NOTD

NOTD: Sephora by O.P.I. Let's Do Lunch

Honeymoon!

So we FINALLY decided on our honeymoon.  I don't know why, but this was the hardest decision of all.  Here's the basic itinerary:

3 Days on the Amalfi Coast

3 Days in Rome 

2 Days in Venice

4 Days in Milan 

4 Days in Santorini, Greece

(We might extend it a day or two; not sure where yet)

We'll be going to 2 soccer games - one in Rome and one in Milan - and also going to the opera in Milan.  Hopefully there will also be plenty of shopping, eating, sightseeing, and relaxing too!

Sephora Haul

Got some exciting new goodies from Sephora yesterday!  

I'm on this quest for a holy grail under eye concealer.  See, most concealers are all about dark circles.  Me, I'm looking to cover my very visible blue/green veins.  So I need heavy duty stuff.  But the thing is, the heavy duty stuff tends to settle in my fine lines.  Since my sought-after MUFE HD concealer is unavailable in my color for another couple of months, I decided to try Smashbox HD Concealer.  So far, I'm finding it offers decent, build-able coverage.  I plan to try out Bobbi Brown's and do an all-day comparison test.    Supposedly, BB's is a creamy, peachy concealer that works great for bluishness and fine lines.  I'll let you know how it goes.  

If I could tell everyone in the world to use a foundation primer, I would.  It keeps foundation from oxidizing (turning orangey), and seriously fills fine lines and pores.  I usually use Laura Mercier's, but decided to try Smashbox's best selling Photo Finish Foundation Primer.  Again, I'll keep you posted.
Got a couple of Urban Decay shadows.  Top is called "Blaze."  It's a peachy-champagne color.  Bottom is "Twice Baked," a deep, rich brown (much less pink than the pic here shows).  UD shadows have tons of pigment, and not a lot of binders holding the shadow together, so it goes on really satiny.  

Finally, picked up my usual Clinique Repairwear Intensive Night Cream in the very dry skin formula.  My skin loves, loves, loves moisture.  This night cream leaves my skin feeling really supple and hydrated.  I can't say this is the holy grail for me, but there's nothing I DON'T like about it.  I've tried so many and keep coming back to this.  
By the way, Mom, I've started some research on long-lasting lip color that isn't drying.  I'll post soon.  And if anyone else wants makeup recs, let me know!

NOTD

NOTD: Sephora by O.P.I. Mr. Right Now

A Great Day!

On September, 17, 2009, we welcomed to the world Martin Jeffrey Wayman, Jr.!

AND...

A big congratulations to Brad and Katrina who got engaged!  

Sunset

How unbelievable is our sunset from last night?

Prettiness

Enough of the car talk... time for some prettiness!

Aren't these kind of adorable?  They've definitely got a vintage thing going on.  And they make me feel so girlie!

I picked them up yesterday at Anthro.  I needed some new earrings to go with my hairdo!

Earring of the Day:

Slime

In no way, shape, or form do I care about anything related to cars.  I love my car - it's comfy and gets me around - but I don't like taking care of it.  I detest getting oil changes and car washes, and I loathe pumping gas.  It all feels like this big huge inconvenience.  Call me old fashioned, but I feel like taking care of cars is one of those things the guy is supposed to handle.  Or maybe I don't really believe that so much as I use it as an excuse...  Anyway, I'm trailing off topic here.  You get the idea.  

So yesterday when I walked out of the mall (where I got my hair done and purchased the cutest little pair of earrings that I'll post about later), while thinking to myself what a nice night it was, I was dismayed to find one of my tires as flat as a pancake.  Of course I called Joseph, who, by the way, never ceases to amaze me with his calm - and even enthusiastic - attitude when crappy stuff like this happens.  

To make a long story short, we ended up at Target with this little kit called "Slime Smart Spair."  I was amazed at how simple this little kit made repairing my tire.  No jacks or tools required.  Just a little sheet of directions.  You fill up the tire with the Slime, plug in the pump to your cigarette lighter, and fill the tire.  15 minutes and you're done.  After all was finished, I thought "I could have done that!"  

I was able to make it all the way home before my car starting telling me the pressure of the tire was getting low.  This morning, the tire was low, but not flat.  The Slime definitely holds long enough to get you to a repair place.  

I'm posting this because I think everyone - especially women and those people living in crappy weather - needs to keep a kit of this stuff in their trunk.  If my tire were flat and I was far from help, I don't think I could manage changing it myself (although I like to think desperation would kick in and I'd figure it out).  But I COULD do this Slime stuff.  Easily.  

Here's a link to the website with a list of retailers:

www.slime.com

NOTD

NOTD: Sephora by O.P.I. Nonfat Soy Half Caff

Countdown: 236 Days

Joseph and I made some progress this holiday weekend.  It's amazing how much you can get accomplished when your brain isn't drained from working all day.  

