5 Tips for Lazy Days

On Instagram last week people were getting tagged to share 5 things about themselves others may not know. This gave me the idea that I should share five little cheats you might not know of do that make your beauty routine easier for when you're in need of a shortcut! Who doesn't get lazy or just doesn't have time for a full blown beauty routine day after day?!

1. At night instead of removing my makeup, washing my face with my Clarisonic, moisturizing with the 3 different creams, ect. I just do 2 things. First, I use my makeup wipes to remove my makeup and then with a baby wipe I cleanse my face. The alcohol in the wipe acts as a toner. Next, I crash for the night because I obviously was too exhausted to even fully get ready for bed. Haha.

2. The next day after showering, use these little hair tips I posted about here. I go over thoroughly all the little shortcuts and tips for extending your blowouts. There are some super cute and easy up-dos in there too!

3. Easy makeup. I highly recommend getting your eyelashes/eyebrows dyed! If you have the extra time, eyelash extensions are incredible... especially for summer coming up when we are swimming and sweating so much! Also, use a tinted moisturizer or mineral powder for some natural looking coverage. Next, dust on a little bronzer on the apples of your cheeks and apply a soft berry colored lipgloss.

4. Have a go to outfit that you feel comfy in and that is always ready to wear (ironed and hanging) in the front of your closet. My go-to get up this winter has been my H&M sweater I wore here with these pants-that-feel-like-leggings that I wore here. I throw on some black motorcycle boots and I'm done! I literally wear this outfit once a week because it looks very put together but feels like pajamas.

5. I always have little snacks made that I store in the mini fridge in my nursery. My fave is a washed apple with a small bag of raw almonds or I throw in a string cheese with some whole wheat crackers. These are perfect to throw in your purse and are easy to eat on the go! I keep protein bars and water bottles in my car for when I'm running late to something and forget my snacks. This prevents the temptation to go through the drive thru.

I'm not always this lazy, I like to think of myself as more "busy" with a 1-year-old running around. Haha. I'll admit I'm always exhausted but I'd rather spend my time with my munchkin that in front of the mirror!

xx

Recipe: Three Cheese Chicken Alfredo Bake

Three Cheese Chicken Alfredo Bake

This has been my favorite pasta dish since I discovered this recipe several months ago. I love Alfredo sauce and chicken; it's the ultimate comfort food! I've made this dish quite a few times and every single person that tries it falls in love. This is the perfect dish to make for having a big group or a few couples over. (The guys especially love this <3). It's not exactly a healthy dish so I recommend pairing it with a salad for your lady friends watching their weight!

Ingredients:

 1 (16-ounce) package penne or elbow macaroni

1 1/2 (15-ounce) containers Alfredo sauce
1 (8-ounce) container sour cream
1 (15-ounce) container ricotta cheese
2 garlic clove, minced
3 cups cooked chicken, chopped
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 cups mozzarella cheese

Directions:

Prepare pasta according to package directions; drain and return to pot.  Stir together all ingredients except mozzarella cheese.  Spread mixture into a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish.  Sprinkle evenly with mozzarella cheese.  Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

Hope you enjoy this creamy dish during these cold winter nights!! 

xx

Messy, Easy Up-dos for Busy Ladies

I feel like life still hasn't slowed down since the holidays! Plus, my little guy is as active and wild as ever and I've been chasing him around the house from sun up, to sun down! So if you're on a tight schedule like me, you don't have a ton of time to primp in front of the mirror. Lately I've only been washing my hair every four days or so, so I've been making the most out of each blow dry! 

Over the years of styling my hair, I've found that the easiest way to look put together with the least amount of time is this way. 

Day one: wash and style hair. Rough dry or air dry hair. (Depending on hair texture, round brushing might be necessary. Like for the curly types, not wavy types.) After hair is 100% dry, curl or wave hair with your go-to hot tools. I prefer my one inch curling iron. Then, rock your sexy, semi-perfect  style all day and night. Set curls for longevity. 

