The Search is Over

I would like to introduce you to the perfect moisturizer. My cousin recommended the brand to me (she loves their night cream but I needed something with an spf.)

Let me just tell you this: since using this lotion I have had no blemishes (miracles never cease) and my skin tone and texture have smoothed out and gotten quite lovely.

More, oh yes, more goodness: $14.99 at Target. Works Great. Inexpensive. AND Convenient to purchase. One word: Jackpot.

You may recall I also love their mascara. Can't wait to try more of their products.

Deal of the Day

We went looking for shoes for my oldest. I have a different philosophy for shoes for girls. Because girls wear more shoes than boys, I tend to go for quantity over quality. I figure they don't need to be quite as durable because they aren't wearing the same pair every day. Don't get me wrong, quality is always good but because I buy more than just 1 or 2 pairs, I spend less per shoe.

Have you seen the new line at Payless called Zoe and Zac? Really, really cute shoes. These are the 2 we came home with:

And guess how much I paid?

Twenty even, for both. I offer proof:

Reorganize

I saw this in a magazine. All the electronics, cords, chargers in one spot.

Also, I've been organizing the toys and going crazy with labels.

(Sorry for the terrible pictures but you get the idea.)

Reward

Remember our Summer Goal? We finished all our books and finally saw the movie today. (Predictably at the $2 theater.)

I loved it. Very clever. Really funny. It was especially fun after reading all the books about the characters. Kids agreed: Favorite book - Amelia Earhart. Least favorite book - Al Capone.

To the Rescue

Back to school clothes. My oldest is entering Middle School this year. That's big.

She is very excited. I want to send her off to school with fully armed with confidence, self assurance, poise, and fearlessness. One of the ways to do that is make sure she likes how she looks. True enough, right?

Why do something yourself when you can have someone else do it for you? Enter my fantastic friend Heidi, fashionista extraordinaire. Heidi has an incredible sense of style. Her main mantra seems to be: it doesn't have to match, it just has to go together. She's basically a genius. And honestly, as my oldest approaches the dreaded teenagerdom, she would rather take fashion advice from someone other than her mother.

Heidi came over one afternoon and dug through Hailey's closet. She put together outfits, gave suggestions, and basically solidified her place as our Favorite Person of the Year. The knew just how to cuff the pants - how to put the perfect shirt with the right tank - and most importantly, how to make my daughter feel like a million dollars.

We took pictures and printed them out as thumbnails for Hailey to reference.















Heidi helped us decide what we could get rid of and what we need to buy. I really appreciated that there was a very limited number of Need to Buy Items:

Dark Skinny Jeans (already purchased at Old Navy for $10.)

And a couple of pairs of shoes: (Hailey currently as 2 pairs of shoes.) Upon Heidi's recommendation, we are thinking a navy-ish skimmer like this from Payless:

And a fun Converse color. She calls suggests using this a "neutral" - a color to spice up ordinary outfits. So smart.

Thank your (You've Got Mail reference, not a typo) to Heidi. My daughter is now ready to tackle Middle School full of confidence and armed with style. How lucky am I to have such an amazing friend, so willing to share her talents and time with my daughter?

(P.S. I am pretty sure Heidi needs to start CHARGING for this service. It would be worth every penny spent.)

Happy Endings

(Ed. note: The regular font is everyone on the planet who loves Harry Potter. The italicized text is me.)

Have you read these Potter books?
They will get you on a hook.
The entire world loves to read
About Harry, Ron, Hermione.
You will like them if you do.
Everyone seems to like them but you.

I do not like this Pottery guy
No matter how hard I try.
Do not take it personally,
Harry Potter is not for me.

Will you read it in a book?
Will you try to take a look?
Can you try One, Two, or Three?
Four, Five, Six, or Seven Please?

I tried with One and didn't get through
Then felt obliged to try with Two.
I waited few years and tried again,
With the same result my friend.

I do not like this Potter stuff
I tell you I have tried enough
I am happy as can be
To live my life Potter free.

Will you watch it on a screen?
At the movies or dvd?
Can you watch it in the dark?
At a drive-in movie park?

I tried to watch Movie One
Before it ended I was done.
Just not my thing, I've done my best.
Can we please put this to rest?

Can you listen on cd?
While traveling cross the country?
Will you listen in a car?
If the road trip's very far?

I will try it in on cd,
After this you must leave me be.
I will listen to the story,
No doubt it will bore me.
Here I go, one last try
for this Harry Potter guy.

Say!
I like this Potter stuff
I just can't seem to get enough!
CD One is almost through,
I've got to get my hands on Two.
Jim Dale is quite the man
He turned me into a Potter fan.

the end.

The Blind Side Movie

Upon a recommendation of a friend, I read this book: The Blind Side, even though it was about sports. I loved the book. We even read it for book club.

Well, now I am certain I will love the movie. (Thanks Steph for the heads up!)



Am I more excited to see than New Moon? The answer is Yes.

Back to School Shoes, for boys

Thankfully shoes are about the only Back to School shopping we have to do since we wear summer clothes until nearly October here. (Then all the fall stuff is marked down and I score some great deals.)

My shoe buying tips, for boys:

I have learned that spending the money for really quality shoes saves you money in the long run. Cheap shoes just don't last. If I buy a good brand they will last all school year with little to no wear or tear.

Also, I believe that it is best to get your boys at least two pairs of tennis shoes for school. It is handy to have a back up when one pair was used for mud puddles, left overnight by the trampoline, or cannot-be-found-for-the-life-of-me-even-though-we-turned-the-house-upside-down.

My favorite quality shoe brands are Geox and Merrell.

Geox are pricey - $60-$70 dollars. Merrel shoes are more in the $50 range. Nordstroms will normally have them both marked down for their Anniversary Sale (which just ended, sorry.) Marshalls is a great place to look. They have really quality children's shoes for great prices.

The brown Merrell shoes in the above picture are the Moab Ventilator. I have bought these every year for the last 4 years and are my favorite shoes hands down. Not even H can thrash these shoes after a year of wearing them nearly every day.

This year he has decided he wants them in charcoal.

I have had my eye on these shoes ever since I saw them in the crewcuts catalog.

Absolutely the best looking best shoe on the market. Please note how I refrain from calling them cute or adorable since they are for my son. My oldest son (soccer player extraordinaire) loves them, as do I. I just got these from Nordstroms (at the Anniversary sale, they were 30% off.)

This weekend, I found these great back-up shoes for H on clearance at Target.

I also found these on sale for my little one, but girls shoes are a whole other post.