Diein' in Zion

So, another week has passed...

It was a really busy week as far as work is concerned.  Way too busy, but I have resolved the situation and life should be a little more manageable on that front.  Also, you'll note, Guy is as ridiculously handsome as ever.

I am working on reigniting my Spring cleaning bug.  It's not totally Spring yet, so that's what I'm going with for now.  Let's talk about stuff:

I'm still really happy with all the products I've been using except for one: 

source

I'm totally over the Diorshow Maximizer Lash Plumping Serum.  I might still apply this at night to clean lashes, which is not always possible because I can't get my waterproof make-up off without rubbing the living crap out of my rapidly aging eyes.  Still taking suggestions for make-up removers.  Pretty much begging for them.  The point is that, for me, this stuff is just too many layers and my mascara gets crazy clumpy if I apply it underneath.  Thus, it cancels the intended effect of making my lashes "visibly longer", rather making them look visibly stumpified.  Don't take my word for it though.  Honestly, the reviews for this stuff are incredible.  It's just not working out for yours truly.

Seriously, look at the bags under my eyes:

I may have to trade in my beloved La Mer for something else.  This will be a topic of discussion at a later date.

I also gave up on the coconut oil pulling altogether.  It was a huge time investment and I wasn't really feeling or seeing any results.  I guess I'll have to save up to get my teeth professionally whitened.  But hope is not lost on the hair front.

First I got this:

I THINK I'm seeing results, but it is still rather early to make a conclusive statement.  It seems like my baby hair is really starting to come in.  I can tell that it's baby hair and not breakage because it's coming in evenly.  It also seems to be promoting growth along my hairline where it, honest to God, looks like I'm receding if I don't have it dyed super dark (my hair is naturally dirty blonde).  I'm super excited to continue documenting my results!  I follow Miloberry's instructions almost to the proverbial "T" and I always leave step 2 on for 20 minutes to an hour.  As you might imagine I get out of the shower and then back in to do so.  

I have coupled my Ovation Cell Therapy, or ménage à trois-ed it with biotin and prenatal vitamins in an effort to really get my hair amazing.  Fingers crossed, eyelashes wished.

Finally, I have been drinking 16+ oz of coconut water (I am still totally on the coconut water thing and I still totally hate the taste) with 1 and 1/2 tbsp of chia seeds and 1 tbsp of this:

source

It goes down pretty nice right after a workout, but on the days I don't make it to Xtend... barf.  This makes me FEEL awesome to the max, however, so I force down every last drop.  Bonus: this is prolly what my insides look like now:

source

Finally, I've added the goop newsletter to my routine.  Sorry, folks, I love my Gwyneth and I think I would be utterly devastated if she weren't a total snob who didn't understand the common folk, the plebeians, the serfs such as I.  Her last email had some really good advice for Spring cleaning one's closet despite one's standing.  It's worth a read if you're into that sort of thing.

So, yeah, it's a wrap or whatever...

THIS WEEK FOR DINNER:

I worked.  Almost every night.  I ate work.  And this amazingly simple, yet remarkably delicious pad thai at some point:

Hit up my Pinterest, y'all!

Also, I recommend slow cooking 4-6 chicken breasts every week or two.  They pretty much shred themselves and you can freeze each breast individually to pull out and use as needed.  Seriously, if you never listen to anything else I write, listen to that.  

I'm exhausted.  I'm so over this week, but I'm not over you, dear reader.  Not even close.

xoxox

Happy New Year! This post is dedicated to mucus!

I'm still sick, y'all, which is delightful and severely attractive to the opposite sex.  On New Year's Day my husband was actually able to convince me to brave the Utah inversion (the air gets trapped in the valley between the mountains where Salt Lake City lies and becomes thick like soup.  Soup made from pollution).  And it has been cold up in this piece.  Like 20+ degrees in the day and 9 degrees last night. And here's the part where I FINALLY get to write: IT'S COLDER THAN A WITCH'S TEAT!  I feel better.

It was so cold that poor, little Guy only made it a short ways before he got cold feet- literally- and daddy had to carry him back to the car.

I die for that face!  Such a big baby!

Since I was also sick on NYE we stayed in and watched "New Girl" on Netflix, which we are loving, but are embarrassed because we are both TOTALLY Jess.  Especially the making up songs about EVERYTHING schizz.  Also, I have not gotten over the loss of the character Coach from the pilot.  This, for me, is not as bad as when we started watching "Modern Family" and we realized that I am both Mitchell AND Cam *headdesk*.  At any rate, my husband went to the wine store and picked up a few bottles of the champagne we served at our wedding (both cavas, but one was a rosé).  Not wanting to leave Guy out, I poured him a small bowl.

When Guy wants to stay on the couch, Guy STAYS on the couch (part way at least).  He knocked the bowl over and drank it off the floor.  That dog is a lush, man, a shameless lush.

Sorry for the TMI, but... bulldog bums!!!  And you can see the knocked over bowl, proving that I didn't lie above.

So, Happy New Year, y'all!  Did you make any resolutions?  I made a resolution to quit smoking.  This is the same resolution I have made for 6 years because I quit smoking 6 years ago, making it a really easy resolution to keep.  I like to be a follow-through kind of gal.  I have some goals regarding my health, but those are pretty long term... like eating healthier, drinking less champagne (why?!), not being sick as often, finding a cure for CFS, getting a trust fund.  You know, standard stuff.

