Monday, July 28, 2014

Grabbing My Girls



Okay maybe not those girls... 

However, the real girls I am grabbing in my life mean the world to me. I cannot repay for all the laughs and the memories. These people that say they only have one or two real friends have no idea what they are missing. I know no matter what is going on in my life I have these girls to make me feel like I belong and that I am not weird. 

Okay so most of, okay so quite frankly at some point, all of these will be related me. I am so excited about that because that means we will never be apart.

Carolina; Oh dear. Carolina the girls that needs blur lines on her in real life. Okay on second if she feels that good in her skin, why not? That's one the of things that makes her all her own. I love that. I don't know if I could ever feel as comfortable as she does. Plus, her energy is just awesome, sure she can be overbearing at times but she makes for awesome stories later. Come on, how many people bluntly tell someone "Well I wasn't planning on inviting you to the wedding but since you just asked if I was inviting you and you backed me in a corner so I felt obligated to do so." Who doesn't love that? I know I do. Sure it's fired at me sometimes but if she didn't do it to everyone it wouldn't be fair.

Lillian; Mysterious Lillian is one of my favorite sisters. Mystical and very reserved the one person who I know doesn't judge by the book by it's cover. Come on she reads the last two chapters before buying a book. (Which by the way drives me crazy.) She has found where she belongs and has become so strong self confident. I love seeing her grow up and yet remember to be a kid, not stupid. I know several times where I can just sit beside her and never say a dang thing and it's like the best time ever. But she can mix awesome drinks since she used to be a bartender. 

Erica; The first one to make me realize that no matter what your past is you can get over it and feel sexy. She has totally taught me that I need to respect myself first to get others to respect me. Trust me that makes a huge difference. This is the woman that sat me down before marrying Frankie and told me that I needed a lesson in loving someone as special as him. She gave me the third degree. It made me feel good to realize that someone cared about him like I do. She was so protective of him that I hugged her over and over. And as for her? You aren't going to find someone who looks great in puke like she does. Seriously she does. Plus she can make it look sexy and like it was the most beautiful dress in the world. Plus she can rock overalls. But even she is more than looks, she is very informative and it is great to listening to her advice. I know I want to take notes when she talks. 

Odette; Two of the three transitions girls in this round up. Odette can go completely retro on you, then bam totally backwoods wielding a trap to go rabbit hunting. This is the girl that when I met her was so reserved I seriously thought she was in her 30s. The last picture I got of her was her a tiny mini black dress, hair curled and heels that made her butt look better than Beyonce's. This is the girl that I owe most of my happiness to and some of the credit to me being alive. I am overly thrilled that she is my sister in-law

Hunter; The one girl who knows her make up, kids, and Disney like she created them herself. I love this girl. She claims all she is about is make up, kids, and Disney. This girl has so much more depth than that. She is the one girl I know that literally go from wearing boots covered in mud and tank top sweating to 4 inch heels with a mermaid dress and look absolutely stunning in both. This is a girl that know where to lay her fork on what side of the plate when she is finished, but yet can also tell you how to gut a deer. I mean this girl is many facets like the ADPi girl she is. This is one awesome rocking cousin of mine. 

Jessica; Seriously the fact that we became friends because of books is one of my favorite things about our friendship. We then built it a little more on "Gaston". And honestly, after that I have no freaking idea. Our friendship just exploded. We cannot go a day without thinking about each other and talking to each other. We have that funky relationship where there is the one friend pushing the shy one to do wild and crazy things. Yup that's me pushing Jessica to wear pink leopard print pencil dress. Yep that's me crawling on her to get away from "things." This is the girl that I know when things get really hard or someone threatens me I don't question it, she's there. Plus, soon she will be my sister in-law!

Saturday, July 26, 2014

Who Killed Tangerine?



Move over Chris and Odette, there is a new Raposo couple taking the world by storm. And we are doing it baseball style. Who would have thought my tiny EB tot would love baseball? She becomes entranced when it is on the TV. So we spent the morning at the ball park. She was in hog heaven. Which was the best feeling. 

