{neiman marcus + target}

I may be late in discovering this, but Target has their Neiman Marcus + Target collaboration products on sale for a limited time 50% off.  I tried walking off with the Altuzarra shaker, Joseph Altuzarra serving tray, Diane von Furstenberg yoga mat, Carolina Herrera travel bags, Proenza Schouler iPad sleeve, Band of Outsiders cookie cutter & stamp set, Marchesa dress and Jason Wu dress for a little girl I don't have when my lovely conscience told me to put more than half of it back.  I hate you conscience.  Sometimes.  So, I left with the Altuzarra shaker and the serving tray and called it a day.  {insert dissatisfied face}  

Oh, before I forget, happy New Year's Eve!  Have fun and be safe!  Spending my New Years Eve indoors with my husband and sleeping baby.  Goodnight, see you in 2013.  xo, jules 

{life as of lately}

Wow, has it really been that long since I last wrote??  I go through my spurts of being a dedicated blogger to a nonexistent blogger.  I find myself 1) losing interest and 2) not having the time.  I'm now the mother of (almost) 5 month old Connor, on top of the wife of my husband, and the full time employee of my employer.  

Life as the mother of Connor has been.... wonderful.  Well, I won't paint everything rainbows, I do have my low moments where I need to walk away and grab a breather to recollect myself.  For instance, I had this moment last night.  It usually dawns upon me in this combination: Connor being fussy as of late + lack of sleep/lack of energy.  The usual cure for these moments: SLEEP.  When I can find it.  I really need to remind myself that I don't always need to be Super Mom.  For example, last Sunday I hosted a Christmas party at my house for my college friends (which I loved), then on Monday I made 3 dishes for my mother-in-laws Christmas Eve dinner, and then on Tuesday I hosted Christmas dinner for my family.  WHAT WAS I THINKING?  Come Wednesday I was down for the count with the stomach flu/food poisoning.  3 dishes?  Why?  Why didn't I just do 1?  I don't always have to be Super Mom, right?  I'm not an evil mother, wife, person if I'm not?  Anyways...

We really lucked out early when Connor started sleeping through the nights at around two months/earlier in age.  (And yes, he has been sleeping in his crib since he was a month old.)  As for a few weeks ago he has been waking up 1-2 times during the night and fussing during nursing.  The culprit?  A pair of teeth emerging from his lower gum.  His two bottom front teeth are coming through!  My little boy is growing up too fast!  Waaah!  Slow down, buddy!  I'm hoping Connor will (soon) start sleeping through the nights again because this mama just went back to work.  And it has been exhausting and stressful to have the lack of sleep and to adjust to full time work.  Yesterday my mind was still boggled with exhaustion from the stomach flu that I  I fumbled a bottle of BM after pumping and spilled 2oz all over myself (at work in the lactation room)!  I literally stood there for 30 seconds in disbelief, staring at the spilled precious BM thinking, "did this really happen??"  

Well, world, meet our Connor.  Boy, is he special.  We love every bit of him.  

{Newborn Photoshoot at 10 days old.  Photography by Shawnee.)

{Photography by Shawnee}

{so precious when he sleeps}

{love}

{mama's boy?}

{babbling}

{he's a happy baby}

{Connor & Mama}

{my baby elephant on Halloween}

{mr. man}

{Christmas morning}

{home renovation: part 1}

There's several things we'd like to renovate/update/add on our home and two had to be done soon before baby's arrival: 1) repaint the rooms and 2) lay hardwood floors in the hallway & bedrooms.  We painted the baby's room a neutral yellow and our guest bedroom a soft lavender (which I call the "Lavender Room"). The master still needs a color picked and painted (suggestions are welcomed).  For hardwood floors we really wanted a natural medium wood color that wasn't too dark and wasn't too light.  The one we ended up going with is a re-engineered white oak that has beautiful wood characteristics and medium distressing.  Luckily my husband has an acquaintance from childhood who has been installing hardwood floors for the past 16 years and who we could trust to do a gorgeous job.  Keith is the far and few hardwood floor installers that is an actual craftsman who takes pride in his work.  He knows his stuff and he will do it the right way.  After 4 days, our floors are all done!  I love it!  Now baby has a clean surface to crawl, roll, walk, and play on!  Not only that but hardwood floors make any home look that much better.  :)

{ripped up all the dingy carpet}

{sub-floor built, water retardant paper put down, and hardwood being laid}

{finished hallway}

{beautiful!  what a difference it makes!}

{teach back: mustache straws}

{tools}

• striped straws (such as these)
• die cut mustaches (right over here)
• hot glue gun/craft glue

{tools}

{how to}

1)  Place a drop of glue 1" below the tip of straw.  

2)  Place die cut mustache on top of glue & gently press to secure.  

3)  Done!  So simple,  but yet so cute!

P.S.  You'll be seeing some "little man" crafts in upcoming posts because I'm preparing for my "little man" baby shower!  My sisters gave me permission to be the Project Manager and oh, how I do love making these crafts!  

