Stuff!

"Stuff" don't we all have too much?

Stuff laying around.

Stuff in drawers.

Garages. 

Attics.

On shelves.

In cars. 

Stuff makes me crazy! 

It truly causes me to have anxiety. 

It makes my heart beat so fast seeing things all over the counter. 

When I come in from being gone all day and I have to unload all of the stuff from the day...mail, my daughters creations, food, groceries, my husbands stuff...I can't do anything else until everything is put away...thrown away or recycled...or put into it's "place". Then I can breathe easier and relax a bit. 

It is so easy to keep your stuff to a minimum when you are single.

Then you get married and combine your stuff.

Now you have double the stuff.

Then have a child or two and then the stuff piles to your ceilings...drawers are full...garages even worse! 

Ahhhhhh! The stuff is taking over! 

Here's my advice...

1. Touch mail once.

2. Clean out your refrigerator. Guarantee you have something expired in there.

3. Clean out your pantry. Same for here...bet there's something gross in there.

4. Go thru your medicine cabinet. Check all dates. Toss anything that has expired. 

5. Give it to Goodwill. I make at least one trip a week. Yep a week! 

6. Give it to friends. I give away tons of things to friends....clothes...food...jewelry...anything I think they might like.

7. Kids stuff is tough...do it while they are sleeping. Most likely they won't miss it. See number 5. 

8. Take it to a consignemnt store...or do a consignment sale. I do these allll of the time! 

9. Sell it on eBay, Craigslist, or Facebook now have easy to use buy sell trade sites. Make some cash!

10. If it's ugly...if you hate it....if it means zero to you...why do you have it? See number 5. 

Declutter friends! 

It's makes life so much simpler! 

And it's so much easier to clean. 

These are pictures of my own home. It has taken me several years to declutter and become more simplfied in my living. #alwaysaworkinprogress 

Wavy beachy hair...what I use

Here's my newest arsenal plus Rogaine . 

ReadHere about my hair loss struggles and how I fixed it. 

After using Olaplex  read Here about my love of it. 

After towel drying my hair...I use my Rogaine on the front section of my hair. (Rogaine is a life time commitment 2x a day everyday....And yes it totally works!) 

Then I spray all over with the Marrakesh  ...for my very long hair I spray probably 8-10 sprays....not much at all on the roots. All of the   Marrakesh products are natural and amazing!! 

Then I spray the Mermaid spray from ear length down maybe 5 sprays. It smells amazing! Like coconut vanilla yummieness! And has all natural ingredients. Check out all of their products...Here.

Then the secret to beachy waves is this Bumble and Bumble Surf spray new version!  I spray it 

on the bottom 6-7 inches of my hair.....it is for fine hair types like mine....I use the Bumble and Bumble Surf Spray original on occasion... But just on the bottom 2-3 inches. I would recommend the original to those of you with thicker (jealous) hair! 

Both Bumble sprays work wonders to create beachy waves! Infused with sea salts...they help to create naturally soft wavy hair! Swoooon! 

Before I blow dry I use My Amazing Blow Dry Secret ...this helps to not only protect my hair when I blow dry but it speeds up the drying process...for me about 2-3 minutes....typically it takes me about 5 minutes total to dry so this is a huge help! Yay! I discovered this product just about a month ago and I am thrilled that I did! Totally works! I also have Leave in conditioner by the same company...I 

use it some in place of the Marrakesh. 

After blow drying I will curl my hair away from my face...only the bottom half...leaving the ends out of the curling iron...

Then as a hair spray to hold the curl but not make it 80s style crunchy and helmety I use the Marc Anthony Oil of Morocco Argan Oil...I actually love this hair spray...not only is it Sulfate free (very hard to find in a hair spray)... But also makes my hair stay without being a hard and dry..

And lastly...if there is any humidity at all....I spray all over with the Anti humidity spray....holy grail. It is the absolute best product for those of us that live anywhere there is the horrible humidity! Until I found this spray...I would leave with decent hair...walk out the door and have the frizziest poufy mess ever! Ummm basically my whole life......so this is a heavenly product for me! 

Yes yes yes I know...it sounds like a lot....but honestly it's just a few spray with different products...but these are the absolute best of the best products to achieve natural looking beachy 

waves.

It only takes me from start to finish about 10-12 minutes total. 

This was a really good hair day because for some odd reason we had no humidity!

This was after using a curling iron.

(Mini in the back eating:)) 

Natural waves here no curling iron used. Air dry only.

(Crazy mini photo bomber)

How I stopped spending every penny I made and started saving like acrazy person! Part 2

So I was broke...living in a gross apartment...single...and Sooo freakin broke!

I was fed up!

I was at my wits end!

So what did I do...

I made a plan.

I needed a new job where I was in charge of making my own money...

I wanted a commission job. 

I wanted to be solely in charge of my earnings. 

But I also needed a bit of a cushion....until I built up a clientele like I did in Flroida. 

So I started working two jobs.

