Seattle + Baby Policar

August 11, 20163 Comments

Happy Thursday guys!

Who is watching the Olympics!?

OMG I could NOT be more obsessed with women’s gymnastics. I need to order myself a leotard for a 6-footer for 2020 because I would just like, walk around the house in one while it’s on.

But today, I’m not here to talk about Michael Phelps, The Fierce Five or the CRAZY latissimus dorsi muscles on those woman swimmers (circled below, for reference).

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Today I am here to talk baby. A Policar baby, to be exact that shall belong to my cousin Mike and his wife Karen.

The shower was on Saturday morning, which meant David and I left the night before. On our way, we encountered a 1980’s RV fully engulfed in flames #nature.

I rode to the shower with my mom and Meg (the hosts of the shin-dig) and sat next to none other than Tate M. Johnson. We talked about politics, the upcoming Olympic competition and of course, growing teeth.

We arrived and I admired my mom and sister’s decorating handiwork.

My job was to watch Tate so they could arrange, prep and yell at eachother. SO I did.

Trying unsuccessfully to get him to take a nap

Then we put out all the food and Karen showed up to grace us with her royal cuteness.

OF COURSE Nan and Tate matched the party #ontheme.

Then I snapped what is now one of my fave pics of Tate…

His face THO

Then Rachel showed up with the cupcakes! These had marshmallow cream in the middle.

Auntie Rachel relieved me during the present-opening and rocked Tate for a bit. When I came back, I found Tate partaking in his favorite activity!

She got some baby sh*t, you know.

I forgot a card for her gift of diapers (PRACTICAL) so I made one real quick in the kitchen:

Outside (and Office fans out there?)

Inside

Karen got my mom and Meg THEEEE cutest thank you gifts ever too. Does it get better than macarons and champs? No, I don’t believe it does.

All-in-all a great little shower for Karen. No poop diaper game or chugging beer through a baby bottle but hey, there’s always my shower when I’m FORTY.

Random Haul + Mini Reviews!

August 5, 20163 Comments

Hello kidlets!

August is officially bumming me out. HOW is summer almost over? I am def NOT ready for fall – not ready for PSLs, not ready for pants and DEF not ready for the election #voteforpedro. The only saving grace this month is the Summer Olympics where I will inevitably stay up until 2 am watching gymnastics because SIMONE BILES.

Anyway. Here is some random crap I have purchased lately. Most things I have used a few times and therefore, will provide a quick review on.

Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge

I decided to return the two-pack of Ulta sponges I bought in this haul and go for these ones from Real Techniques instead. I have used this a few times since getting it and it is a close dupe for the Beauty Blender…however, it is still not as good. I really like that it has the flat side, but it just lacks that Beauty Blender BOUNCE (you know what I mean) that I am obsessed with.

Lipsmackers “Tsum Tsum” Lip Balm

This Minnie Mouse EOS-esque lip balm from Lip Smackers is absolutely ENORM. I really like the size, because it is SO easy to find in any black-hole purse or backpack. I did leave this in David’s car, in a dashboard compartment so sadly, most of the lipbalm is now stuck in the lid but like whatevs. You know I be scrapin’ it out with my dirty fingernail.

My iBeauty Skin Brush 21

I found this at Marshalls for $7.99 and after doing a quick Google search on it, (and discovering it retails for about $25, I decided to go for it. I am REALLLLLy glad I did because I am truly obsessed with this brush guys. I have used it with BB Creams as well as foundation and both work flawlessly. I especially like to use this with my Nars Sheer Glow because it goes on SO incredibly smoothly.

Essence Lipliner in #11 In the Nude

I really like this color! It is PERFECT with Buxom’s White Russian lip gloss but is also pretty on it’s own, as you can see here:

Dermadoctor KP Duty Lotion

This seemingly boring product is something I am actually REALLY pumped about. You all know I suffer from keratosis pilaris (or KP, or chicken skin) and I have tried different product to help keep the bumpies under control. After doing some research on the active ingredients I need, I ran across STELLAR reviews on both Ulta and Sephora on this particular product. First of all, it is $38 for 4 ounces. YIKES is right. Waaaaayyyyy to much. But then I compared the prices to some other cheaper options from the drugstore, costing anywhere from $15-$25 and decided to take the plunge and buy the spendy one. So far, it really has made a noticeable difference. I put it on every night before bed on ONLY the areas I need it. I still have the bumps, but the are way less prominent and not red at all. I hate to say it, but I will probs be a life-time user of this stuff.