First, we nailed down the guest list.  So at least I have a guest count.  Now comes the hard part - getting addresses.  

Second, I did some centerpiece prototypes.  I took some pics and will post as soon as I'm finished debating whether it sucks or not.  I love the mason jars with the stones at the bottom.  Some will hold candles and some will hold single-stem flowers.  I'm doing little paintings on canvas for the table numbers, and that's the part I'm not sure about.  It's so hard to tell whether my own work is great or terrible.  Oh, and I found a girl on craiglist selling a lot of mason jars that she used for her own wedding.  Keeping my fingers crossed that they're still available.  I'd be getting them for less than 50 cents a piece.  

Lastly, we chose a linen.  It's an ivory embroidered overlay with ivory satin tablecloth underneath.  Chairs will be natural wood folding chairs.

Here's the linen:

I'm still hoping to make a final decision about the honeymoon before the end of the night tonight.  I'll keep you posted...

Aaaaaaand They're Off!

We had such a good time at Del Mar, "where the surf meets the turf," this weekend!  We won a couple of times, and we were sooooo close to winning the pick 4!  

Whether it's Michigan or California, my Dad is in his element at the track...

Showing off our picks...

It was a beautiful day...

Update...

I don't have the energy tonight to write about this weekend and my dad's visit, or to post all of the pics, but you all have something to look forward to!

For now, just wanted to say hello and share some pics of a gorgeous sunset from the other night and my cat.  I know I'm biased, but I swear I have the most handsome cat I've ever seen.  

Dad's Visit

How excited was I that Dad was coming out to visit me AND I got to take him to work with me every day?  So excited!  

He got in on Tuesday night and we've been doing the work thing every day.  I've also been forcing him to take Bodhi for walks with me in the evenings, and I think he's missing the flat ground of Michigan.  (Watch out Mom - after all this hardcore incline training, he's going to whiz past you on those easy Michigan walks!)

The thing I'm most excited for is visiting Del Mar tomorrow.  I'll be sure to take lots of pics.  Dad and I - us early birds - want to make it there for breakfast to watch warmups, so we'll see if we can pull Joseph out of bed in time.  Apparently Dad has a couple of horses in, so I'm planning on bringing home some cash!  

Here's Dad at work:

  

Here's Dad looking busy at work (a la George Castanza):

You've seen a lot of my sunsets, but isn't the moon so dreamy?  One of the perks of getting up before daybreak is seeing the moon shine on the ocean like this:

NOTD

NOTD: Sephora by O.P.I. Madame President

Countdown: 241 Days

I've been reluctant to share details about the wedding here.  I didn't want to ruin the surprise I guess.  But I've been thinking about it.  First, the 5 or so people who read this blog already see the details anyhow.  Second, I've learned that planning is a big part of the whole wedding experience.  And lastly, it's kind of fun to watch the details as they come together.  

So I'll be sharing more about the wedding here.  But that doesn't mean there won't still be some surprises!

Today I'm revealing my most recent little detail with which I've fallen in love.  A cake topper!  We weren't even going to have a topper, and I'm not normally into such whimsical things, but these charming love birds stole my heart.  Joseph and I often say to each other "If you're a bird, I'm a bird" (yes, the cheesy quote from The Notebook...), so these little birdies had extra meaning for us.  And when it comes to wedding stuff, the more personal it is, the better.

They are from the Esty seller RedLightStudio, and will be custom-made to match our colors.  They will also be inscribed somewhere with "If you're a bird" on one and "then I'm a bird" on the other.  Aren't they just too sweet?

                                             (Copyright 2009 Vanessa Preziose) 

NOTD

Nail Of The Day: Sephora by O.P.I. Matte Metro Chic

Weekend Update

Joseph spent the weekend in San Francisco with his two best friends, Vince and Eric.  They went to the Pearl Jam concert on Friday night, went to the Raiders game the next day, and managed to avoid being murdered by the crackheads outside of their cheap hotel.  

I spent my alone time cleaning.  And I don't mean your basic vacuuming and dusting.  I'm talking throw-piles-of-junk-away cleaning.  I watched that show on TLC called "Hoarders" the other night, and I guess it had an affect on me.  By the end of the weekend, my closets were organized and my pantry shelves were bare.  It felt so good!  

I was feeling SO good, that I took the time to look up some kitchen feng shui.  And what do you know!  Clutter in the kitchen manifests itself as excess weight.  So THAT'S what's been going on!  So weird that I was barely hungry today and usually I'm ravenous.  Coincidence?  I think not.  I can feel the pounds melting away already.