{diaper in style}

How adorable is this diaper bag and this diaper changing pad?  I purchased both on Etsy and I CANNOT wait to receive them!  The diaper bag is handmade in France.  love!  

{Waterproof diaper bag w. 2 exterior pockets & 10 interior pockets.  Handmade in France by Ikabags.}

{Diaper pad folds up conveniently into a "clutch".  Above fabric (Woodland Trails Bears in Blue)
was my choice of fabric.  Handmade in Georgia by modmomME.}

  

{snapshots}

{a family of geese attempting to come into my work}

{another cute photo of the family}

{instead of a day of work, my work had a day of baseball fun in our suite}

{still working on perfecting french toast.  any recommendations on a recipe?  ;)}

{finally found unique glass charms/wine charms!!}

{nyx haul}

Someone, help me!  I went CRAZY buying NYX products.  The price point makes it so much easier to buy what's not necessary (i.e. 6 lip glosses) and Ulta was having a buy one, get a 2nd item 50% off promo.  Here's what to expect in upcoming posts: reviews on matte eyeshadows, lip glosses, lip plumpers, lipsticks, slide on eyeliner, eyebrow pencil, blushers, bronzers, illuminators, and concealers! 

{pregnancy update}

1. I'm officially in my 3rd trimester.  Baby Boy is growing a ton and my bump is definitely noticeable!
2. I started the "kick count card".  I think Baby Boy is playing tricks on mama because every time I get ready to start counting his kicks, he's still as a statue.  
3. Baby Boy loves strawberries, mangos, and tangerines.  He dances when I eat them.  
4. We have 2 names picked out thus far and we're not going to pick one until we see him.  
5. Not a single thing has been started for the nursery.  We are procrastinators.  In a major way.  

{review : sephora advanced lash booster mascara}

My co-worker gifted the Sephora Favorites Lashstash to me last Christmas and I am, slowly but surely, going to review all the mascara in the set for you.  

The set comes with a pretty impressive selection of (click on each link to read my review):

• Bare Escentuals -- bareMinerals Flawless Definition Volumizing Mascara
• Fairydrops -- Scandal Queen Mascara (most excited to try this one!)
• Hourglass -- Film Noir Full Spectrum Mascara
• Josie Maran -- GOGO Instant Natural Volume Argan Mascara
• Make Up For Ever -- Smoky Lash / Extra Noir Smoky Lash
• Sephora Collection -- Advanced Lash Booster
• Stila -- Forever Your Curl Mascara
• Tarte -- Gifted Amazonian Clay Smart Mascara
• Too Faced -- LashGASM
• Urban Decay -- Supercurl Curling Mascara
• Clinique -- Take The Day Off Makeup Remover

I've been using the Sephora Collection Advanced Lash Booster and I would give it a 3 out of 5.  Here's why: 

Pros:

• Color intensity (A nice intense noir color, which I prefer.)
• Volumizes 
• Lengthens 

Cons:

• Takes WAAAAY too long to dry.  The mascara always smears onto the skin under my bottom lash line because I'm too impatient to wait the 28473 minutes (sarcasm) for it to dry.  I've been using a different mascara on my bottom lashes to prevent this & to save myself time.  
• Clumping.  I've noticed this with  most intense noir volumizing mascaras -- they tend to clump.  My solution is to take the wand out at an angle so excess mascara is removed onto the side/edge of the tube.  Or, you can wipe the wand with tissue paper to remove excess product.  

Would I buy this product?  Probably not.  

{color preserve}

My husband's hairstylist (also a personal friend of ours) introduced me to her all time favorite shampoo/conditioner for colored hair: Keratin Complex.  

She loves and swears by this product so much that she nearly died when she realized she forgot to pack it on a week long trip.  She was so kind to gift me these for Christmas and I must say I am a believer!  I've tried Graham Webb, Biolage, and Kenra... none of which kept my hair color lasting as long as Keratin Complex did.  I had my hair touched up... probably 2 months ago... and the color is still there; not ashy/faded.  I suggest buying this shampoo/conditioner, especially if you're paying $$ to get your hair did.  ;)

{snapshots}

{always a yummy snack}

{a peek at baby's wardrobe}

{dinner w/ friends}

{dragon stamps for my dragon baby boy's shower invites.  so asian of me.  :)}

{coffee cake substituted w. healthier ingredients.}  

{mirror, mirror on the wall}

I never used a vanity mirror until I traveled to Las Vegas many, many years ago and since that faithful meeting I had decided I was going to install a wall mirror vanity in my bathroom when I purchased a home.   Well, I now have the home, however, we are in the planning stages of remodeling the master bath, hence, still no wall vanity mirror.  Since purchasing a make-up vanity, I bought a table vanity mirror for it and I adore using it.  I'm most obsessed with the magnified side of the mirror and the back-lit.  The magnified side is great for detailed applications such as: eye shadow, eye liner, mascara,  and false lashes.  I think everyone should own one!  Go!  Now!