Protein Bars, Pandas and Tate’s Baptism

July 27, 2016Leave a comment

Now there’s a grab bag for ya!

Lipstick: Milani Color Statement Lipstick in Uptown Mauve

Now let’s talk about the grossest food I have ever spent $3 on.

I purchased this at Rite Aid, where I do much of my lunch-time shopping. I was pretty hungry, but didn’t feel like my normal Cheez-Its and string-cheese grub. I decided to spend a whopping $2.99 on this because I have heard that these are delicious and taste just like candy bars. The only way this tastes like candy bar is if you like mushed-together chocolate chip cookie astronaut food from 1971. HARD PASS.

Also, last weekend was Tate’s baptism! He is now a pure baby of God (like he ever wasn’t).

David and I got in on Friday and watched Gare play some sassy jazz at the Carousel of Dreams.

The next morning Tate got baptized and I was his godparent and I got to hold his tiny body over the little bowl thing while the priest dumped holy water on his head. He took it like a CHAMP (seriously SOOOO much better than the other babies) and was just looking up at us, totally mesmerized.

Here we are at his little reception. If you look closely, you’ll see that he is wearing teeny tiny white BABY SUSPENDERS. Nan MADE them. She is the best grandma everrr.

After the reception was over, we all took naps and then went to Columbia Center Mall, as any normal Tri-Citians would do on a 90 degree baptism day.

My mom insisted on getting him one of those annoying car carts that cost $5 and are probs covered in an assortment of baby poop, vom and of course a sh*t ton of drool. Meg wiped it down and we set little Tate in there and it was then that I realized why Nan so badly wanted to get one.

IT IS THEEEEE CUTEST F-ING THING I HAVE EVER SEEN. HE LOOKS LIKE A MINIATURE OLD MAN IN HIS COLLEGE ALUMNI TEE, JUST GOIN DRIVING TO SONIC FOR A SMALL FRY.

Once inside Gymboree, we put this tiny drivers hat on his head and he hated it. So we waited a second and put it on him again and tricked him into looking at Megan while we snapped a pic #babiesaresogullible

We cruised around the mall and Tate just absolutely loved being in the little car. I got some wallflowers from BBW and a cold-shoulder boho shirt from Francesca’s. So, basically, a successful Columbia Center experience all in all.

The next day I said goodbye to my little baby angel and kissed him MANY times on the lips even though he was struggling desperately to not let me.

Other interesting tidbits from last week include this amazing snapchat filter:

SIA 4 LIFE

Annnnd lastly, I took the giant panda bear that David won at the fair to work for my friend’s/co-worker’s daughter who loves pandas. We ended up having some fun with it and made everyone take their pic with it. Here were my contributions to the album:

Classic back-to-back buddy pose

Slow-dancing. Obvi.

Sunriver Trip 2016

July 20, 2016July 20, 2016Leave a comment

Happy summer everyone!

Have I even said that yet? Summer is basically like half way over and I am like already depressed. A family trip to Sunriver was just what the doctor ordered.

I arrived on Wednesday night after the entire Britney Spears Greatest Hits album as well as 1.5 Red Bulls and half a tube of Chewy Spree. The fam had just returned from dinner so I toasted myself up an english muffin with gobs of Country Crock and mixed a vodka + fresca for sustenance. We then discovered the cabin we rented for the week came equipped with THEE most necessary board game ever:

You guys, this game is somethin’ else, I highly suggest it #zitstickers.

The house also had this enormous deck, in which Tate looooved to run around in his walker on. While we played Girl Talk, he happily ran around like a banshee, baby babbling and drooling away. Then he came over and put his hands up so Nan plucked him out and his little feet were SO filthy and his big toe had popped through his jammies! So, we grabbed a pair of scissors from the kitchen and just whacked off the ends #whitetrashbaby.

And then he fought sleep for a million years and Nan ended up getting him to take a snooze while I stole a pic:

The next morning I woke up and of course played with Tate.

