Insta-Friday: My first summer!

I just completed my first year of teaching and now I am soaking up the joys of my first summer.  I haven't had a 'summer' since I started life-guarding at the age of 15.  It has been amazing.  I'm beginning to understand why it's people's favorite season.

Scenes from our first My Favorite Things party inspired by Julie's at Joy's Hope.  I loved this party!  But I loved having my home full of amazing women and co-hosts (Andrea, Kelly, and Jessica) even more!  You can read more about the party over here; Kelly is so good at documenting our adventures!

The after affects of partying hard: Clover, Harrison and Jazzy.

Grocery shopping: I'd like to pretend I'm a lady of leisure and pay someone else to do it, but who I am kidding? I don't like it.  But I do like lists and I do like color-coding.  However, I have to trick myself.  I also get myself a little liquid encouragement from the Starbucks before adventuring through those forsaken doors.

I got inspired by a blog post and decided to make-under my make-up routine.  I like it. A lot.  I've been doing it every day, five minutes and no new products. Sha-wing!

I love playing in the dirt.  I'm so happy to have my garden ready to plant in this year.  Our soil = clay.  Great for pottery, not so great for growing ANYTHING.  Hence, the garden boxes.  I also love our patio because my hubby worked so hard on it last summer.  It's our little suburban oasis.

Ack.  Marathon training.  This is a love/hate thing right now.  As in I hate every stinkin' minute I am running and I have a mental battle the. entire. time.  As in: Am I mentally insane/should I be institutionalized for doing this?  Why am I torturing myself?!  I love it when I rip holes in my jeans from the friction caused by my thighs giving each other high fives every time I walk.  Touche, self.  That is why I am doing this.  I am pretty mentally weak and my lack of exercise led me to have an intervention with myself.  Marathon training? Why not.

Went and saw it by myself.  I think  I'm starting to like my own company more and more.  I like to do a lot of things by myself.  Going out to breakfast with a book and watching movies solo are my faves.  Especially when the movie is only $1.  

Oh Wildcat in your softball uniform. H-O-T.  His teammates call him wheels.  I love going to his games because he's so in his element and he looks really cute running those bases.  Rawr, Wildcat, Rawr!

Sister sewing date.  Love.  Not because I love my sister in a sister-wife way (which is what this picture lead to on Instagram) but because I love dates with my sister where we sew? Not getting any better is it?  She is so awesome at what she does.  Sewing is hard work but such awesome gratification too.  She is also a really nice photographer, like makes you look like you have muscle tone you really don't.  

I am in love with summer.  (Not myself, the season)  Onto another fantastic week!

I'm linking up with Jeannett at Life Re-Arranged.  Go check out what other people do with their weeks.

5 Minute Face

This morning while I was catching up on blogs I stumbled upon this post on JustLove.Ly Things featuring quick and easy beauty tips for summer.  I watched the video and was immediately reminded why I love Carmindy (from TLC's What Not to Wear) so much.  Even though I have lots of free time on my hands now with summer vacation, I know my days of taking an hour and half to get ready are numbered.  (Please don't think I'm insanely vain, this is from start to finish with a shower, blow drying, hair and make-up)



So I decided to put the 5 Minute Face to the test and try it myself using the make up I had on hand.  I like it!  It really only took 5 minutes, and that was with an added step of filling in my over plucked sparse brows.

Here are the products I used:

I started with my face:

1. I started with my CoverGirl Smoothers Tinted Moisturizer, applied with the sponge as suggested.
2. Then I applied some of my Arbonne Perfecting Liquid Foundation Broad Spectrum SPF 15, in lieu of concealer, with my finger tips to touch up my dark circles under my eyes and blemishes.
3. Then I "carmindized" my face using an Arbonne eyeshadow as my highlighter.  I used the blush brush to highlight my cheekbones, and then the shadow applicator brush to highlight my brow bone, tear duct, and around my lips.
4. I brushed Everyday Mineral's Powder in Natural over my face to remove shine and set the liquid.
5. Then I applied Everyday Mineral's Blush in Truly Tiger to the apples of my cheeks.
6. Finally, I applied Wet and Wild's Lipstick (this is sooo rare for me, but I really like the polish it added to the simple make-up).

And finished with my eyes:

1. I filled in my sparse brows using Wet and Wild's Taupe Eye Liner and distributed the color using my brow brush.
2. Then applied Makeup Forever's Creme Eyeliner using my Sephora Eye Liner Brush.
3. Set everything with another application of Everyday Mineral's Powder in Natural.
4. And finished with an application of Avon's superShock Mascara to my lashes.

Here's the end result, fresh, easy and not over done.  Perfect for those rushed school mornings and those lazy summer mornings.

What is your make-up routine?  Your favorite beauty products?  

I'm linking up with Miscellany Monday over at lowercase letters & you should too!