Nobody likes a tease

Right?! Today the temperature reached 72 degrees in Charlotte. I cruised in the Honda with my windows down, sunroof open and breathed in the fresh January air. And it was SOOO good. It's so nice to be able to breathe fresh air through my nose without a Breathe Right strip (which will pretty much be part of my routine come Springtime). However, all good things must come to an end ...and its looking like the rest of the week is going to be 40s/50s and wet. Blech. It was a gorgeous weekend, but really Mother Nature, NOBODY likes a tease. 

In honor of the short lived burst of warm air I went ahead and purchased my first Spring accessory... 

 I'm pretty sure this is the best seller of all gradual self tanning lotions. It is certainly my favorite. I have yet to find a gradual self tanner that doesn't stink, but this one isn't THAT bad. It moisturizes well, is not greasy and really does give you a believable color. Unfortunately I have yet to see any part of my body that it has successfully "firmed". Oh well- maybe the magic is in this bottle :-)

I encourage everybody to use more of this lotion and less "fake n bakes" this year. I had a pre-cancerous area removed last year from my abdomen...which has probably had way less sun exposure than my arms/face/legs. It sucked and was actually the very first time I'd ever had stitches. In light of that situation though I found a fabulous new dermatology office (University Dermatology in North Charlotte). 

Final thoughts: Wear sunscreen. And don't be a tease :-P
 

The Weather is Here...

....I wish you were beautiful...

Sorry, I couldn't resist but to post some good old Jimmy Buffet lyrics. I pulled out my cd box set Boats, Beaches, Bars & Ballads today in honor of the gorgeous weather (65 degrees in January!!!) and also to start preparing for his concert in April. Soooo excited to see one of my favorites with 4 of my favorite ladies!

Speaking of concerts, I am also going to see New Kids on the Block in July. My sister and I are going to make it a "girls getaway" to Greensboro. NKOTB were definitely a favorite of hers, and I loved them because she did. (Little sisters always copy what cool big sister does). Looking forward to the summer!!!

I'm in a fabulous mood today, mostly thanks to my massage therapist, Deana at Modern Salon & Spa. She is AMAZING. I feel like a new woman after seeing her today :-) 

Continuing on with my favorites, I'll go ahead and get on my soap box about Modern Salon & Spa. I LOVE this place. I have had skin treatments, massages, facials, haircuts and styling done at the Phillips Place and Birkdale locations since I have been back in NC. They use Aveda products which are all plant based and leave your sinuses open and your hair/skin smelling soo good. Amy cuts/styles my hair at the Birkdale location and she is awesome. She always listens to me and is almost always available when I need her. I'll list some of my favorite services at Modern as well as some of my favorite Aveda products below. 

http://www.modernsalonandspa.com/ExploreOurServices/Spa/BodyTreatments.aspx 

The Rosemary Mint Body Awakening Wrap us pure bliss. Partly because they rub you down in the Rosemary Mint Lotion which is one of my absolutely faves. I LOVE rosemary (for cooking, planting, fragrance) and the mint in this lotion awakens every sense you have. 

I have also tried the Salt Glow which is perfect for "Summer Prep". Because I have ridiculously dry skin I always have to mega-exfoliate prior to any real or fake tanning. This treatment does JUST that. I like to follow the Salt Glow with a trip to the Mystic Tan Booth...don't just me because I don't want skin cancer!

I've also done the Elemental Nature Facial. I'm not a huge fan of facials, because I hate the way my skin looks gross afterwards (yes, I know its because the impurities are removed but I still think its nasty). However, if I had to do it again I would get this facial because they cater to whatever you want. 

I always encourage people to go to Modern for any beauty service they need because they have given me 110% every time. Yes its a smidge pricey, but worth every penny. I can't wait to go back to try the Coffee Scrub...after the holidays my dimply thighs REALLY need it..haha!

Well, I gotta go start fixing supper for my hubby who has been "in the woods" all day. I never thought I'd marry a hunter...but hey, at least I had a whole Saturday to myself!

Tomorrow I promise I won't be so wordy and post a couple pics!

A Few of My Favorite Things

I am woman that is all about "word of mouth". If I want to know about a restaurant, hotel or product I almost always ask around at work or friends/family about it first. Sure, the internet is full of reviews and opinions, but I don't really care about the opinions and reviews of people I don't know. I mean, they might be a royally bitter person that can never see the good things about anything. So call me exclusive, but I am not an internet reviewer. With that said, I decided I wanted to blog a little about the things I have found out to be fabulous, can't-live-without, and things that I could've done without. Today's reviews...Beauty Products. Here goes...