The second best thing? Frankie isn't recovering surgery. He is trying out a new treatment. Which is such a blessing to me. He is so happy and that my friends is what makes me beam like I just seen Ian Somerhalder naked holding a billion dollars and glittery cupcake. Just seeing Frankie sing and dance like a moron makes my world spill on it's axis a million times faster. 

He said he loves baseball more now. And that makes me so happy because I understand basketball but I care nothing about watching. Baseball I am all on board for with our tiny little family. We are thinking getting season tickets. Yep we are becoming our favorite live action movie together. 

I just keep singing "And when you think it's all over, It's not over, It's not over."



Sunday, July 20, 2014

Sunkissed Summer 2014 TAG






The Questions:
1. What is your go-to product for a sun kissed summer glow? (bronzer, self tanner, etc.)

Self tanner and bronzer

2. What book would you recommend for a summer read?

ANYTHING!

3. What's your signature summer scent this year?

Anything by Ralph Lauren

4. The sun is shining and it's time to get outside! What's your favorite thing to do?

Lay on the patio bed and drink flavor tea and sometimes go dip in the pool.

5. You're on the boardwalk and your stomach is grumbling. What's your go-to summer beach food?

If they have chicken on a stick that's what I am getting. Or watermelon.

6. Sunscreen is always important, but it's a MUST in summer! What's your favorite? (Face, body, or both)



7. After a day in the summer sun and heat, what do you do to cool off?

Pool time, or shower then movie or reading or blogging

8. How do you wear your hair in the summer? (down, ponytail, ombre, dip dye, etc.)

Ponytail or down

9. Must-have nail polish for summer 2014?

Yoga-ta Get this Blue!

10. Sometimes it just feels good to chill out and watch Netflix. What shows/movies do you recommend for summer?

Downton Abbey, Orange is the New Black, and Hart of Dixie

11. Do you wear liquid foundation, BB cream, or tinted moisturizer in the summer?

All of the above!

12. It's super bright outside! Do you reach for sunglasses or a hat?

Sunglasses, let's be honest I am one of those people that will go through a store with her sunglasses on just feel famous. 

13. What is your summer jam this year?

Alex Goot and Luke Conrad! Seriously!

14. Do you have a summer bucket list? If so, share some things on the list.

I do have one of those this time. I should but I don't. 

15. Bikini, tankini, or one piece? Show us your fave bathing suit this year!

One piece this year!



16. Summer means heat... and sweat! What's your favorite sweat proof product this year? (Skincare, makeup, anything!)


17. Summer wouldn't be complete without a scoop (or two) of ice cream! If you could create your own ice cream flavor, what would it be?

Cherry Dr. Pepper please?!?! That would be excellent!

Summer Love



Who would have thought that the girl that used to have to have everything is now just happy with the whimsical things in life?

My heart is pounding happily. Why? I just came in out from outside. My husband was practicing a song that he had wrote on his guitar and was playing it. My daughter and I were barefoot and dancing around. I looked at him and that look was my undoing.

That smirk said it all, the thing that I have been looking for all my life. He started singing his heart out and I started dancing with Eloise. She was giggling and bouncing. I picked her up and gently spun her around. 

The only money that this moment cost me? The money for his guitar but that's it. It felt amazing to be out in the summer air and dancing like we were fairies. True Summer Love.

Monday, July 7, 2014

Daily Dealing with EB


My daughter, Eloise, has epidermolysis bullosa junctional. The junctional is one of the types of epidermolysis bullosa, or EB. What exactly is EB?



It is a very rare genetic connective tissue disorder that affects 1 child out of every 20,000 births. EB is actually a group of disorders that share a prominent manifestation of extremely fragile skin that blisters and tears from friction or trauma. Internal organs and bodily systems can also be seriously affected by EB. The list of secondary complications can be long and may require multiple interventions from a range of medical specialists.

