Things I Love: Clarisonic Mia Face Brush

Time for another "Things I Love" post!

I am not a big beauty products person. Sure, I like a nice trip to Sephora to restock on my makeup faves, but I really don't wear a lot of makeup or try a ton of new products. My friend, Beverly, on the other hand, is the exact opposite of that description...she knows EVERYTHING about every single beauty product out there. So when she told me about the best product she had purchased in months, I was intrigued. After listening to her glowing endorsement and reading a ton of positive reviews on Amazon and Sephora, I purchased this Clarisonic Mia Skin Cleansing System for myself!



And wow, I am SO glad I made that purchase! It's like an electric toothbrush for your face. It removes makeup and gives your skin a gentle, exfoliating cleanse. I use it every night before bed. Just in the past few weeks, my skin has become softer, smoother, less oily/zitty, and less in need of makeup. I'd say that makes it a huge winner! It's a bit pricey, yes...but totally worth it in my opinion. It would make a great birthday gift...and don't forget that Mother's Day is coming up soon, too!

Check it out HERE at Sephora.

Mike Morath for Dallas School Board

Worried about sending your kids to public school in Dallas?

Do something about it by voting in the Dallas School Board election coming up on May 14, 2011. A dear friend of ours, Mike Morath, has recently announced his campaign for this election.

Mike has already devoted his professional life to improving the lives of children through his work as President of Minute Menu, a federal reimbursement program dedicated to providing nutritious meals for children of low-income families. He is stepping away from his company to devote his time and energy to improving the Dallas public school system. He knows it’s a hard road, but he has some great ideas.

Spending more of our budget on teachers, the people directly in charge of our children’s education on a daily basis.

Empowering principals through professional development programs that show them how to be excellent leaders who employ excellent teachers.

Involving parents to a greater degree, encouraging them to take a more active role in their children’s education.

Don’t these sound like the types of goals we should be trying to achieve in our schools? Learn more about Mike Morath and his campaign for school board at www.mikemorath.com and consider getting an “I Like Mike” yard sign for your house if you live in his district. I can’t wait for mine to arrive!

But you DO NOT have to live in his district, or even in Dallas, to help! Spread the word about Mike on your blogs, Twitter, e-mail, and Facebook. You can also support Mike’s campaign with donations. See his site for details on how to donate, and make sure to “Like” his Facebook page – Mike Morath for Dallas School Board.

New Six Degrees Post - Lemon Custard Bars

I posted a new delicious dessert on Six Degrees of Supperation today. These Lemon Custard Bars are easy and delicious - go check them out here!

A Few Good Books

I may have mentioned this before, but I LOVE to read! I don't discriminate, either...I read a wide variety of genres - historical fiction, chick lit, mystery/crime, memoirs, and pretty much anything in between.

Here are a few books I've read over the past couple of months. They are all VERY different from one another, so there's something for everyone.

Left Neglected by Lisa Genova

This book was fascinating and powerful. It's about a brain condition called Left Neglect that I had never heard of before reading this book. The short summary: A busy, career-oriented woman (wife and mother of 2) doesn't have time for anything to deviate from her perfectly planned schedule. When an accident leaves her with a traumatic brain injury, she is forced to reconsider what is important in her life. The author is a Harvard trained neuroscientist, so she really knows her stuff. She writes about brain disorders/injuries - her other book is Still Alice, which is about Alzheimers. I want to read it but think it will be very sad, especially because my grandma has Alzheimers. This book is fast-paced and very interesting, but it also makes you stop and think about your life. What if something tragic happened and you would never be the same again? Would you look back and regret spending time and energy on things that didn't truly matter?


East of the Sun by Julia Gregson

This is a fun book about three young women on a journey to India in the 1920s. One is going over there to marry a man she hardly knows. One is following her best friend with hopes of big adventure and romance. One is returning to the place where her parents died when she was young. I enjoy books set in other eras and other countries - and this one had both!

Moloka'i by Alan Brennert

This historical fiction book was incredibly fascinating to me, since I had never read ANYTHING on this subject ever before. It takes place in Hawaii in the late 1800s/early 1900s, when the island of Moloka'i was used as a leper colony. A little girl is torn away from her family when it is discovered that she has leprosy. She is banished to the island to grow up without knowing if she will ever see her family again. The book follows her life, and I couldn't put it down. I read it in one day! The book just had so many interesting aspects - a different era, an exotic location, and a little-known disease, all woven into a picture of what life was like in this remote location during the early 20th century.


Also, not sure if I ever mentioned it on the blog, but one of the best books I've read in YEARS, if not EVER, is The Help, by Kathryn Stockett.


I read it over a year ago at this point, but I still think about it. Read it. You will love it.

Things I Love: Wholly Guacamole 100 Calorie Packs

Here's another post for the "Things I Love" category:
Wholly Guacamole 100 Calorie Packs.



These things are genius! The small size makes them more convenient for single servings...that way you don't have to open a whole pack and risk the leftovers turning brown and gross. They are the perfect size to spread on a sandwich or have a little chip-and-dip snack. Who needs mayo and mustard when you can have a turkey, cheese, guacamole, lettuce, and tomato sandwich on wheat? Delicious! I know both Tom Thumb and Kroger carry these, and I am sure a lot of other places do, too.

Uhhmm...Snow, Snow Baby?!

Everyone loves a one-upper, right? Well, looks like Texas weather is honing its one-upping skills this week. Three days of temps in the teens and a solid sheet of ice over everything? Oh yeah? Well, how about 5-6 inches of snow on top of that?

Yep, for the second year in a row, we have snow, and lots of it! This time it's on Super Bowl weekend...when the Super Bowl is HERE! Guess we wanted to make sure the Steelers and the Packers didn't get homesick.

Here is what our front porch looks like today - scroll down to yesterday's post to see the icy version of this same shot:



And here are some more pics Jeff took when he ventured out this morning (WISH I could have gone out...but sadly my walking boot does not double as a snow boot).

Ice Ice Baby

It's TOO COLD in Dallas right now...we are having a very uncharacteristic cold spell right now, with temps well below freezing (in the teens with wind chills in the single digits and below zero)! Since Tuesday morning, every outdoor surface has looked like this:



Which is exactly why I've only left the house once in 3 days! The slick surfaces plus my bum ankle and walking boot do not make for a fun journey outside! Jeff had to hold both my hands yesterday to help me get to the car without an epic fall on our slippery stairs and driveway.

Oh yeah, by the way, this is what I've been wearing for the last 2 weeks - I haven't blogged about it yet:



I sprained my ankle really badly in a Zumba class at my gym...ugh, loser! I should have taken pics of it when I first did it - the swelling was huge and the whole side of my foot was black and purple. I can hopefully start physical therapy next week and get it back to normal as quickly as possible. I guess it's a good thing I am not working on a contract job right now...not sure how well I would fare walking across icy parking lots! So this week, I've just been hanging out at home with Bella, who protects herself from the cold by sleeping in a tiny rolled-up ball, like this:



Notice how she has her arm over her eyes to block out the light - what a diva!

I hope everyone is staying warm and enjoying some days off from school and work! Stay safe on the roads!