And now for my haul of the weekend.  While at Target for ice cube trays, I wandered into the handbag department and found this Merona tote.  I like the color (a taupey-purple), its loads of compartments, and its structure.  It's no MJ Blake, but not too shabby for $26.99.  What do you think?  

List Potential

I'm always weary of Anthro's clothes.  They look so great on the models, yet on me they tend to run big or fit awkwardly.  So my love of this ruffled polka dot sheer top may not last once I try it on.  Definitely worth a trip to Anthro.  This just might make it to The List.

The List

Did I mention I'm on a budget?  

To satisfy my cravings in the meantime, I'm compiling "The List."  If something  makes it to The List and is still there after the wedding, I figure I want it enough to buy it.  

My first List item is the Marc Jacobs Blake handbag.  I desperately need a professional looking bag for work, and this one fits the bill PLUS it's stylish.  The Purse Forum girls (aka handbag experts) give it great reviews.  It's large enough for work, but not overly so for my 5'0" frame. The black is an easy choice, but the caramel color is enticing too.

Oh, and just a quick little note about my previous post.  If you weren't sold on the UD Primer Potion already, this stuff held up today for 12 hours in 106-degree heat.  No melting shadow, no ugly creasing.  I almost forgot its wonderfulness!

The MJ Blake as seen in Duplicity with Julia Roberts:

Sephora Haul

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Countdown: 248 Days

There's good news and bad news.  The bad news is I haven't lost any weight.  I've been using up too many of my extra weekly points, so weight loss is slower.  The good news is I'm feeling pretty great.  I've been doing Jillian's video and/or running for 45 minutes every day.  I even moved on to level 2!  (Definitely following Anita more than Natalie, but still...)  And although I'm not sticking to 18 points every day, I'm eating better.  

More good news and bad news.  The good news is that we're still making progress with the wedding stuff.  Things are really coming together and I'm SOOOO excited!  The bad news is that I've been having recurring bridal nightmares.  In one, my wedding coordinator doesn't show up, there's not enough food, and at the end of the night we realize we forgot to have the ceremony!  In another, my photographer is a drunk (or just sleepy?) hippie and I keep finding her asleep instead of taking photos.  Then my bro-in-law, Lynn, appears dead (yes, dead!), but then *poof* he jumps up, has a cape on, and says it was a magic trick!  And again, at the end of the night, Joseph and I realize we forgot to have the ceremony.  Ahhhhh! 

Mondays...

I feel great on Sunday nights.  My house is clean, I'm energized from my weekend workouts, and I made healthy dinners.  And then on Monday morning, a ton of bricks (aka work) hits me and I'm craving sugar, low on energy, and I feel like there aren't enough hours in the day.  

And this all happens before lunchtime.  For example, I get to work today and the building alarm goes off.  Not once, but 4 times.  It's the construction next door that's causing it, but I have to herd employees back into the building, deal with the fire truck that arrives, and have 3 construction guys talk to me like I'm an idiot.  I have to prepare for a meeting at 11, but I'm missing information that someone was supposed to get to me last week.  I spill tea on my pants and then attempt to blot it out with water and create an even bigger stain.  I look at my to-do list and realize how much I didn't complete last week that now needs to be done this week.  It's endless.

So excuse me while I sneak out of work early to go running.

Doggie Dentist

Bodhi had his first trip to the dentist yesterday!  I don't think he was too happy with me the rest of the day.  He hid in the closet all night.  He was even more unhappy when I was trying to take pics of his newly white teeth.  (Ah, yes, I know.  Joseph and I really need to start having kids...) 

Do you know your love language?

Your "love language" determines what makes you most feel loved by your mate.  The five are:

- Words of affirmation (verbal compliments, appreciation, etc.)

- Quality time (all energy is focused on your mate)

- Receiving gifts (visual expressions of love)

- Acts of service (doing things for your mate) 

- Physical touch (holding hands, physical closeness)

Joseph and I took the test the other day.  He's "quality time" and "acts of service."  I think this is right on for him.  He loves when I'm focused entirely on him, and he loves when I do little things for him, like make him dinner or wash his clothes.

I'm "physical touch."  Well, I've said time and time again, "honey, I will do everything - wash the dishes, do the laundry, clean the house - if you will rub my feet every night."  

You can take the test here:

http://www.afo.net/hftw-lovetest.asp

Happy Birthday to My Big Sister!

I love you sister!

I'd be so hot if I didn't have to work

Seriously.  I worked from 7am to 7pm yesterday with no breaks.  No Jillian.  No evening walk with Bodhi.  A couple of stops at the candy dish on my admin's desk, and too stressed to even feel guilty about it.

Thank God for my wonderful dear fiancé.  He had a nice dinner waiting for me when I got home.  Well, sort of waiting.  I kind of had to help him out a little.  But it's the thought that counts.  