The manifestations of EB, the symptoms the person suffers from, and the overall long term outcome on quality of life run the gamut from mild to devastatingly severe. This is dependent on several factors including the type and subtype of EB and the inheritance pattern (autosomal dominant versus recessive). There are many people who are diagnosed with milder forms of EB, which, while they can be extremely difficult and painful to live with, are not disfiguring or lethal. In these forms of EB blistering of the skin may be limited to the hands and feet which may not result in any scarring or loss of function. In more severe forms there is generalized blistering of the skin as well as injury to many internal organs and bodily systems. These more severe forms of EB result in disfigurement, disability and early death, usually before the age of 30. In fact, some forms of EB are lethal in the first few months of life. 


"I have EB... I am not contagious. I wear bandages to protect my skin. I was born with it, and there is no cure. Epidermolysis Bullosa, or EB, is a rare genetic disorder. My body can't produce the protein I need to make my skin strong like yours. I get blisters very easily and sometimes they hurt. Today, there is no cure or treatment. Daily wound care, pain management, and protective bandaging are my only options." - This paragraph is on the cards that I have ordered to give to people.


My first initial thought when I heard of this disease barely a month ago was "How is that even possible? A child's skin just falls off?" But it's true in the sense of when you think of a blister. Where we have regular connective skin. Theirs is not.

Daily things for us are not the same for us. If we wear clothing that rubs us we barely notice it or it makes a red spot and that's the end of it. For her, it may not be the case. She will blister and not just red skin or tiny white pocket filled with fluid. She will get the ghastly large blisters.

Eloise does have the lesser of the types and subcategories. We are very grateful for that each day. I make sure to remind myself each day by reading the blogs of those that are not so lucky. I send encouraging words to them and let them know they are in my prayers.

We start out our day by me changing her diaper and nursing her. I make sure that we have bandage change areas in our home away from fun areas in our home. This helps her distinguish between areas that will hurt her and areas that are comforting.

After she is finished nursing I take her for a sponge bath (or Frankie does) and she is washed and we pop any new blisters we see and drain them and then bandage her. We are not allowed to wear gloves because it irritates her skin more so we just have to make sure our hands are washed well. We have small scissors and lancets to pop the blisters. After there is a puncture in the blister we let gravity help with the draining of blister. We put ointment on it and bandage of her blister. We cannot use adhesive because it makes her skin worse.

We have started learning to go about our daily normal lives. It does no good to watch her every step. She stumbles over her own feet and falls like I do. When her knees her the floor it's almost instant blisters. I take her to one of the areas and bandage her up.

As I have said before we are lucky. She can play in the sand without blistering. She can have a teddy bear. Most children with EB can not do these normal things. Some children are tube fed because eating scars their throat.

We still watch for rubbing, scratching of any kind on her. But this is what life is like for us. We live each day to the fullest now that we are over the initial shock and realizing we can't stop every blister. We say our prayers every night for those battling this that are much worse off.

If you are wandering how you can help children with EB find a cure go to Debra Take Action

I ❤ Summer










The Questions:

1. Favorite bronzer for summer?


I actually have two! Too Faced Bonjour Soleil Summer Bronzing Wardrobe and Tarte Amazonian Clay Matte Waterproof Bronzer


2. You're relaxing in a hammock, on a tropical island. What are you sipping on? (Favorite summer drink)


Hippie Juice or Sunset Sangria or Strawberry tea


3. Favorite summer lip product?


I love Baby Lips but I have become obsessed with the trio from Juice Beauty:
Juice Beauty SPF 8 Lip Moisturizers Trio


4. Pool or Beach?


Beach, it has a more relaxing factor. Unless it's an quiet pool where I can read.


5. Summer = crazy hair! What's your must-have styling product?


Hair spray like Kenra Professional Design Spray 9


6. Sun bathing or fake tan?


A little of both honestly. I sunbath occasionally or get in the tanning bed. But I had on some fake too.


7. Favorite summer nail polish?

Neons of course but this summer I have been loving navy with gold glitter. To me it's a nautical look. Don't know

OPI Classic Nail Lacquer Yoga-ta Get this Blue! and OPI Spotlight On Glitter Nail Lacquer Collection I Reached My Gold



8. Any summer traditions?


None except towards the end of summer at the end of August we an on the river party on the pontoon and houseboat. Strawberry picking is awesome too!


