Things I'm Loving Right Now

I'm having a little writers block, so I thought that I would share things that I am loving right now in picture form and then write a little description of how the love affair began. Enjoy!

Zac Brown Band's new album "You Get What You Give"

There's a couple of repeat tracks from their first album, but I'll forgive them. From their guitar picks and melodic tunes to their lyrics that make you giggle, this album puts me in a good, calm mood.

Boscia's "Luminizing Black Mask"

My fellow blogger and friend, A Colorado Cupcake turned me onto Sephora (BIG mistake) and to this little gem of a mask. It's a peel off mask that you can visibly see the nasty dead skin and pore clogging crap that it takes out. Tip: apply in downward strokes because it will take some hair with it...it's kind of like a band-aid. Also, avoid your hairline, brows, and follow the directions when it says apply below your ocular bone. This stuff can make you tear up if it's too close to your eyes.

Boscia's "Willow Bark Breakout Treatment"

Lately, my chin has been rebelling against me. From touching my face, to resting my work phone on my chin, to pressing my cell against my face (sometimes in the process putting people on hold accidentally), and hormones, my skin is truly winning the war on zits. At the recommendation of Sephora's helpers, I tried this lightweight, non-drying gem.

Boscia's "Clear Complexion Cleanser"

Continuing my love affair with Boscia and Sephora, I went back to try to find a skin care system because my oily face and dry, flaky-ness was not cool. Based on some recommendations, I settled on this cleanser. It feels silky while I'm lathering and rinses off my make up, too! A little trick I learned about face wash and wash clothes is that the weave of the cloth can spread those zit making bacteria, so it's best to just use your hands on your face.

Boscia's Vital Daily Moisturizer with SPF 15

Part of the skin care regimen that is necessary for the dry flaking to cease is this moisturizer. It has that SPF that we need here in Colorado. Also, I like the light feeling and texture it gives my face. I use it in the morning and at night and have noticed a lot of reduced flakey-ness.

Philosophy's "The Microdelivery Peel"

Part of the whole kit and kaboodle from Spehora that I took hook, line, and sinker is this microderm kit from Philosophy. OK, well, I didn't buy it, but she gave me a ton of samples to make sure that I like it before I commit. It's like dating before moving in together. I use this every 3 days. (One day on, one day just cleanse, one day mask, one day cleanse, then one day on again.) The combination of the exfoliation that this provides is tough enough, but mild enough to be paired with a mask that sucks out all the yucky stuff. I feel that this will be a staple as the Colorado winter really kicks in and my skin dries up.

Burt's Bees "Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream"

Speaking of dry Colorado winters and cracking skin, I love this cuticle cream from Burt's Bees. It's lemony fresh and really take care of my cuticles. This year, I am hoping to get a head start so that I don't have hang nails or cracking.

A&E TV's "Paranormal State"

Perhaps it's because it's Halloween time and ghost stories give you the heebee jeebees. Maybe it's because I think that ghosts are real. Whatever it is, I can't help but watch this show. It creeps me out and makes me think every bump in the night is a signal of something from beyond. And yes, I watch this right before I go to sleep. I'm a genius.

Bravo's "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills"

This incarnation of the addictive franchise takes us to the land of swimming pools and movie stars. These housewives have some major coin compared to previous cities and some major drama. If it's not the former child star that is obsessed with her kids, it's her sister telling her to cut the umbilical cord and be her own person. Then there's the pending divorce of Camille with her hubby...this season is gonna be good!

Baby Seamus

Last, but definitely NOT least, is little baby Seamus. Seamus is a little blessing for my friend Mandy and her husband Shane. His older brother Brendhan was lost to a full abruption that also came close to claiming Mandy's life, too. He was born October 14 ans is soooo freaking precious. I can't wait to get to know this little guy!

I Love the 303 and Surrounding Area Codes

There are many times in my day where I look around and appreciate the awesome state that I live in. Colorado is a sight to behold and has so many times taken my breath away. Here are some of my favorite pics as of late of the 303 and surrounding area codes.

A time delay exposure of the downtown Denver skyline

The most beautiful panorama from a car and only 20 minutes from downtown.

This is from sunset a week ago by my house. The mountains look like a ripped edge of a piece of paper.

My Favorite Day Ends in "Y"

I was thinking about tweets and status updates that made me realize that people are obsessed with every day of the week. Some good, some bad, but someone always seems to comment on whichever day of the week has offended them or whichever day is going to determine their happiness.

People get really excited over Fridays. Others dread Mondays. If you really look at what people are updating about themselves in the social universe, they would realize they are more obsessed about the passage of time than anything else. Although, one of my favorites is "After Monday and Tuesday, even the calendar says WTF" or some other derivation of that. It makes me giggle every time.

Really, everyday for me holds something different. I don't necessarily wake up and say, "Good morning, world! Isn't it a lovely day?! I am so excited to be up and at 'em!" More than likely my morning begins with an alarm that I snooze for 4 or 5 times. Then there's the TV that gets put on the Weather Channel to see exactly how much time in my commute I need to leave and how to dress. Perhaps there's a quick email check and facebook check from the phone. All of this? Is before I get out of bed.

Granted the weekends are a little different since I don't have an alarm, but there are mornings where 7:00am wake up doesn't really phase me and I will putz around in bed watching TV for a couple of hours before I really get up and going. Then, there's always the dreaded hangover wake up. The kind that you're awake but wish that you didn't go out the night before and have that last drink. Sure it was a fun night, but that morning is less than desirable.

Some Friday nights, I wish I could throw down like I used to and dance and drink until the wee hours of the morning. Then I wake up Saturday morning without a hangover, completely refreshed and ready to get things done or see and do things. That's when those balls to the wall nights are as fun. I like to go out and socialize, maybe have a couple of cocktails, but there's something about getting close to 8 hours of sleep that makes me a happy camper.