Joshua

Cats find the coziest little places to curl up.  There's seriously nothing cuter.  (And no, I still haven't unpacked my suitcase from my trip to Michigan...) 

Countdown: 258 Days

I'm off to a good start.  Did Jillian's video yesterday.  Thought I was going to throw up and was sore as early as a few hours later.  This morning I was REALLY feeling it.  It's great actually - I'm sore everywhere so I know it's working!

Ran around with Bodhi at the park this morning.  Like I mentioned, Bodhi likes to play with his mama more than with the other dogs, so at 6am I was running around makeup-less, retainer in, and hair unbrushed while the other mamas sat chatting on benches.  (Better to avoid joining in the chatting than to try to carry on a conversation with my retainer in anyhow.) 

Did Jillian's video again.  It felt quite good this time, probably because I needed to warm up and stretch my muscles so badly.

Started reading Julie and Julia last night.  I've had a hard time getting into books lately.  I started two recently and dropped both within the first few chapters.  But this one's pretty good.  I like the premise and think she has a unique voice.  So far it's a bit cliché with all of the woman-pushing-30 angst, but I can understand why she used it so I forgive her.  

Dreading going to see "District 9" tonight.  Yes, I'm being made to see this despite the fact that "The Time Traveler's Wife" came out this weekend.  Oh well.  The things we do for love...

Other Healthy Stuff

I keep this list on my desk at work to remind me of what I can do every day to keep myself happy and healthy.  These are things I've tried and they really work for me.  And I know if I make them a priority, I will have more luck getting into shape.  

7 Empowering Steps You Can Take In Your Life Right Now

(Taken from one of Deepak Chopra's newsletters)

- Meditate daily

- Know your doshas and understand your mind-body constitution to bring balance into your life (take the dosha quiz here: http://doshaquiz.chopra.com/) 

- Experience nature - touch a natural body of water, walk barefoot on grass, sit under a tree, stand in the rain

- Write a poem (or journal entry or whatever)

- Commit an act of love today, maybe by making amends to someone you've hurt or forgiving someone who hurt you

- Make a powerful decision, even if it's a baby step - throw something away that no longer serves you; wash your car; get rid of paper congestion; clean a closet, a room, or a drawer; give away an item of clothing

- Perform a vital physical practice - go to yoga or pilates, go for a vigorous walk, practice deep breathing, or nourish yourself with a massage 

Countdown: 259 Days

It sounds like a long time, but it's really less than 8 months!  There's a whole lotta stuff to get done (and money to save) before the wedding!

Joseph and I are pretty prepared - we've secured all the vendors and we're just making decisions about the details now.  And we started planning our honeymoon!  We have the travel coordinator creating an Italy/Greece itinerary for us.  I can't wait.

But...  I really have to get serious about shaping up now!  Especially if I'm going to be lounging in the sun on Santorini!  

So I figure I can track my progress here, and maybe it'll make me more accountable.  I plan on:

- Incorporating running into my 2 daily walks with Bodhi, or running at the gym or work gym 

- Daily 30-minute shred with Jillian Michaels after evening run w/ Bodhi

- Weight training @ gym (or work gym) 2-3 days/week (probably on weekends)

- Yoga 2-3 days/week 

- Follow my weight watchers plan (only 18 points per day... *sigh*) 

- Lots of veggies and fruit 

- No cereal!  (I swear this is my downfall!  Oatmeal is allowed though.) 

- No snacking mindlessly at work 

- Plan for easy healthy dinners during the week 

- Lots of water and plenty of green tea (should be easy - this is what I already do) 

- Research workout DVDS specifically for arms (gotta look good in that dress!) 

Shooting for 10lbs, but will be happy with a solid 5.  

I already did Jillian's workout today (now have jell-o arms).  And I plan to take Bodhi to the park later where I always run around with him.  (I'm like the only person there who does this, but he only likes to play with me and not the other dogs.  Yes, I'm sure I look like an idiot.) 

Wish me luck!

More Santa Barbara Pics...

Happy Birthday to Joseph!

Joseph's birthday was Sunday, so I took him to Santa Barbara for the weekend.  We spent Saturday afternoon walking along the beach and checking out the art fair, and then went to dinner at night.  We also went to the "Old Spanish Days" festival and watched the singing and dancing and ate churros.  Walked around downtown at night and stopped at Starbucks for a hot chocolate.

We stopped for breakfast on Sunday morning, then took the long way home on the PCH.  Such a pretty day!  Joseph got tickets to see Pearl Jam in San Francisco and Raiders tickets for the day after for his birthday present.  I also made him spaghetti and cake and ice cream, and Bodhi, Joshua, and I sang happy birthday!

I'll try to post more often.  My sisters are inspiring me.  I'm not making any promises though.