{teach back : organized make-up brushes}

What You Need: 

• Glass/plastic vase(s)
• Vase fillers (I like small vase fillers)

How To: 

• Fill each vase 2/3 to 1/2 way with filler (thicker brush handles tend to need more filler to stand up)
• Organize brushes by functionality 

Optional: 

• Place a ribbon of your liking around the vase/glue gems around the vase w/ a hot glue gun.

{true happy place}

I've been eyeing this since last winter when I spotted it at a friend's house.  I've been faithfully waiting for it to go on sale and finally it did!  I am now a proud owner of a mirrored vanity where I can spend hours upon hours dolling myself up.  Honestly, a dream come true.  ;)  

{skin care routine}

Being in my early 30's I have become more concerned with preventative care and maintenance care for my skin.  Here's my current skin care routine: 


Morning Routine:

• Wash face w. Olay Foaming Fash Wash for Sensitive Skin
• Moisturize skin w. Shiseido The Skincare Day Moisturizer SPF 15 PA+

Night Routine:

• Remove make-up w. make-up remover towelettes.  Currently using Up&Up Makeup Remover Cleaning Towelettes Compare to Ponds Clean Sweep. 
• Wash face w. Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Stress Control Power-Gel Cleanser using the Clarisonic Mia.  I use an anti-bacteria soap to clean my Mia brush after every use.  
• Apply winkle serum to wrinkle-prone areas (around eyes, forehead, smile lines, and neck) then any remaining serum on remainder of face.  Currently using Clinique Repairwear Laser Focus Winkle & UV Damage Corrector.
• Apply eye wrinkle cream around eyes.  Currently using Shiseido Eye Wrinkle Cream Concentrate (discontinued) 
• Apply night cream all over face & neck.  Currently using Clinique Super Rescue Antioxidant Night Moisturizer

I've been trying out different winkle serums, wrinkle creams, and night creams.  I'd like to know what are some of your favorites?  

{make-up remover towelettes}

I was using regular face wash to remove my make-up before doing a deeper cleaning with my Clarisonic Mia.  I noticed the brush on my Clarisonic was dingy with make-up after the wash, meaning the pre-wash with regular face cleaner wasn't doing what I hoped for -- to remove my make-up.  That's when I decided to buy make-up remover towelettes.  I picked up Up & Up Makeup Remover Cleaning Towelettes Compare to Ponds Clean Sweep. 

I, now, don't understand why I never thought of using them before!  The towelettes are doing what I hoped for (YAH!) and the brush on my Clarisonic barely has traces of make-up on it (confirming the towelettes are doing their job.  Double YAH!).  I haven't explored the different towelette brands so I wouldn't be able to give you a fair assessment of these, however, it's been working pretty well.  It hasn't caused any redness, tightening, or breakouts on my sensitive skin and it removes waterproof make-up while being safe for contact-wearers.  All which I love.  P.S.  I do store these in a Ziplock sandwich-sized bag to keep the moisture longer lasting.  


Which make-up remover towelette brands do you love?

{snapshots}

{spent my babymoon & birthday in Maui, Hawaii w. hubby and family.  it was perfect}

{birthday gift from hubby + trip to Maui <3}

{picked up a souvenir for baby boy}

{Ululani's snow cone: the best ever}

{foundation : airbrushed}

I think I've finally found the way of creating an airbrushed, natural look with foundation!  The main tool?  

Sigma Beauty's Flat Top Synthetic Kabuki brush (F80)

This brush works best with liquid foundation in a stippling motion.  My prior foundation tool was a wet beauty blender, however, that tended to apply a thick application and I could tell I was wearing make-up.  The F80 brush gives plenty of coverage while also looking natural... AND... your make-up still looks airbrushed 10 hours later!  (At least for me it does.)  At the end of a work day I had a co-worker comment, "it (my foundation) still looks airburshed!".  Definitely a keeper and a tool I will be recommending!  I also bought the Round Top Synthetic Kabuki brush (F82) (couldn't decide between the two so I did what I usually do... GET BOTH!)  but haven't used it yet.  Once I do I'll make sure to post my review.  

{pregnancy must-haves}

During this pregnancy adventure, I've discovered 2 of my pregnancy must-haves.  The 1st is...

... the Beband.  I'm still able to wear my pre-pregnancy pants due to this nifty invention!  With my growing belly, I haven't been able to zip my pants but the BeBand does the trick of holding my unzipped pants up & hiding the fact that they are unzipped.  It also feels great that I am still able to wear my pre-pregnancy pants and not have to always wear maternity pants!  

My 2nd must-have is...

... Bio-Oil.  This was recommended to me by a friend.  I know studies have shown products like this can't prevent stretch marks and stretch marks are genetic, but just let a girl dream, okay??  LOL.