9. Favorite summer scent?


I love fresh scents and ocean scents. Smell Bent St. Tropez Dispenser is one of my favorites this summer as well as Ralph Lauren Ralph


10. Favorite BBQ food?


Pickles, jello, bbq meat, pasta salad and corn on the cob


11. What's your favorite summer-proof product?

UD All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray

12. Any summer vacation plans this year? No plans? Tell us about your dream summer trip!

We are going to Orlando!!! YAY! No parks until January though.

Saturday, July 5, 2014

Nashville Haul




So we had to go to Nashville for the results of Frankie's tests. We all went, including Flutterina. She and I went to Starbucks while he was at the specialist's. While at Starbucks I did some online shopping.


Sigma Beauty - (Online purchase)


2X Sigma Spa Brush Cleaning Glove - I have been saying they needed to do this!

F35 - Tapered Highlighter


Amazon

Infuser Water Bottle - This one is for Frankie who keeps stealing mine.

Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy









Melissa & Doug Sunny Patch Speck Seahorse Sand Ice Cream Set - This is going with us to Naples to Aunt Jessie's house on the beach!

AngelStar Magnetic Bookmarks

JetPens




Seltzer Goods







After Frankie picked us we decided to do some more shopping. I knew I wanted to go to the Container Store, a few toy stores, Barnes & Nobles and wherever else the day would take us. 

Container Store




























A bunch of different Gerber Graduate; Fruit Splashers, Yogurt Blends, Ravioli, Dinners, Breakfast meals, Puffs, and cookies.







Toys R Us

Washi Tap





To save you a long list...  She has a lot of Baby Alive things. Frankie said it would be great for her. 






Janie and Jack

























Ulta


Love these!





Barnes & Noble














I picked these up at a boutique we stopped at...




What's Up With Me 7/4/14


HAPPY 4th of JULY


What I'm reading:


Devotion: I am reading online now. Set Apart Girl Devotionals

Book: Before You Were Mine

What Clothes I Wore and Wearing:





What Jewelry I Wore Today:


What Make-Up I Wore Today:


Blush: NARS Deep Throat 
Highlighter: Cindy-Lou Manizer
Glitter: Rosalind Glitter

How my Hair Looked Today:


Curled and bumped

What Polish was on My Fingers Today:

Yoga-ta Get this Blue!
OPI Red
Happy Anniversary


What Perfume I Wore:



What I Used in My Shower and/or My Bath:


The Shower Part:


The Bath Part:




How I Pampered Myself Tonight:




How I Exercised Today:


Ran

What I Did With My Daughter Today:

Christmas pictures, cleaned, and watched fireworks

What My Meals Were Today:


Breakfast: Yogurt parfait
Lunch: BBQ meat, baked beans and bread
Dinner: Pasta salad, more BBQ meat, baked beans

What I Snacked On Today:

Chips

What I am Watching:


YouTube Videos

What Music is Pumping in my Ears:


Death Cab for Cutie

What have I Bought Today:


Ummmm nothing.


What Am I Lusting After:


More Turkish Towels after the one Popsugar sent I must have more!

What Smells Are in the Air:


Wax: Sea Air


What I am Thanking God for Today:


I'm healthy, my fiance is doing well, my friends, my family, and the I have a gorgeous little girl

What I am Excited About:


Orlando and home projects

What I am Worried About:


Frankie's procedures
And when we can go to Orlando

What Games am I Playing:


Sims Freeplay and Solitaire in Wonderland

What Apps I Have Used the Most:


iPhone: Cozi 
iPad: YouTube




Friday, July 4, 2014

Oh My Gosh! What Does She Have In Her Hands?!

Pretty sure it's a Broom!

No. Not Mary Ann. Yep in fact I am pretty sure I bought the broom myself.

I have been spoiled all my life and I still am. But I wanted to grow up and do things for my family. We are, after all, a family now.

My mother says it's me nesting since I just adopted. I call it finally getting my act together.

There are many things factoring in my change of ways:

First, becoming a mom of a child with EB it makes you aware of germs. Germs are a huge enemy now. I was totally freaked out reading things online when Ellie arrived. I felt like I had to shield her from everything. Then I had to clean everything. I like having things clean but I wanted to boil everything. I have gotten over that some. People keep me in check and helped me remember that she is a toddler and I have to let her live.