As did Nan and Gare:

Ok maybe Gary was watching TV

We ate some brek and the gals + Binny decided it would be fun to go for a float down the Deschutes! So we rented tubes, filled a cooler with ice, vodka, red bull and puffy Cheetos and hit the water.

After we floated, I came home and ~~PTFO~~ took a princess-like snooze. Then I woke up and did some Snaps with the folks.

That night after dinner, we went for a walk and I wore Tate on m’back. He was being the cutest ever.

The next morning, we woke up and explored the little Sunriver “village”. Tate found a little kids play area with rocks and a rope walk to be quite enjoyable.

After that, we ventured over to Lava Lands to walk through the Lava Tube, which sounds really weird. Nan and I decided to stay put in the car with Tate, but we did walk around a little first.

Next up was lunch in Bend, at Deschutes Brewery.

This was just my show beer. AKA my Dad’s. I would never drink this grossness.

Then we did a little shopping around Bend (such cute shops) and David joined! I got these cool shades:

The next day we all went to Cultus Lake and Nan rented us a party barge for the morning! We did a little fishing (unsuccessfully) and drank a bottle of wine (successfully). Tate roamed around the boat, bein’ all cute and I realized that I pretty much reallllly need a boat.

What a beautiful lake! I highly recommend it. as far as bodies of water go. Meg HATED the name cuullltus. It IS kindof a gross name for a lake.

So anyway, that was basically it. Fun times for us!

SK-II Skincare Review

July 14, 2016July 13, 2016Leave a comment

Hello beauties!

A while back, Influenster (gotta love these folks!) sent me the SK-II Vox Box, containing two items from the line. The box contained both the Facial Treatment Essence, as well as the Facial Treatment Mask.

SO. This brand’s whole shtick is this stuff called Pitera, which according to Sephora is known as “holy water” or “miracle water” in the “East” because of it’s skin-renewing properties. What I know is this:

Any expensive skin-care line has to have a shtick. Some kind of story to tell. Whether it is a mud they scrape from the bottom of the dead sea, an elixir derived from sea kelp, or even creams made from baby foreskins (YES, this is really a thing) – brands have to attach a (generally bogus) story to illicit the outrageous price tags.

This brand is no different. I have no doubt that like so many other high-end brands, the ingredients in SK-II are great. All we can really ask for in good skin care these days are ingredients that have been proven to be good for our skin, to be nourishing, moisturizing and feel good. Good skin care is usually free of fillers, heavy perfumes and has fancy packaging – and pretty much, that’s it.

Facial Treatment Essence

This product came in a smaller size, but is definitely enough to try numerous times. I put it on after cleansing, but before any serums or moisturizers. The immediate effects are minimal. I saw zero instant results and after using it for a solid week, I still don’t see any change. That is NOT to say that this will not end up making a visible difference on my skin, it just hasn’t yet.

Facial Treatment Mask

I was SO excited to try this. I hadn’t ever done a sheet mask before and this one is super bougie, retailing for $17 a pop on the Sephora website. I decided to give it a shot on a Sunday while watching Game of Thrones with David. The mask was VERY saturated in product and is very thick. After reading about it, it is 100% cotton, which I guess is kinda cool. It felt great on my skin and was fun to use. But again like the essence, no immediate results came from it. My skin looked moisturized but it didn’t feel or look that much different than any other day.

Overall, this brand is SO expensive I will not purchase anything from them. It didn’t leave me super excited and hasn’t wowed me with any results . If the essence kicks in and starts making me look like Gigi Hadid, I’ll let ya know.

Independence, Wine & Sweet Baby Tate

July 12, 2016Leave a comment

We went wine tasting with David’s folks over in Hood River and had a swell time. The weather was SUPER hot, but somehow we still managed to consume large amounts of delicious wine. And cheese and meat.

teehee

And the next day we got pedicures and it was glorious! (David gets no polish because he is ~~boring~~ a man). P.S I LOVE how all the nail salons are using fresh files, buffers and toe-separators for every person now! I don’t mind spending the extra $2 to know that the file they’re using on me didn’t touch some fungi-ridden old lady foot but like, letsbereal cuz my feet ain’t winning any beauty contests either :).

Meira got a haircut! Look at this sweet girl.