Day two: Brush or pick out your waves if you must. Re-tease to get yesterdays volume back. Rock messy curls/waves today.

Day three: Two choices. Re-curl a few key pieces to be able to wear your hair down and not look like it's dirty. Apply dry shampoo if you're into that sort of thing. Maybe pull front pieces back into a little braid or twist. Second choice, pull that mane up! With or without braids into a cute, messy ponytail. Your ends will still have some bend to them from previous curls. 

Day four: Definitely all up. Ponytail, sock bun, high top knot, fishtail or any other kind of braid, or low bun with pieces coming out.  

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Only washing your hair every four days does NOT mean only showering every four days!! Haha. Get a shower cap and try not to let your husband/boyfriend see! Since I can't stand being wet or having wet hair (especially in the cold winter) I try to go as long as possible in between washes. Hope you girlies can do the same! Remember: you have to train your hair to not get greasy so you don't have to wash it everyday. 

New Year, New HOUSE!

This year we will be buying our very first home!! I can't even wait to move and to start that next chapter of our lives. We'll be moving to a newer neighborhood with lots of young families for our little man to play with. My dream! To our future neighbors- I'm the young, barefoot mama pulling a handsome little stud in his red wagon to the park! Feel free to join us :)

Well you know what this means, new decor!! I've been pinning for months about my dream home and how I would style it and this year, my dreams are coming true. I'm very much a minimalist and like everything to look modern and clean with no clutter! However, my style is very feminine so of course it will be filled with a little glitz there, a little glamour here! Think clean lines, fur throws, velvet settees, glass lamps, subway paintings, crystal chandeliers, opened windows, mirrored dressers, grey walls, Venetian mirrors and sequinned pillows.

I'll have a lot of work to do to decorate a house since we have only lived in apartments, but it will be very exciting!! Can't wait to incorporate my current pieces with a few new accents! Later this year when we are moved in and settled, I'll post some pics of how I designed everything. These pics are from my Pinterest board called "For the Home". Come follow me, friends! 

My Pinterest link here. 

New Year, New You!

Happy New Year everyone!! Soo many crazy things happened in 2012. So glad the world didn't end though! Haha. 

We saw some awesome trends this year. Studs, spikes, leather, leopard, sneakers, loafers, collars, high-waists, braids, waves, eyelash extensions, gel nails, ombre, ect. So, I can't wait for what 2k13 will bring!

Last year my New Year's resolution was to "be sexier" (for my husband). I know this sounds super silly, but last January 1st, I had a newborn baby. Anyone of you who juggle a life with a newborn know how little time you have to yourselves. At the time I was wearing plain clothes, little makeup and pony tails. I had my body back already so it was time to become a girly girl again and to stop wearing my husband's clothes to bed!! Haha. 

I did pretty well for a really long time. I hid all my "ugly" lounge clothes and would only wear certain outfits to bed ;) Haha.

This year I had a hard time thinking of what exactly I wanted to improve on. I finally figured it out. 

1. I want to forget myself and think of others. As a wife and mom I do this a lot but I want to do this for the people who aren't living under the same roof. 

2. Be more outgoing and make more friends. We are moving to a new city soon so I'm very excited!

3. Be less judgmental and more forgiving. You'll never understand why someone is the way they are without walking in their shoes. Doesn't give them the right to be mean though! :)

What are some of your New Year's resolutions or goals you are working towards for the new year?!

These pics are from my Pinterest page and their websites can be found through there.
Follow me on Pinterest here.

Holiday Gifts That I Love!

