Some people were born to sing (En Vogue shout-out!). Me? I was born to make lists. Here are 5 things I’ve been loving lately.
1. Cool August mornings
June and July were brutally hot here in the Bay Area, and if you didn’t have air conditioning, it was like living in an armpit.
Lately, though, like for the past two weeks, it’s been cooler here. Borderline cold. And what a welcome change. 🙂 I am NOT hating on those overcast mornings in The Lady Sanctuary!
2. The September 2017 issue of Glamour
I’ve been a Glamour subscriber for a year, but #realtalk, it’s been months since I’ve been able to sit down long enough to read an issue from cover to cover because of the baby.
She’s up in my business, LOL! I’ll be two sentences into an article, and she’ll come over, place her little soccer ball in my arms, and say, “Bah?” which is her word for most things that aren’t ma, dada, cat and wow-wow! So then I’ll put down the magazine and we’ll play “Baby World Cup.”
This happens, oh…15 times a day, give or take.
I wouldn’t have it any other way, but I miss reading time. So I’ve been making an extra effort to read at least 20 minutes every night in bed.
Last night was the September Glamour, and I thought I’d be able to get in a few articles before I fell asleep, but it was so good that I couldn’t put it down. It has it all — makeup, perfume, fashion, accessories — ya know, the usual girly stuff. But there’s also some in-depth pieces on personal finance, sexual assault on college campuses and Planned Parenthood.
It’s a better magazine that I remember. It’s refreshing to read a women’s magazine that isn’t completely filled with fluff, ya know?
There’s a great profile in the issue on a woman named Bozoma Saint John, one of very few black female C-suite executives in tech, who negotiated a $50-million sponsorship deal with Pepsi for Beyoncé. I thought it was just very interesting.
3. Finding stuff at Target for 50% off
There’s a pretty affordable kids line at Target called Cat & Jack, which is great, but then when their things go on sale for 50% off, it’s FREAKIN’ FANTASTIC.
I saw these cute tops and bottoms for babies and toddlers the other day, so I grabbed some tops for $3 each and jeans for $6. YES!
I feel like a rockstar when I can save $$$ on buying her clothes because 1) that’s more I can put into her college account and 2) she outgrows everything sooooo fast.
4. The multiple toothpaste life
I grew up in a frugal family where everyone shared the same tube of toothpaste, and we used that sole tube down to the very last drop.
So, I thought that was the only way to live until about a month ago.
Imagine how shook I was when I realized — gasp! — that one can actually have different tubes of toothpaste in the medicine cabinet — like tubes for whitening, sensitivity, gum health, or even different days of the week!? Imagine that. I know this sounds hella lame, but the concept of having more than one tube of toothpaste completely blows my mind.
It started when I asked my dentist for a whitening toothpaste recommendation, and he suggested something from Arm & Hammer, so I bought a tube of their Truly Radiant Bright & Strong in Fresh Mint.
I like it a lot (it keeps my teeth bright!), but some of the sensitive spots on my back teeth started bugging me, so I bought another tube, Colgate Sensitive, to help.
Now I alternate between the two and feel like I’m living a life of champagne wishes and caviar dreams. 🙂
5. This 20-minute cardio HIIT workout
I found this great HIIT Crazy Cardio workout by Christine Salus on YouTube this summer, and I’ve done it once or twice a week since June.
It’s quick, effective and BRUTAL (in the best possible way), and you don’t need any fancy equipment. You can even do it in a hotel room while you’re traveling!
My favorite part is the bunny hop sequence.
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
I love Connor Claire’s kitty outfit and the bows in her hair! So precious.
Buh, toothpaste. Reminds me that I have to get a filling on Wednesday!
If they had jeans like that for adults I’d rock ’em. 🙂
Ugh, good luck with the filling. I hope yours doesn’t have to be adjusted too much after it’s in. That happened to me earlier in the summer (way too high) and it took THREE follow up appointments to finally get it right. Where is the tooth? Hopefully it’s some place that’s easy to get to!
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It’s in between two teeth in the back. I’ve gotten fillings from this dentist for and only needed adjustment for one, so hopefully it goes well!
Oh my gosh Coywolf is getting bigger everytime I check your blog! I remember when she was introduced to us internet aunties! She’s getting super cute and I know as that you and el hub will have an awesome kid on your hands!
Hi Brittany,
I remember that day like it was yesterday. Everyone says the time goes by fast and they’re not even kidding. It’s like I blink and she grows, LOL!