I celebrated not only America’s day of independence but also Canada’s! The company I work for is based in Canada so I felt it only appropriate to celebrate by wearing a hockey jersey. Other options were a puff-painted shirt I would have had to make that said ” I (maple leaf) Maple Syrup!”

Apologies for thee most scraggly hair

I was also introduced to SPARKLING espresso from Portland Roasting and BALLS was it good! They put a little chocolate in it, and the slight effervescence is seriously delightful.

4th of July was up a few days later and we had QUITE the weekend. Part of it was spent at House Danielson (sorry, too much GOT) and the other half in Portland with David’s family. Here are some highlights.

Splash pad FUN!

Of course, Tate remains my tiny best friend. I meaaaaannnnnn…LOOK AT HIM.

p.s he has 4 teeth and the upper 2 are so cute and really far apart, as megan says “you could fit a whole other tooth in there.”

Here hims is with my Grandma Fran. She can’t remember much these days but she absolutely ADORES Tate and when she plays with him my heart cannot take the sweetness and I literally die a little inside because it’s so stinkin’ cute.

Gary D + Tate. These two are completely hilarious together. They crack each other up. Chase one another around the living room and go for sweet walks together. Here we are at the Duck Pond, enjoying some bevs after playing put put.

Meg proudly displaying the hole she kicked all our asses at. She’s lovely no?

And of course Snapchat filters on Tate for the WIN.

Annnnnd one more of Tate in jammies, just for good measure.

90’s Night + a Mini-Haul

July 8, 2016Leave a comment

Ladies and gents! G’Day to you!

A couple of weeks ago, David and I attended a 90’s night at a bar here in Portland. All week, I brainstormed outfit ideas. Do I go the high-waisted-shorts-body-suit-flannel-tied-around-the-waist route (that is TOTALLY back in style, btw) or the yellow plaid pleated skirt with white knee socks ala Cher Horowitz look? I also considered the idea of trying to procure myself a pair of Jncos…

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Then, I really thought about what I really looked like in the 90’s. And who I really idolized. The answer was clear:

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MANDY F***ING MOORE

IN THE CANDY MUSIC VIDEO.

What teenage girl didn’t want EVERYTHING Mandy had in this video? A cool attic room with inflatable furniture, probs purchased from Delias? Spaghetti-strap tank tops? Crazy buns!? Don’t even get me STARTED on the cross-body portable CD player. Pah-REACH.

In the 90’s, I was all about frosted lip-gloss, butterfly clips, matching my eyeshadow to my shirt, glitter, and of course Vanilla Fields perfume. So. I dug through my closet to find the ONE pair of flared jeans I own, threw on some white eyeliner + pink eyeshadow and glitter, and of course crazy buns.

David opted for some baggy jeans, Michael Jordan tee and his high school letterman’s jacket #classof99. A backwards cap completed his look but I reallllly wished we had a pukka shell necklace.

Then we went over to our friends house to prefunk before we went to the bar and we were the ONLY people who dressed 90’s. Haha, whatever man.

We played some pong, I tried a hard orange soda (DELISH) and we ended up having a grrrreat night. True to 90’s fashion, we both danced HARD and got sweaty to hits from Mariah, Spice Girls oh man it was glorious. The only thing that was missing was a few slow dances…I mean the best thing about the 90’s was slow dancing for me. All4One, Boyz2Men, Usher. I know you feel me.

And also – I have a few new things to show ya!

Lime Crime Lipstick in Coquette

I randomly happened upon this at Nordstrom Rack! They only had a few colors and as soon as I saw that they had Coquette, I nabbed an unopened tube. It is super pretty and I mean, the packaging…pink with a sparkly unicorn!? Exsqueeze me?

Cell phone wallet case from ebay

This is such a great little case. Kinda squishy and it has 3 credit card slots inside. I ordered it from ebay for $3, free shipping and Buy it Now. You just have to wait a long time because it’s from China. #duh

Victoria’s Secret Rollerball in Victoria

Letsbereal. I bought this because of the bow on the bottle and because it was like $3 at the VS annual sale. I tend to go through roller balls quite quickly and my Ariana Grande one is running out so I thought I’d get one. It smells decent, but due to my terrible sinus troubles as of late, I have terrible anosmia so really it could smell like Lady Stetson and I wouldn’t know.

okee that’s all bee bees. BYE.