Beauty Products, The Good and The Bad

Maybelline  Volum Express "The Falsies" Mascara

http://www.maybelline.com/Product/Eye/Mascara/falsies-volume-express.htm

I am by no means a "make up" pro. In fact, I will go days only wearing facial moisturizer, pressed powder and chapstick. However, recently I discovered this mascara and it has transformed my outlook on make up. This stuff makes my eyes really pop, and I've been asked TWICE if my lashes are real while wearing it. It doesn't clump or smudge, even after 15 hours running around at work. I love it so much that I wear it EVERY day now, even on my days off :-) Way to go Maybelline for making such a awesome product!!

Garnier Anti-Dark-Circle Roller

http://www.garnierusa.com/_en/_us/our_products/product.aspx?tpcode=OUR_PRODUCTS^PRD_SKINCARE^SKIN_RENEW^SKIN_RENEW_DISCOVER^SKIN_RENEW_RTN3&prdcode=P19021 

One word. Horrible. I am a chronic sufferer of dark circles and "allergy eyes" so I'm always looking for a good product to reduce the darkness and perk things up. Before a holiday party this past December I ran to CVS and picked one of these up. It was not only expensive (maybe like $9 if I remember correctly) but it totally didn't work. The concealer in it is the oddest color ever. I don't think it would cover dark circles on any skin tone. AND- it didn't "tingle" or make my eyes look fresh or awakened. Then, to top things off, the top cover of it is so freakin' cheap it leaked all over my other make up when I put it away. Gross. Boo Garnier, for your horrible product. 

Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Hair Serum

http://www.paulmitchell.com/Products/PaulMitchell/Smoothing/Pages/SuperSkinnySerum.aspx

My favorite hair product! I am generally pretty weary of "serums" because I don't want my hair to look greased up right after I wash it. However, this serum is so light and smells soo good, I can slather my hair up right before I blow dry and it looks perfect. My hair comes out resembling a close cousin of Jennifer Aniston. I love her, and her hair and any product that can make my long scraggly mane look anything close to her lovely locks. Smooth, shiny and wonderfully healthy looking!

Tresemme Fresh Start Dry Shampoo

http://www.tresemme.com/Products/Fresh-Start/Fresh-Start-Dry-Shampoo/

Another huge screw up when I bought this stuff. For anyone who doesn't understand "dry shampoo" it is a must have product. You basically spray it on your hair, fluff your hair up with your fingers, brush it out and your hair looks fresh, like you just washed it. I started using dry shampoo when I discovered that I was ruining my hair by washing and blow drying every single day. It's perfect for new moms, or people who are in a hurry in the morning and don't have time to wash and dry. I use it a lot before work when I am exhausted. Anyway, I am a fan of Tresemme products and have always had good luck with their shampoos and conditioners. So naturally when they came out with a dry shampoo I wanted to try it. Absolutely NOT good. It had a gross strong smell, was ridiculously sticky and did NOTHING but make my hair feel stiff, sticky and thick after I used it. Do not buy this product. It is not worth the trouble of using, then actually having to wash and blow dry to get it out. Yuck. 

 But, since I think everyone should use dry shampoo here is my favorite....

 Psssssst Dry Shampoo

http://www.drugstore.com/qxp308567/psssssst/instant_spray_shampoo.htm?brand=8364 

I mean, how fun is it to giggle and say that you "Pssssst-ed" this morning? The girls at work and I ALWAYS joke about this, and it's thanks to my bff Linny that I discovered this product and live by it now. Like I explained above, it is a dry shampoo that freshens your hair, gets rid of the grease and gives your head a nice clean fresh smell. Some of you may think it's totally gross to not wash your hair and spray something on it to freshen it up, but TRY IT...I promise you will be amazed. Psssst is featured as an "Allure" Magazine favorite and if you try it you'll see why. It can be hard to find, but I've found it at Walgreen's and Walmart only. It is in the shampoo section near the lice products....don't be alarmed its not used to treat lice :-) 

I love this stuff so much I gave a lot of my female relatives a can of it for Christmas. Trust me...you want to try it! 

I am getting a little fatigued so I will wrap up my beauty product reviews for today. Stay tuned for new reviews coming right up!