I hope everyone had an amazing holiday this week! I know we did with our little babe getting sooo excited about his toys. I wanted to share some of the gifts I received so if you guys are ever looking for similar items, these are the ones to get! I promise to be better about posting now with the holiday season coming to an end. :)

Sephora Collection's "Ultimate Travel Tool Brush Set"

It's on sale now for $39 ($210 Value). All the brushes are a regular size (not mini size but kept in a cute case for traveling) so they are great for day to day. I especially love the eyeshadow brushes! The two brushes for powder and foundation aren't my fave because they are synthetic bristles and are harder to blend with. I recommend getting the Sephora Collection Pro Foundation Brush #47 for $28. I also like the bareMinerals Handy Buki Brush for $20. The bristles on this brush are very dense, so you get a really nice full coverage. 

Makeup brushes are expensive so I was glad to get this set for less than the cost of two brushes! It's so important to have the correct brushes for each make up application to ensure a beautiful finish!! 

Sephora Collection Travel Brush Set Here

Sephora Pro Foundation Brush Here

bareMinerals Handy Buki Brush Here

Urban Decay's "Naked" Eyeshadow Palette Here

(Not the Naked 2 palette)

I LOVE this palette. It has such a beautiful range of neutrals and let's get real, most of us only wear neutrals everyday. Some are matte, some are shimmery and all are perfect. I prefer the original palette verses the newer Naked 2 palette because I love to wear warmer shadows with my fair complexion. (Naked 2 colors are all on the cool side.) You don't need to be tan to have a warm glow to your face if you use warmer colors with your blush/bronzer and shadows! As you can see in the pic above, this set somes with a eyeshadow primer and basic application brush with is amazeballs. So get these shadows STAT!

 

Viktor and Rolf "Flowerbomb" Deluxe Gift Set (Fragrance) Here

There's a reason this is one of the top sellers at Sephora and department stores everywhere! It smells de-lish! This set from Nordstrom includes the perfume, roller perfume, body wash, and lotion. The gift set I got last year included the hair perfume which, believe it or not, smells even better than the body perfume! The body lotion smells a bit more "wintery" than the sort of "spring" like smell the perfume has. Which is to DIE for. Sometimes when I need a little pick me up, I just apply the lotion all over my arms and secretly sniff it all day! I even heard they make a Flowerbomb candle, which once we are in our new house, I will be purchasing!

Converse Chuck Taylor High Top Sneaker Here

I love that the sneaker trend is so big right now! Forever I wanted high top wedge sneakers because I think they are crazy cute. Honestly though, my 5'9 inch body doesn't need 3-4 extra inches to chase my 1 year-old around the park! These shoes are very comfy, very cute and very old school. My little man also has these kicks in the black and white version, so I needed a pair to match! I got them to wear with black leggings or my black leather skinnies and thought the white would be dope to pair with! I'll post an outfit post of my get up once I find a fun top to wear with. :)

Happy New Years Eve tomorrow!

xx

Guthrie Photoshoot Part Two

Sorry I haven't posted in suuuch a long time! I'm sure you guys are just as busy as I have been getting everything ready for the holidays!! Woot woot! I have everything bought except one little thing and then all I have to do is wrap it all. I even stuffed my husband's and baby's stockings today (I know, I know, I'm a bit too excited for Christmas). 

These family photos were taken a few days after my last Guthrie photos I posted HERE. We may or may not be wearing some of the same clothing items. Ha. The thing I love about this photoshoot is that the location is incredible. It's a secret spot so I won't tell ya where it is but the plants made our pics look very winter-y and Christmas-y. Just perf for our Christmas cards we sent out! I also love the color combo that was chosen and how absolutely adorable my sisters' outfits all were. Us Thruston girls are such divas so it's no surprise they had to be over the top. I mean, really??.... My 12 year-old sister had to wear red lipstick? And my two littlest sissies had to wear matching prom-like dresses? You bet. We are who we are!! I love these wild sisters of mine and don't forget my studly bros. ;)

Ahh, don't you love the cream and black color scheme with just the right amount of that pop of bright red?!

To see the photoshoot we did with my husband's whole side of the family, click here.

xx