Second way is a YouTuber. Organized Like Jen, this is her main channel but she has several more which I love. I love her! I can literally watch her all days as I have found out. I literally felt myself taking notes on her vlogs. She is not a specialized organizer which is what I like. She isn't about purging everything she has or having a minimalist of things. I really hate shows where their idea of decorating is one lily in a vase in the table. It irks me because nobody is happy with that and if you are I feel sorry for you.

Third way is actually the person... She has coodinating blog posts with every video she does! How awesome is that!?!?  Organized Jen is also a place where I take notes and get lost in the world that Jen Ross created. She is so wonderful. I hate how much she gets bashed. It breaks my heart because I understand what she is going through.

(For her other channels My Housewife LifeThe Busy Bee BuzzWinnie The Tzu Tube {All about her dog! YAY!} Disorganized Don {Her Husband's channel})

Next way that has totally made me have a problem with organizing is my planner that I have organized. Erin Condren's Life Planner has been taking the women by storm online. And not only online but craft stores and office supply stores! Knowing I was going to be purchasing one really made me sit down and think about what I wanted to put in mine. And there for, it forced me to think about becoming organized.

Also on the list is the website called iHeart Organizing. A mother of three boys and she gets the job done for house projects that help you organize and make things look better. I am all about the right now. So this website really makes me feel good about the changes I am making in my own house. Not to mention it gives a great deal of resources.

The sixth way, is Cleaning Mama.  She has a ton of cleaning printables and schedules. They aren't just about making your own cleaning products. They also talk about store bought products.

And last but not least is FlyLady. I am starting with the babysteps for this website and then moving outwards. It makes me feel like I am accomplishing something. That's where I want to start and I feel great knowing I am working toward making a better me and a better home.

So when you see the changes in me realize that I am wanting to make these changes but with the help of my friends and mentors I am doing with my own style... Glitter and all. (Who says Dawn has to stay in that ugly dispenser?)




~ June Favorites ~


People:

Frankie - Of course, he will always be on this list but he is just keeps surprising me. A year and half later he still brings me flowers, cupcakes, jewelry, candles, glitter, and of course cookies.

Jessica - I am so lucky. I have a friends that will bend over backwards for me. And Jessica is on top of that list. We are there for each other through everything. And trust me I do not take well to putting her down. Let that be known. 

Flutterina (aka Eloise) - She stole my heart with one peeking look. My adoptive daughter means the world to me and though she has limitations sometimes we just take life by the handles and do what we want to do. 

Hunter - Ummm yeah this girl? Excellent person who is very creative. She has been so great at giving me ideas for Eloise and helping me with my "problem" (don't freak that blog is coming up after this one.)

Odette - Last but not least. The best friend who has totally turned into a sex addict. But she is married and waited to be married so there you go. She makes me so proud with all that she does. Yep best friend there too.


Eyes:


V False Eyelashes

Saint False Eyelashes

Inglot Freedom 40 Pan Palette Eyeshadow

Stila Magnificent Metals Foil Finish Eye Shadow


Lips:

Graftobian Lipsticks

Lime Crime Carousel Gloss

Kaoir Sex Glitzstick

Presidential Collection Glitzstick

OCC Lip Tar Metallic - Hollywood and Pris

OCC Lip Tar Matte Mannequin, Queen, Harlot, Interlace


Face:

UD Naked Skin Weightless Ultra Definition Liquid Makeup

Juice SPF 30 Sport Moisturizer

Body (Pamper & Wash):



Morning Burst Detoxifying Facial Cleanser

Juice Blemish Clearing Cleanser



Konjac Sponge Puff with Bamboo Charcoal

Konjac Sponge With Mineral Rich French Green Clay


Hair:


Tan:


South Seas Tahitian Tan Extender 8 oz

South Seas Tahitian Tan Mist


Glitter: 


Envy Glitter

Rosalind Glitter

Brittany Glitter

Goldie Glitter

Misty Glitter

Lily Glitter


Tools:




And of course my Erin Condren Life Planner