How to look great on no sleep

As a follow up to my sleepless in Dallas post....I found this great article that gives helpful hints from makeup artist Bobbi Brown on ways to look rested even when you have had little or not sleep.

Her are a few of her suggestions:

1. If your complexion seems flat you can brighten it with a sheer pink gloss and blush.

2. Puffy eyes the problem....turn used (cold and squeezed out) black teabags into puff-reducing compresses....she also recommends Juara Sweet Black Tea Eye Cream that retails for $37.....think I'll try the teabags first.

3. Dark circles she suggest using your fingertips to blend a creamy, flesh toned concealer into undereye circles.....Bobbi Brown has a Face Touch up Stick for $22.

4. Her last suggestion is to dab shimmer at the inner corner of your eyes to look more alert when you have tired eyes....

These are simple suggestions that we can all follow that will make us feel/look rejuvenated even after a bad night of sleep.

Top Ten Mom Solution For Recession

With the current state of the economy, it is up to the mom's to pull out our bag of tricks to find great bargains for our family. I thought it would be great to list resources that I have found work and that other moms trust. Feel free to add you helpful hints to the list in the comment section........that's what it is all about, moms helping moms.


1. Clip, Clip, Clip....coupons are really worth the time and effort it takes to collect papers and cut them out. I recently read an article in Essence where a woman said she could buy $200 worth of groceries and pay $10 for them after with coupons. This got me motivated to begin to cut away. I recently saved $80 on one grocery bill by combining store sales with coupons.....I am not a true believer. It is well worth the effort to buy several Sunday papers to save. Here are some coupon websites where you can print your own coupons at home: shopathome.com and freegrocerycoupon.com

2. Shop to you drop.....now you have to be careful not to sign up for any company that requires you to pay a fee...those are scams. But with a little research and time you can find companies that will pay you to shop for clothes, restaurants and even groceries. The best part is you get reimbursed for your purchases and you get to keep them.

3. Work at home jobs..... two sites that I can recommend are http://workathomemomrevolution.blogspot.com and girgetpaid.com
These sites are updated frequently with list of work at home positions that are available in various areas. Another site is Tory Johnson's womenforhire.com. This site is packed with everything you need to know about companies that are hiring to starting your own business.

4. Consignment stores/Secondhand stores....these stores are great places to buy and sale clothes for your children as they grow. They have everything from uniforms to babies stroller and you can even find things with tags still on them. A few of my favorite are Once upon a Child and Kid to Kid. They have complete store locations on their websites and even franchise information.

5. Turn your hobby into money....I read a money article that talked about turning hobbies like sewing and cooking into side jobs that can add money to your pocket. If you are an excellent cook you can commit to a few hours a week as a private chef or teach others to cook. Whatever you love to do and are good at there is a market out there for that.......like parties why not plan parties for others...you be surprised how something that comes so easy to you is just the thing someone is looking for.

6. Let the writing bug bite you.... There is money to be made in blogging and freelance writing. Sites like blogspot.com, can help you get started setting up your own blog. There is even a site called Guru.com that connects you with 1,000s of freelance positions at various commissions.

7. Buy a water purifier. Really how much do we spend in bottle water when we could easily buy water purifiers at Target or Walmart. Brita has a great brand and this will add up in dollars in a short time.....I totally understand not wanting to drink tap water. This small change will help your pocket and the environment.

8. Start saving.....we all know that it is harder now than ever to save but just putting $100 a month a way can make a huge difference. This applies to retirement, kids college fund and even vacations. Safety nets are always a good idea.

9. Bring your own lunch...This maybe a simple one for most moms. We pack our kids lunches all the time, but if you add up all the trips to McDonalds you could buy a small car. It is just easier to pack your own lunch (yours, significant others, children, etc). By eating out less you put money back in your pocket and can control healthier eating habits too.

10. This is the most important: Don't forget to treat yourself. I don't care if it is a manicure, a trip to the book store or a trip to Marshalls. A small treat is good. Now I am not saying buy those $300 boots for winter but a splurge within reason is good. Maybe you are movie buff and subscribing to Netflix might be the entertainment you need to take your mind off of money worries from time to time.



Hopefully this top ten is helpful....I would love to hear what you and your family are doing during these economic times.

Top Ten Thinngs You Never Say to a Pregnant Woman

I promise that this is not turning into a blog about pregnancy, but for my first week back I couldn't resist writing this blog....

So here is my top ten list for things you never say to a pregnant woman.....