I will tend to make a comment about the day of the week or missing a weekend on a Monday morning, but I have to recognize that I'm complaining about the passage of time rather than living in the present.

(Talk about an optimist post with rainbows and sunshine, but for a Monday, I thought we could all think about where we're at right now in life and hope for the awesomeness that tomorrow can bring.)

Wedding Season Comes to a Close

This year has been one amazing ride when it comes to my friends getting hitched! It all started in May with Kalyn and Jeremy, then off to Cape Cod to celebrate Kevin and Jessica, then a long weekend in Beaver Creek to celebrate Chelsea and David, all ending with last weekend in Connecticut to celebrate one of my oldest friends Caitlin and her hubby Mark.

Side note: Mark and Caitlin's wedding marks the 26th wedding that I have been to since I was 22. That means in five years, I have gone to a whole lot of weddings. I'm a pro guest. I've only been in 4 weddings over the course of my lifetime, so I'm no where near 27 Dresses.

This was from junior year prom in 2000

For some background, I have known Caitlin since first grade. That's right. We have known each other for over 20 years. (It's just over 20 years, we're talking months, but you get the point.) We went to elementary, middle, and high school together. We parted ways in college because she went to that inferior school in the Big 12 conference while I went to the best college in Colorado State. (She would like to debate that last fact, but she lost all rights by moving to Boston and no longer remaining a resident.)

The weekend started early on Thursday with a 6am flight...meaning that I had to be at the airport around 4am...and I was parking in economy so the shuttle would take awhile...and my fellow traveler Delilah had to be picked up and check a bag, so I was up at 2am to get the shenanigans started.

Even though it was before sunrise, that's no reason not to be dolled up.

We started off with a little wine down at the bride's parents' house then had a little welcome cocktail time with some family.

Enjoying a little "wine down" once we arrived.

On Friday, we started off with champagne fueled manicures and pedicures. You saw the results in my previous post. And, as an update, they look exactly the same. No joke.

Day 8

Me and the bride after our champagne fueled pampering

 From there, we relaxed a little before heading to the rehearsal dinner hosted by the groom's parents. It was at a delightful little restaurant that was turned from a sea captain's home into an elegant eatery.

Me with a bridesmaid, the bride, and the Matron of Honor

 The big day on Saturday was a great time getting ready with the bridesmaids and the bride.
 

The faces are on and the hair is done...now to get dressed!

Me and the bride all dolled up and ready to go!

The brides maids all lined up

With this ring, I thee wed.

 On to the reception! The country club had a gorgeous wrap around porch that we could enjoy the crisp fall weather and cocktails on. The scenery was gorgeous and the company was fabulous!

Enjoying cocktails al fresco

I loved the fall them of the wedding. From the invitations to the little leaves strategically placed with pears and the rich, warm colors of purples, reds, oranges, and yellows. The cake was simply perfect (and delicious!) to have a little ribbon with leaves for the accents.

I think there was some chocolate with decadent layer...I don't remember since that was less than sober tasting time.

 The happy couple had a sweetheart table with the the table name "Just Married" on a typical Massachusetts rotary sign.

 

The wedding was amazing and to share in that day with Caitlin and Mark was truly a blessing. These two love birds were actually set up by their mothers. They had both lived in Boston after college and their mothers thought that it would be "so nice" if they would have a familiar face in a big city. Well, apparently mothers know best because they have found in each other the compliments to each others personality.

When Your Day Goes The Way of Disney

I'm helping fill in around the office since part of the office has team building next week. That means I get trained this week in mail distribution, check logging, adding postage to envelopes, etc. All I could dream of, and more!

Some things that you should know:

1. I work in a courthouse.
2. We receive lots of mail.
3. Prisoners and other crazies write us. A lot.

So, in my "training", I was opening a letter that was a little weird. It was on a piece of notebook and paper and in Spanish. Neither are too off putting here, but the part that was nasty was the little baggies filled with an unknown substance. Our response is to put the materials into a biohazard bag, call the U.S. Marshalls and move on. But that would be too easy, right? Right.

In the world of bioterrorism, I have to have the hazmat response to make sure that we weren't dealing with something I would be in quarantine for...So, enter the person scan, the tests, etc. All of this is BEFORE they translate the letter and see what's in the baggies.

Think of Monster's Inc. and yelling "23-19!!! We have a 23-19!!!" Yeah, not as dramatic as that, but still, there were latex gloves, face masks, and a lot of touching.

Come to find, the baggies contain cheek swabs on Q-tips for DNA testing so that the individual can be exonorated.

On the upside, I don't have to wear the collar of shame, I didn't have a scalding shower or a delousing.

Champagne Manicures and Pedicures

To continue the festivities for the Connecticut wedding, we had champagne toasted manicures and pedicures. I'll post more pics later, but what I really want to talk about is the manicure!

The salon offers Axxium gel lacquer nails from OPI. The manicure lasts for two weeks without fading or chipping. Granted, it costs more than a regular manicure, but completely worth it since, if you're anything like me, it chips in an hour.

Axxium is only available in select colors, but with Bubble Bath, Bastille My Heart, Lincoln Park After Dark, and French Manicure, it's clearly the basics that will get you through every season!

Here's the bride-to-be with a French and my Bastille My Heart.

Jet Setting Style

A quick post from the road...well, air...

I'm on my way to Connecticut for a friend's wedding. Since I've been up since 1:45 in the AM, I've been a little loopy. (More about that in a proper post about the weekend.)

For now, here's me and my friend Delilah in the bathroom at O'Hare showing off our jet setting style. Don't worry. I didn't touch anything.

Here's to a great weekend!