I worked a 9-5 at a Derm office making I believe $18 maybe $20 an hour.

And the other days I was working in a Salon setting ...where I was paid commision only plus tips. 

Both I was doing aesthetics...skin care..peels, waxing, extractions, lasers...facials...acne care...and I was learning different aspects of business.

At the Derm office, I learned even more about acne control, peels, products, proper extraction techniques..

The salon was a totally different vibe...I learned from the best aesthetician in town! She taught me how to talk to clients...client retention....how to build a business...her friendship and leadership was so incredible! Plus she was and is an amazing aesthetician and taught me a how to create the perfect brow...how to help clients with dry skin...I couldn't have done it without her! 

I was working 6 days a week. I took Sundays off only.

I worked very long hours. 

I worked hard...smart...

When I didn't have a client at the salon I would chat with hair clients...I would call old clients that I havepdnt seen in awhile...I worked my businesses. 

I stayed late. I came in early. 

I stayed at the Derm office for less than 6 months when the salon asked me to work full time. I was making more money there anyway....and I loved the salon environment. Fun, edgy, hip, loud...and I was making more money than I ever had! 

I saved as much money as I could. 

I saved every penny of my tips...kept them hidden and at the end of the week I would count them and deposit into my account. 

I was making more in tips in one week then I was at my teaching job and and my $15 an hour job.

I was so incredible happy! 

I spent nothing.

I didn't eat out for. 

I didn't buy myself anything. 

I brought my own food every single day for lunch to work.

I completely stopped shopping except for groceries...gas for my car...I didn't have cable...I had the cheapest cell phone possible...

And I sold everything I could think of...all of my purses...clothes....anything I didn't want...I sold it. 

I saved and saved and saved!! 

And worked and worked and worked. 

I lived this way for about 3 years.

I saved enough money that I got out of my crappy apartment and bought my first condo. 

Then 2 weeks later I met my husband. 

Bad Habits ... Round 2... Overspending

I spent a ton of money on clothing in my 20s until I turned 28.

And I was BROKE!

I was making $15 an hour at a desk job and every Friday when it was pay day I would spend more than half of my check on a new super uber hip outfit. Every. Single. Friday. For. Many. Many. Years.

I would bring home maybe $500 a week and I would spend half of it on one MAYBE two outfits....from very expensive hip clothing stores. 

I had zero money in savings. 

I had no retirement. 

I had a car that was paid for and I was living in a very gross apartment. 

I slept on a twin mattress on the floor with my cat.

Above me in the crawl space in my horrible apartment lived some type of critter that would scurry out every night and my cat Lucy and I would stare up just knowing that any moment it was going to fall thru the ceiling and land on us. 

I had a couch and a wicker table. 

And a tiny tv that sat on the floor.

And a closet full of high end clothing. 

I had been out of college and working for 8 years and I had nothing to show for it. 

Nothing! 

I needed to make more money.

I was sick of renting.

I was broke. 

And I was very tired of being broke! 

I needed to get my life together.

I needed a new job. 

I had been a teacher...but wasn't happy teaching. 

I had worked in a spa doing aesthetics but then I moved...(I was on commision there which I really enjoyed)

I had worked at hospital doing aesthetics but the pay wasn't great. 

It was time to make a change.

Time to make some money. 

Time to work hard.

Save even more. 

And time to stop over spending! 

Let's talk hair products...OLAPLEX!

I love products...I am NOT low maintenance when it comes to hair, skin, and makeup.

I love to try the latest products.

I love love love to research products and see what's the best for my specific hair...or skin.  I have always done this....it's the main reason I became an aesthetician...because I wanted to learn the best products to use for my skin.

Here's my favorite breakthrough product in the past year! 

Olaplex....have you heard of it? 

Buy Olaplex ..(thank you for supporting my blog! Love you readers) 

About a year or so ago Olaplex was invented....by scientists not hair stylists. PHDs nonetheless. 

Basically your stylist will mix Olaplex with your hair color/developer to completely protect your hair from any breakage during your coloring/chemical process. That's right no breakage! And for fine haired girls like myself this is huge! 

And I love being a lighter golden blonde with my naturally medium brown hair....and with Olaplex it can happen without me having to worry if I'm gonna have my hair fall out....(yes this has happend at a salon to me...several times...) 

Plus and this is a huge plus....you can take hair many levels lighter without the risk of damaging the hair or any breakage occurring!! So you can go super light without any concern! Or pink or whatever color you like! 

This is huge in the hair industry! HUGE!! 

I would imagine that this is how the Kardashians go from their naturally dark hair to very very pale blonde....without the damage. 

So ask your hair stylist to use it at all of your color appointments. All!! You will be amazed at how your hair looks and feels. 

Olaplex also has an at home version. Buy Olaplex (this is the at home version you need) ..

You use the at home version before you shampoo and condition and it makes your hair like total silk! 

You leave it in for 10 minutes on damp hair and then shampoo and condion like normal...use one time per week. And note to self you only need a quarter size amount...even with my long locks I only use a quarter and a half from roots to ends. 

