JUNE: Recipe challenge!

Sunday, July 31, 2011

New method for curling your hair

So my roommates introduced me to a new way to curl my hair. It takes a lot of patience, but I really like the way it works. Basically you take a strand of hair (below) and wrap it around the curling iron instead of inside it.


It makes a nice effect with soft waves instead of tight curls, which I like. See below:
And it goes well with a toothless grandpa smile! It's a nice new way to do curls.

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

I could hike a mountain in these Flops!

Teva Mandolyn Wedge. $20-30 (Amazon/REI). The. Best. Flops. Ever. Lots of cute styles. Lived in three states in the past year. Wore them every day, all day -- pool, night out, around the house, around the block, on the trail, you name it! Warning: will conform to your feet and you'll never want to take them off.

Sippie No Drippie

With each of my children, the selection of available sippie cups has changed. I was excited when my daughter turned nine months because I could finally pick out a CUTE GIRLY sippie cup! I went to Wal Mart and picked out the cutest one -- a princess sippie. I liked the new "no insert" design that consisted of a little hole in the middle of some rubber-like substance. We got home and she could NOT get any liquid out of it! Neither could my husband and two older boys! Not sure who has the JAWS for that sippie, but surely not a baby!! I was so disgusted by the waste of money sippie that I threw it away and don't even have a picture of it.

Option two was the sippie on the right below . The NUBY. I liked the new sleek design that looked cute and could easily fit into baby's little hands. within a few days, the insert fell into the liquid every time she used it. I had to pick it out with my fingers, dirtying the milk.

Option three was the sippie in the middle below. Still a cute sippie and it was even insulated! The insert did stay in, and she could get the liquid out easily. However, it leaked! Not a ton, but enough that I had to constantly wipe up the little spills. Annoying.

Option four was my last pick because it is UGLY. It is the one on the left below. But it works! Happiness! Easy to drink out of, insert stayed put, and no leaks, ever. Ugly is best. Now I have four of them and they are all I use.

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Another One to Watch

Kevin rented this from the Blockbuster box in a pinch with someone waiting behind him.  He has a history of picking really bad movies if he just tries to pick something we haven't heard of before.  However, he picked a winner with this one.  We really liked it, and it is based on a true story.  Lindsey, you might especially like it because there is lots of Chinese. 

Monday, July 11, 2011

nothing like real ART to make you feel fancy

(side note: I just picked what I thought was a food crusty off my neck and it was a massive beetle! GROSS).

I met Crystal Despain when I worked in Rocky Mountain. She was this fabulous artist with 4 adorable boys and I recently found out that she started a website offering free art for the entire year (one each week for 52 weeks). This is how you enter: send her an email with a picture you have taken (or someone you know has) of something you love. Tell the story behind the photo and if she likes it, she'll paint it. At the end of the year she'll display them all with the story beside each one and then send it to you-- all for FREE (I think you have to pay for shipping).

Art is classy. Real art is priceless. Literally-- this real art has no price. If you're interested check out:



One to Watch

I rarely find movies that I really like, but The Snow Walker was wonderful. J picked it on Netflix view now for our weekend date night. It was a beautiful expression of how selfless love can change a life.

Saturday, July 9, 2011

Music for the soul

Just a shout-out for my favorite new musical group: the WAILIN JENNYS. I saw them in concert in March and introduced them to some of you when we were out in Utah for Lindsey's graduation. Here are a few reasons why I love them:

-they sing about birds, trees, babies and stars
-their harmonies are amazingly beautiful
-their songs make me think and reflect
-BEST OF ALL: listening to them reminds me of my sisters

Here's the link to a listing of their songs on grooveshark (listen for free!):
http://grooveshark.com/#/search?q=wailin+jennys