street walk in and find this lady slicing some cake... All I can say is "Excuse me Miss, Please do not take this the wrong way, but I felt you could enjoy some flowers today and just want to wish you a happy day!" That woman looked like someone gave her a million dollars and all she could say was "for me, for me?" The other employees of the cafe started cheering and she said Thankyou so much! I didn't need to hear anything else, I didn't need to know what why or any other reason. I just knew in my heart I needed to do this. So I walked out right away and went on with my day. 

Sometimes we look for the worst in people right off the bat without seeing our own self or going beyond their attitude. Maybe I was completely off and nothing could be wrong for that lady, but all I know is her hidden smile that jumped out and maybe it helping her to smile a little more was well worth it all! When you step out and do something different, you feel good. Not that you need "praise" or anything for it, it's knowing you acknowledged something and took action, going beyond yourself! Your not always gonna want to do it, because you instantly think how ridiculous it may be, but thats usually when your doing something unforgettable and where your heart is in it not your head! 

Thankful~ For my love!

I have been thinking lately, how fast our little ones grow up! It's crazy!! 

I remember I would constantly try to teach Jack new words to learn and now all he does is run around rambling on and on! I love it. But I'm trying not to blink!

He loved looking at his baby book and hearing about his arrival into the world. I love showing him these kinds of things.. I started writing him a letter. Telling him all about how much I love him and can't wait to see the man he grows up to be. Telling him where I worry and times he has made me laugh in the past 3 years! 

This little boy can drive me crazy at times, but my heart melts knowing he is my little man! 

Sometimes I get in a rut being on my own and having a kid so early life or saying what more I could of given him if things were different. But I believe with all my heart he was given to me for a reason! He makes me want to be better everyday and for that I am thankful! Im grateful I have a little face to say "Good mooooorning mama" everyday, and that constantly gives me something to smile about! 

Don't let the poop get ya!

I'm not gonna lie, there are times when my heart hurts so bad and I can barely breathe that I just want to give up on everything. Find a whole lay in it and roll a rock over it. There are things that happen in my life I don't quite understand and sometimes wonder why. There are times when I feel beyond a lone, that I couldn't even begin to share with someone where I'm really at cause I'd feel like they couldn't understand if they tried. And its easy to feel alone and look at everyone around you and say well they have this or this person has that kind of a life... and still, I have my days where i struggle or just flat out need to cry! For me, thats when I need to pray. Just give it all to God, and know I'm not alone! Everytime someone steps on you they are just another trial you over came to add to your story of triumph! You can get down on yourself and say "man, everyone else is doing something with their life and going places, what am I doing?" I've been there as well! My sister and I like to call bad days, "poop between your eyes" kinda days. Who wants poop between their eyes let alone on their face? No one! Who enjoys or finds clarity in a bad day? No one! But thats why I believe there is someone greater than all of us to help us, who knows exactly what we need and when we need it. Never late, never early but always on time! He gives us people in our life to encourage us... it's not for nothing..it really is to help us grow and gain strength through the storm. When the storm gets rough we gotta learn to dance in the rain! Thats right! Go get your dancing shoes on...

Ever notice how when you start to think positive, and you get all motivated, other people are negative, almost like they're spitting on your great new and improved attitude. All that means is, you must be doing something right! Being different, staying focused, sometimes others don't want to see you better off than what they're in and that can have an effect on your mood. But ya gotta keep head whooo *Bursts out singing the happy song**.. anyways, not letting others who are looking up at you on your high cloud of "bliss" have you come tumbling down to their sorrows. Instead be stronger, be encouraging.. Im trying to do this every day, even when the poop comes flying my way. I duck, I jump, I do what I have to to get out of the way of the poop! Have a blessed week my lovelies! Your beautiful, strong, and there is NO one like you!! 

Recipe Swaps!

Happy Monday Friends! 
I'm always looking for all sorts of recipes! My mother had 7 kids, so growing up she was always in the kitchen cooking up a storm. A lot of good memories as a kid are remembered with some great aroma floating around in the house! So I grew to LOVE cooking/baking! Now being a mom, I can only hope to give my little guy the same great memories! 

We can share anything from as easy to salads, quick little lunches for the kiddos, to amazing dinners! I love to play around and see what I come up with when it comes to salads....

Being a mom, and not always having a ton of time and needing energy, I love having a salad! Try to have one everyday. This salad was pretty amazing, I sautéed some frozen cooked shrimp (only takes minutes) with a little olive oil, lemon pepper, and already chopped garlic. I added some steamed asparagus, avocados, tomatoes, sweet corn from the can, and organic lettuce! It literally took under 10 minutes to make! If I'm feeling extra healthy I make my own dressing. All it includes is olive oil, Balsamic Vinegar, and a little lemon juice. Pretty Good!!

This one is a BBQ chicken salad. I had left over chicken from the night before and I heated in a pan with some bbq sauce. Added some sweet corn, black beans, a little colby jack cheese, tomatoes, croutons, and organic salad mix. I always like to mix a little honey mustard with light ranch dressing to go with the bbq chicken! These salads are awesome filling meals for moms always running around for the kiddos! Heck they're great for anyone who enjoys a great salad! 

I can't wait to get into pastas, desserts, etc! What are some of your recipes!?! 

When Ms. Cleaver Loses It

When we think of motherhood we strive to be....

The well rounded, put together, sane mother. With all the great advice and all the right choices made! Up at the crack of dawn with breakfast ready for our ducklings and sending our husband off to work with a nice lunch and a kiss wishing a swell day...

In reality....

A lot of days, this is what we experience... Whether it's cause our children are not listening, there is not that husband to make lunch for, overwhelmed by house work, feel undervalued, the list can go on and on! Sometimes we need to just stop what were doing in the middle of the chaos find the nearest closet and a box of dove chocolates.. sit, indulge, and refuel! Hey, whatever will help right! 
No, but really, It's taking one day at a time! Your a better mom when you don't try to be super mom. At least thats what Im finding out. I dealt (and still do sometimes) with self guilt as a mom. Sometimes for being a single parent or for not always having the energy to play for hours with Jack. You feel bad or start to compare yourself to other parents. You notice something your lacking in through other peoples doings. When no one parent is perfect. If your showing your kids unconditional love, being there for them, and open to learning each day that is giving your kids the best. No one just has a baby and knows exactly how to handle or react to every little sleepless moment. We all call our mothers or friends who've already been down this road. Its learning, day by day by day by day.... experience! It' the beauty of being a parent. For every hard moment comes triple the "I love you mama/dada", the snuggles, etc! 
Yesterday, we were driving in the car, came to a stop sign, Jack goes "Mama"? I say, "Yes, baby love"? "Your a good mama, and pretty too"... In that moment every hard, sleepless, want to pull my hair out of my head situation, went out the door and it topped any compliment I have ever been given in my life. To know I'm not a perfect mom and that things aren't always easy and I have my meltdowns... At 3 years old he acknowledging my trying and my love for him. That's all I can ask for! Thats all I can do, is give him my unconditional love and very best every single day! Thats being a good parent not defining myself by other peoples standards but knowing what I give is my all and best and thats the best!