Thoughts for the Day

So I'm tired from a long day of answering a million questions shot at me from a parent who has just had her 5th baby. Not just normal, "my baby is early and in the scary intensive care unit" questions, but ridiculous, quirky questions like "Is my baby's wiener really this (as she's holding her pointer finger and thumb about a centimeter apart) small?"...I mean REALLY lady, your baby's genitals should be the least of your worries, oh wait...my bad, you have lost custody of all your other kids...so why are you even bothering to ask me about this baby? UGH...i love my job, but sometimes it can be really frustrating. Especially when parents pick up on your frustrations and either get really angry at you and demand a new nurse, or...maybe worse, continue with their antics.  Anyway, since I'm a little "on edge" tonight here are my thoughts for the day...

1. I may have misjudged myself when I decided to take a second job and work 5 days a week. I REALLY want to lay on the sofa all day tomorrow.

2. American Idol is starting its 10th season tonight and although I promised myself I wouldn't watch, I can't bare to change the channel. I STILL love JLo and Steven Tyler, even though they've stooped to the level of being judges on American Idol.

3. I got my new Spring Boden catalog today :-) :-) :-)

4. I found out today 2 more people at work are pregnant. I am definitely bringing my own water from now on.

Nighty night!!

Banana Legs

When I was little I would go through summer after summer being called "Banana Legs" by my older sis. "Banana Legs" did not describe the shape or color, but the scattered brownish "banana like" bruising resulting from me running into things, picking at bug bite scabs, etc, etc. So, today when I fell face first on our back patio (Damn ice!) which resulted in a scraped up hand and huge purple goose egg on my right knee...I was reminiscent of my banana leg days and thought I would share :-)

Haley Takes Oath As SC's 1st Woman Governor - News Story - WSOC Charlotte

 So proud to be a woman today! YOU GO GIRL!!!

Haley Takes Oath As SC's 1st Woman Governor - News Story - WSOC Charlotte

Sbanksjohnson, The Nanny.

I'm taking on another persona, starting tomorrow morning. I am now the "nanny" of a precious baby girl two days a week. Why you ask? Yes, in my previous post I clearly stated I am not ready for a child of my own. But I do love kids, especially small ones. This is something I discovered when I changed jobs almost 3 years ago. Adults are so bitter, jaded, opinionated sometimes, but children are purely innocent. I love taking care of them at the hospital in their most vulnerable moments, and I am positive I will love spending two afternoons a week caring for a sweet 3 month old. Look forward to the trials and tribulations I am sure to have in learning the art of cloth diapering, as well as developmental milestones going way past what I see in the teeny tiny's at the hospital. Don't worry, I've come a long way since that discharge car seat episode I mentioned yesterday :-)

Speaking of carseats, I browsed through the latest patterns of baby gear today...since babies are obviously on my mind. Isn't this car seat soo presh? http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4421270

I can assure you if I had a little girl (Mollie, Ainsley, Emma Claire?) today, she would be a little diva and this would definitely be her pattern.

Am I the Only One?!

  I never thought this day would come. Chatting with my mother on the phone this morning and we sailed into uncharted waters. My mom said that lately she'd been wondering if she'd ever be a grandmother.....SAY WHAT?! I guess she had seen some precious little one at the grocery store or something and wondered when it would be her turn to play "Grandma". Well Mom, thanks for making me question myself. I have never been the girl who wanted to hurry up and get married just so I could have a baby. I definitely want kids someday, but I guess I just haven't had that "urge?" to procreate yet. I'm not sure if part of this stems from the fact that I am still friends with lots of people that haven't even gotten married, or if it's because I work in pediatrics where I see healthy parents have unhealthy babies all the time. When you work in that kind of environment (granted the babies in my workplace only represent about 1% of all the babies born in the state) you start to wonder...is it even possible to have a wonderful, healthy, beautiful baby? And then if that's possible...what the heck do I do when I get it home? I'll never forget the day I was preparing a family for the discharge of their baby and I had no idea how to #1 set up the car seat and #2 get the baby in it and strapped in correctly. I am a pediatric nurse....if I don't know how to do this, how do regular people know how to do this?! I will never forget that day, and how I said to myself...will I ever be ready to be a mom?

I secretly admire the women I know who just go straight into parenthood without questioning anything. Aren't they scared that their baby will come out with 3 eyeballs? Or will the baby tolerate milk protein? Or will it be 3 years old before it sprouts one hair? Maybe I'm just a worrywart, but I think about these things and it scares me out of wanting to have a baby right now.