10. When are you due....tomorrow?

9. Are you sure you are not having twins?

8. So how much weight have you gained so far?

7. Did you plan this? or You're having another one?

6. How many of those have you eaten?

5. You are going to breastfeed....right?

4. You not suppose to eat that....you know it's bad for the baby?

3. Why would you name your baby that?

2. What size bra are you wearing now?

1. "So this is your first? Oh my God, with my first, I had horrible back labor for THIRTY hours, and then I needed a C-section and was in pain for WEEKS and the baby didn't sleep through the night until she was two years old..." or any version of this story...........


Add your favorite inappropriate comments you heard during your pregnancy....let's see how long of a list we can get.

Top Ten Things I Am Thankful For

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!!! I wanted to take time out to list the top ten thing I a thankful for this year:


1. My husband, he is truly my soul mate and my best friend

2. My daughter, she is my joy and I am thankful that she is healthy

3. My family in general. Although we are far apart, I am thankful for them all.

4. With today's current economic state, I am thankful that I have a roof over my head and food for Thanksgiving.

5. I am thankful for my health, there is always someone struggling more than you

6. I am thankful that my husband has a job..... a lot of people want to work and can't find a job.

7. I am thankful for the beautiful seasons and chances that God provides us

8. I am thankful to see another year

9. I am thankful for time off and family vacations

10. Lastly I am thankful to my readers who support me and give me a place to voice my thoughts.
'
Happy Thanksgiving Mommas, what are you thankful for this season?

Today's top ten is the top ten reasons I love being a mom:

1. You always have your own cheerleader section

2. My daughter doesn't care if my make-up is just right or my hair is done when I greet her every morning.

3. I can wear my pj's all day if I feel like it and she won't complain.

4. I now have a reason to go to kids movies (I love cartoons)

5. I always have a dinner date if my husband is working late.

6. I love teaching my daughter new things and watching her learn something for the first time.

7. Tickle fights are the best.

8. I love watching her sleep and knowing what a blessing she is to my life ( I know I should be taking a nap too).

9. I love shopping for her and dressing her like a doll.

10. I love her hugs and kisses there the best in the world.

What would be in your momma top ten???

With the upcoming election, I thought it would be cool to create a list of the top ten things mom's would change if they ruled the world.

1. Breastfeeding in public would not be an issue, in fact there would be nursing lounges everywhere.

2. There would be a government salary for stay at home moms

3. We would have four-day work weeks. Fridays would be for family time, shopping and pedicures.

4. Mandatory off days after OGBYN and Mammogram appointments followed by spa days.

5. Gas prices wouldn't be so high. We would have had hybrids years ago.

6. All jobs would offer on site day care services.

7. The Lifetime Network would premiere new movies during Monday night football and Superbowl (something for us to watch).

8. Dad's would be required to attempt to be Momma for one day a week (my husband came up with that one).

9. The 10 o'clock news wouldn't be so depressing. It would start off with healthy recipe ideas and shopping tips.

10. All models would be required to give birth to a child before they could rock the runway.

What would be you change if you ruled the world?

#1
The responses for the Toddler Top Ten for Potty Training 101 were so good I thought I would start a weekly Thursday Top Ten. This week's topic:

The Top Ten Things I Should Do During Nap Time

1. Take a nap

2. Catch up on TIVO/DVR

3. Read a book

4. Delete emails (my inbox is at 480)

5. Call a girlfriend and catch up

6. Exercise

7. Blog

8. Study my Bible or an article (this should have been first)

9. Take a nap......this needed to be said twice

10. Start dinner (yeah right).......

Potty Training 101

Recently I starting the process of potty training my little girl as she approaches her 2nd birthday. Like most things I sought the advice of other mothers and tried to learn from their experiences what was the best way to make this as easy as possible. I heard everything from "It should only take 2-3 days," to "My baby was only 10 months when I potty trained her." While most of the tales I heard, yes tales, seemed exaggerated, I thought it would be best to watch my daughter's cues for answers. So here are the TOP TEN THINGS MY TODDLER TAUGHT ME ABOUT POTTY TRAINING:

1. If I am in the corner and not making any noise.... it is too late.
2. Pull-ups, panties or training pants, pick one and stick to it. I am already confused.
3. 2 year old like privacy when they go too. I first learned this when she closed the door on me to go potty on her own.
4. You can always clean the floor, it is not that serious.
5. Who told you this was done in 3 days?
6. Asking me every 5 minutes won't make me go more often.
7. Just because you are on the phone doesn't mean I will hold it to you're finished.
8. Reading on the potty helps the time go by faster momma.
9. I love the stickers, but you better hide them or I won't save them just for potty time.
10. Did you really think I wouldn't go potty in these panties, who told you that?

So I have learned to be patient and go at her pace. Also being consistent has helped a lot because some days I just won't to grab a diaper and forget about the whole thing. What are your potty stories? We would love to hear them.