Even in the dead of humidity hell in the south I had little to no frizz....

This pic was taken in super humid Floirda weather...and look no frizz! 

Again Florida vaca and no frizzy mess! Just soft healthy looking hair!

It seriously is the biggest breakthrough for anyone that colors their hair....be it balagye...highlights...all over color....Olaplex is it! 

And again thank you for supporting my blog....by clicking to purchase you are helping me to homeschool! 

First grade here we go!

We finished up Kindergarten back in April....and we really don't take time off.

I have found that time off leads to more time off which leads to us getting off schedule...and then crazy train happens. 

My child needs some type of daily structure. She needs to have a daily schedule. Its what works for us.

Our daily schedule is basically this:

Breakfast outside 8:00

School time...reading...math...etc. again all outside

Play time/free play

Clean up/chores/stuff mom needs to do...

Lunch violin poems

Hike 2.2 miles

Extra curricular activities...violin, gym(for me), dance...

Dinner bath bed 7:30

So this summer we basically did tons of reading...so far since January she and I have read almost 300 books. Either her silently, me reading to her, us doing shared reading, or her reading to me. 

We also started  Life of Fred--Apples math which she loves!  

So officially the following is our First Grade curriculum...just know that we've done a ton of other things in between the ending of Kindy and the beginning of First grade.

The Orchard Book of the Unicorn and Other Magical Animals - because I find it super important for children to use their imaginations and hear beautiful fantasy stories! 

A Child's History of the World - I love how this book it written...history written in a way a child can understand

Plus-Plus  - these are amazing! Made in Denmark...super cool leggo like but better! 

The Nature Connection: An Outdoor Workbook for Kids - we spent oodles of time outside...I think it is one of the most important things for children....hiking...learning about nature...trees...birds...animals...the environment! It's the hippie in me....

Exploring Creation With Astronomy  And Junior Astronomy Notebooking - we are Catholic and I am so excited to learn along side of her with these amazing books! 

Life of Fred--Butterflies - math...but way different than just rote memory of math facts! The best! 

Handwriting Without Tears Cursive Handwriting - Grade 3 - she asked to learn cursive...so why not! 

New Catholic Picture Bible

Evan-Moor Beginning Geography Book

Colored Smencils 10 Pack - we also have Halloween Smencils Sets,  Smarker Sets, and Glitter Gel Smens. She loves all of these! Uses them daily! Draws...colors....writes notes...signs...every single day! 


eeBoo Sun and Moon - we love these sketch type books for our drawings and retellings...we also 
have eeBoo Birds and Berries...Great quality paper. 

We also go to our new amazing library weekly....I love how easy it is to get books from there. We at any given time have 20 books checked out...so instead of buying books this year to go along with our core curriculum ...I plan to utilize library books. 

I am more excited this year than last. She's 5.7 but children at this age can grasp so many more concepts. I can't wait to start! 

Horrible bad gross habit that I had....

Hmmm well I've had a bunch of these...A BUNCH!

But the DUMBEST one.... stupidest worst grossest most disgusting habit I had was smoking cigarettes. 

I smoked in high school...a boyfriend I had was a smoker and I thought he was super cool so one day I tried it...blahhhhhhh....and it tasted narly! I about barfed!

BUT because I was an idiot and thought I needed to follow the crowd I continued. 

Even though I really hated the taste...I even chewed orange gum to help cover up the taste.

But I still did it. To be cool. To fit in. 

I'd say on average I would smoke a pack a week...maybe a bit less. I did this for about 2-3 years. 

By the time I was 20 I was done. 

I was tired of it.

I started to really hate the smell. I started to be grossest out by bars. By the smell of smoke on my clothes and hair. So I stopped. And thank god I never did it again. 

That was 22 years ago. And I still regret doing it! 

I truly feel that it interfered with my athleticism. My running. My lung capacity. I think it is the reason I was such a bad runner for so long.

Have you read my posts on my disordered eating? Read it here. Part two is Here. And lastly Part three is Here. 

Now I am so anti smoking. I preach it all the time! 

I have told countless young people how they are going to regret it. 

How they should stop today!
How they will age faster.
Look older than they are.
Not be able to breathe when they walk up stairs.
Have horrible breath.
Yellow teeth.
Wrinkles around their mouths.
Have a raspy voice.
A terrible cough.
Lose their sense of smell. (And then they won't even notice how awful they smell)
Have high blood pressure.
And how they most likely will develop some type of cancer from smoking. Which will then lead to their early death.

These "kids" usually tell me I sound like their mom. But two of them recently told me they stopped. So I will keep preaching!

I have never heard one single person ever say that they are thankful that they started smoking! Never! 

No one is proud of their smoking. 

In fact I know so many people that hide it from their parents STILL even in their 30s and 40s...

They hide it from their children. 

Or they say they only smoke when they drink. 

That they are a social smoker. 

Don't ever start! 

Learn from my mistakes.

My regrets. 

Stop today.