Before my mom rocked my boat, my husband and I had talked about babies maybe around my 30th birthday. Whew...3 more years of selfishness. In the meantime, I'll continue to browse the gorgeous baby bedding in the Pottery Barn Baby/Kids magazine, and brainstorm baby names. And of course, be thrilled for those around me with new little ones...after all, if THEY can do it, so can I :-)

Baby it's cold outside

Here's a look at what Charlotte/Huntersville has endured over the past 24 hours. 

Just a few pictures I took from my front and back doors, without having to go outside and freeze. I am NOT a fan of ANY sort of winter weather and am so looking forward to the bright colors, milder temps and warm sunshine of Spring.

I am not a skiier, or "sledder" and have used my ice/snow day today to clean the bathrooms and vacuum the house. I have to admit it's fun to be at home with my husband, who doesn't have to be at his office today. One of the best things about being married I think is always having someone to hang out with...even if for us it means being couch potatoes, drinking full calorie Coke and eating Cool Ranch Doritos all day :-)

There's always tomorrow to burn the calories! (Which I think is also the motto of my sweet kitty, Bella..who has nested herself in my bed all day)

Happy Weekend!

There's something about a Saturday morning that I have ALWAYS loved. Thinking about the prospective activities for the weekend, knowing that if I didn't sleep in today I still have one more day to sleep in and just being able to catch my breath from a busy week. I also love when my schedule works out that I work Friday and Monday and I can pretend I have a "normal" weekday job like everybody else. My plans for the weekend? Probably some retail therapy, a banquet for my husband's work tonight, church and relaxing tomorrow :-)

Enough about the weekend...

My husband and I have been talking about where to travel this year. We went to Hawaii in 2009, Vegas last year, and this year I want to go to a romantic, "Caribbean feel" kind of place. I have never been to the Caribbean, but there's one place I would like to visit first. KEY WEST! I have heard SO many good things about Key West and the different islands, that I've developed a slight obsession with going there. I found an amazing resort this week (pretty pricey but I like to set big goals)...

Little Palm Island, Key West! The resort is Little Palm Island Resort & Spa. Here's the link..http://www.littlepalmisland.com/LittlePalmIsland_home.aspx

We'll see if I make it there this year. Other possibilities we are throwing around...Alaska (a big thanks to Sarah Palin's show for making my husband feel like he MUST go there), Hawaii again or Aruba. We've also talked about going on a Caribbean cruise for his 30th birthday in November. I never have been or ever will be a cruise person. It just doesn't appeal to me to be on a boat with thousands of people, eating from buffets and being on someone else's time table. Anyway, I'll keep you posted! Happy Weekend!!

One step forward, two steps back...

After an afternoon lunch date with my bestie turned into a night of "bar hopping" and drinking WAY too much (on a Monday? really Sarah?!), I am slowly recovering on the couch. I have been so sick today that I honestly almost went to the ER for an IV and some fluids. I know I know, the nurses would totally laugh and point if I really did that, but I'm not sure I have ever been this sick after a night of drinking. So, in the famous words of a hungover person, I am pledging to myself to cut this crap out. I am almost 27 years old, and its pretty much time to stop treating my body like dirt. Sure, I'm not opposed to a glass of wine with dinner or a Christmas morning mimosa..but I REALLY want to try and cut out the drinking for 2011. I'm not sharing this info so people will know how irresponsible I can be, but so I can be held accountable not only by myself, but by others. I personally don't think anyone can TRULY make a change without a little support from the people around them.

2010 was a year full of "reasons" to drink. (Depression, death, divorce, among other things that stirred up my world last year.)

However, it is a new year and I am convinced that 2011 will hold wonderful things for myself and my loved ones. Just like I told my mom on the phone yesterday, odd years have generally been the best years (at least for me). I met my amazing husband in 2007, got married in 2009, so 2011 is destined to go well :-) (And if you're thinking it, no baby...we'll save that for 2013!)


So with that said, here's a look into what I will try to accomplish in 2011... in no particular order...


1. cut the drinking down & out.
2. eating more organic, healthy food (YAY for an Earthfare being built in Hville!)
3. cook at home more often
4. continue to build my relationship with my mother in law
5. be more active in church, and possibly look into finding a new church family
6. adopt a puppy!
7. be nicer and more appreciative of my husband...he is a tremendous blessing in my life and he needs to know it, every single day.
8. go to the beach at least once a month from May to October


That's pretty much it for now..15 minutes til GH! :-)