How is your day going? Happy Friday!
Those jeans are the cutest thing ever! I hear you on the toothpaste. I just started buying Sensodyne Pronamel (and before that had an Rx only version to build enamel/help with sensitivity). When I had braces, back in the olden days, no one told you not to brush the heck out of your gum area. I’m definitely paying for it now! But the rest of the fam shares a single tube and I always roll the end to use the last drop, too. 🙂
Hi Kim,
I used to used Sensodyne Pronamel and thought it was just OK. Have you tried the Colgate Sensitive? It works for me better than Sensodyne.
Umm… I can’t believe we’re talking about toothpaste. LOL!
The outfit and clothes for Connor are really cute.
I remember in summer camp getting the September issue of Seventeen magazine and looking at the clothes for fall and picking out the things we wanted to get only to realize that were going to wear jeans ans sneakers anyway. I did usually get a new pair of shoes for the Jewish holidays, but other than that, nobody wore ensembles to school.
So we are back home from our trip and it is raining. Perfect time to be home to do the laundry and catch up on some work. At least the weekend looks pretty good.
Be well!
p.s. What I am really loving right now is that I got some color from carefully being in the sun and don’t need much makeup.Just some mascara and lip gloss and I’m done. Oh yeah, my cream eye shadow in undertone.
I tumbled into the world of multiple toothpastes and after marrying Hubs, who likes Jason Sea Fresh. It’s so off-the-charts minty, I just can’t handle it! (And get this, he also has multiple toothbrushes. Wow.) I like Nature’s Gate cherry and anise (also all I could use when pregnant, everything else tasted too strong). We both like Tom’s cinnamon and Arm & Hammer. Haha! Toothpaste! Who knew!!
Yes, those kitty jeans are insanely cute. Can barely process the hair bow adorableness. Love that she’s a confirmed soccer player as a toddler!! She’ll be in a league before you know it!
BTW, too bad about the patchy Chanel shadow, Urban. The others look absolutely lovely. Have a great weekend!
Cute cat ensemble Miss Connor Claire! I think it’s a rule that if I pick up a magazine I absolutely have to read it cover to cover. My boyfriend sometimes likes to brush his teeth in the shower so there’s usually a tube in there and one by the sink. So I have mixed feelings about Target, they have a lot of clearance right now but that’s because they’re getting rid of my favorite brand, Merona! Boo!
Hi Karen it’s super exciting to know that you can dress your adorable daughter in cute outfits without breaking the bank! I know I get excited too when I can do that for my daughter. Thanks for recommending the September Issue of Glamour. That article of Bozoma Saint John would inspire me about how immigrants like Saint John can live out their dreams in the United States. Have a great weekend!
OMG! Those jeans with the cat knee patches are beyond cute! I always loved saving money on kids clothes. I could never understand designer clothes for toddlers. Who has that kind of money to throw away when they’ll outgrow it within 6 months?
I once saw an ad on a bulletin board and bought used clothing from another mom in my town. They were practically brand new and I didn’t pay more than $3 for anything, because they were outgrown before they were worn out. I ended up doing the same and selling some of Dear Daughter’s outgrown clothes.
Connor is adorable in her kitty outfit!
Yes, Props to Glamour which has always been a substantial American “women’s magazine” including political editorial pieces affecting our lives in addition to the great beauty and fashion topics. Glamour stands the test of time, I am 53 and have been reading it since age 15! Love GLAMOUR and love your blog!
Those little baby curls on CC! So cute!
We do a workout called “Simple and Sinister” (well, a modified one for me, now that I’m preggo) with kettlebells and it’s awesome. I’m done in about 20 minutes and breathing like I’ve been running a marathon.
Five things I’m loving:
1. Jewelry I picked up in Canada, eh.
2. Trader Joe’s Breakfast Blend!
3. The fall in the air!
4. NARS x CG Skin Tint. A misunderstood product but really great for me.
5. Schmidt Rose and Vanilla deodorant, it’s a love hate relationship with all natural ones minus the rock crystal as arrowroot or baking soda give me a rash after a few days but if I apply this stuff pre-pilates or gym, I’m fresh as a daisy smell wise even after 1.5 hours of sweating like a pig in death valley.
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Can I please have those jeans and t-shirt in, uh, bigger sizes? For myself?
I’ve never thought about having two tubes of toothpaste at the same time. You opened a whole new realm of possibilities.
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