Before I get to the grand finale of how amazeballs to the max my husband is, I feel like I should follow-up on my coconut water experiment and talk a little make-up.  In regards to the coconut water, I have tried two brands: O.N.E. and this guy:

source

They are both equally disgusting in taste, but something about the logo for this Vita Coco... "hydrate naturally"?  All this time I thought the 60 - 120oz of water I was ingesting was a natural way to hydrate.  Thank you for showing me otherwise, oh wise marketing goon.  Seriously though, I've been so sick for the last couple of weeks that I have no idea if it's helping or not as far as hydrating BETTER with LESS intake.  All I know is that the dog likes it, so it's probably got alcohol in it.  I'm not deterred from this experiment, dear reader.  There will be more coconut water in my future and you WILL hear about it.

Getting on to make-up, I'm still using my awesome Sephora set for bronzer, blush, and highlighter:

source (product discontinued)

My problem is that I am VERY fair skinned and I felt like it was going on too strong, so I was buffing it out with my powder brush after applying the first two.  The other day, however, I accidentally put them on after I had done a little concealer, but before I had put on my powder.  I decided to wing it and just do my powder on top.  Is this the solution I am looking for?  I have no idea.  It looked good when I left for work, but I am always so tired and run down after my shifts that I never thought to check it.  I will try it again soon, but not tomorrow... it's too risky.  I have to be PERFECT tomorrow.

BECAUSE I AM GOING TO THE JUSTIN BIEBER CONCERT... OMGZ!!! OH. MY. GENERAL. ZOD!!! THE BIEBS.  AND ME... HIS "FAVOURITE GIRL"!!!

source

So, Guy and I were sick on the couch watching (and singing with) "Never Say Never" for the millionth time and my husband was in the other room.  He totally sent an email to all my coworkers and got my shift covered, so I could use the ticket to see the Biebs that he bought me as a surprise.  I know it seems kind of creepy that a 34 year-old lady is going to see Justin Bieber alone, but I like to think of myself as 34-minus-20, which is still creepy because who sends a 14 year-old girl to a concert alone?!  I am totally going to get kidnapped and my story will be featured in a "ripped from the headlines" episode of Law & Order.  Dreams really DO come true!

I hope you are having a lovely beginning of the year, dear reader.  Mine has been covered in Guy's mucus.  He has a really bad infection, which is why it took me so long to get around to writing this post. I have been worrying about my little boy like crazy, feeling guilty, going to the vet, and analyzing mucus like never before... much of it after it has been plastered all over my person via violent sneeze attacks.  I mean, don't get me wrong, I spend a LOT of time analyzing my own mucus, but it's a whole new ballgame when the mucus belongs to your helpless baby.  I get it, moms.  I totally get it. 

May your year be filled with joy, not mucus!  Biebs updates in the weekly wrap-up!  until then...

xoxox

Awww (coco)NUTS!

So, you may have noted that I'm not posting so much as of late and I missed last week's wrap up entirely:

I still love you, dear reader.  And it's not that I don't want to post, it's just a nasty combo of getting used to my work schedule and my CFS giving me the middle finger all the time.  Be sure to check in though because Mary Ping, the absolute genius behind Slow and Steady Wins the Race, will be doing an interview... if I ever write it... BLERGH!  I promise to be better.  A solemn promise.

source

Have y'all tried coconut water?  I just grabbed some on a quick grocery store trip and I really hate the taste despite really loving coconut, but I know people totally swear by it.  I'm interested in trying it as a sort of recovery drink for the far too few Xtend Barre classes I've been squeezing into my hectic schedule.  By the way, I just had my 1 year anniversary with Xtend on Wednesday and I'm still over 2 and 1/2 inches smaller in the hips and arse than I was a year ago... owwwww!  So, my question to you is several questions actually:  Do you swear by coconut water? Why or why not?  Are there other flavours?  Is there anywhere to get affordable coconut water?  This stuff is crazy expensive!  

Normally I drink 60 - 120oz of water a day (no exaggeration), but since I've started working at Anthro, I've been remiss both in hydration and blogging.  I understand that I can't walk around on the sales floor with my water bottle when I'm working, but 10 minutes during a 6 hour shift is really not enough time to properly hydrate.  And my skin suffers.  When I make goofy faces in the mirror trying to exaggerate the appearance of wrinkles- which I totally do- you can tell a significant difference if I'm under-hydrated.  I suppose water is my natural filler.  I'm curious to see if I can drink LESS water, but BETTER water on the days that I work.   Is coconut water the answer I'm looking for?  I smell an experiment!  I'm also asking for suggestions...

and now to wrap up: THIS WEEK FOR DINNER:

I'm really enamoured with my fat separator, so I made two roasts in the last two weeks.  The one above was a balsamic roast, which was pretty tasty.  I made that sometime last week.  Then I made another for french dip sandwiches last Sunday... an 8lb roast!  We were staying with my handicapped brother and we had one of my older brothers and his family over for dinner.  It was a huge hit.  Check the recipe out on my Pinterest.  You will thank me.  Then one day this week I threw together some spinach fettuccine with chicken and peas in a pesto sauce.  I am having cooking withdrawals!

There just isn't enough time and I don't have enough energy.  I'm hoping soon to make candied citrus peels from a recipe I pinned that sounds awesomesauce, but we shall see...  

Are you ready for Christmas?  I still need to get marzipan pigs for our families.  Tomorrow is going to be one hell of a day.  Work, last minute marzipan pig shopping, liquor store shopping, and grocery shopping.  Can I get it all done?  I hope so.  

Merry Christmas, y'all!  I'll be sure to photograph our spoils.  

xoxox