Valentine's Recap

Sorry guys.
I just realized I talk an awful lot about my shopping adventures, but I don’t really update on much else do I?

I had the BEST Valentines Weekend ever!!

The Thursday night before Valentine’s I helped my girls make cards for their classmates.

Sarina picked Disney Camp Rock valentines, and my quirky little Mimi picked Kung Fu Panda. She has such an oddball, fun personality. I can’t wait to see how her character continues to develop.

Sarina was such a Disney Princess, Tea Party time little girl when she was smaller.
Mimi is all Oshkosh Overalls & Rice Krispie Treats! She has always had an obsession with Dora the Explorer, but since she saw Kung Fu Panda, she’s been doing karate kicks and obsessing with Panda Bears. She also makes up songs for the foods she enjoys (LOL)! Her greatest hits album includes “Bacon, Bacon, BACON!” and “Cookies all over my FACE”

Anyways, Friday night my mom picked up the kids so she could spend Valentine’s with them at the Circus. We headed out later that night to share a late night pizza at Mellow Mushroom and then catch the Midnight Showing of the new Jason movie “Friday the 13th” ON FRIDAY the 13th- how cool was that? Haha

The movie was actually pretty dope! I’m not really a scary movie type girl, but even I enjoyed it. There was fun vibe with the crowd watching the movie, probably because it was the midnight showing. Can’t wait til it’s out on BLU-RAY!

So me and my honey squeeze (haha) decided we would make a big day of the whole Valentine’s thing since it was our first Valentine’s EVER!

We started out the day doing our own thing. He ventured off to Brandsmart while I got my nails & pedi done.



A couple of nights before we had started our BIG project for the year of sprucing up our house. Our first buy was a shag rug for our living room floors. The hardwood is pretty, but it can be uncomfortable when you’re just lounging around the sofa. We bought the rug but still had it wrapped up so we decided to go ahead and set it up before we went out.



The result was amazing! Sometimes the smallest things can really help bring a room together. The rug really centered the sofa & coffee table and gave the room a more cozy vibe. We took about 10 mins to rub our bare feet in the shag rug (haha) then got dressed for the day.

We decided to spend Valentine’s DAY out instead of evening so we wouldn’t have to fight the crowds and deal with horrible wait times. We had reservations for Dolce at Atlantic Station at 4pm, when they first opened for the day. We got to Atlantic Station around 2:30, giving us time to walk around the shops before eating our meal. There was a really cool vibe in Atlantic Station that day. Lots of couples walking around holding hands & googly eyed. A man was playing the saxophone in the park area while peddlers were selling single stem roses on every corner.

By the time we got to Dolce their doors were just opening. We were seated quickly in a good spot. The restaurant was nearly empty aside from us and the waitstaff, so we had excellent service, the food was fresh and piping hot, and we didn’t have to yell over a crowded room to each other.



Dolce has a really dark, sensual ambiance too. It felt like we were hanging out in a Vampire Bordello or something. And the drinks were good and strong! The MOSCATINI was excellent. Who would have thought to combine my favorite wine with Grey Goose? =P



We browsed a few more shops after our meal and then headed out of the city just as it was starting to get crowded. I spotted a bookcase at West Elm for my living room that we went back to buy later on in the week.

We ended the evening at home with a nightcap, chillin with our feet in the shag rug watching a movie. What a PERFECT weekend!! =)

ANGEL'S SECRET!!

WHY CAN’T I FINISH WHAT I START??!!

Two weeks have gone by since I learned I was only 40 points from my prize at Sephora. Why have I suddenly turned my interests elsewhere? For some reason it’s really difficult for me to go back and spend damn $40 there and I don’t know why.

Maybe it’s because my weekly splurges have taken a new direction recently…

I’m pretty satisfied with my makeup collection right now. There are a few eye shadows and lipsticks I want here and there, but nothing I’m really in need of. I started this weekly splurge thing right around Christmas time- It’s almost March, so I’ve been buying at least one makeup product every week during that time frame. I never thought I would say it, but I’m about Make-Upped OUT right now! Haha. But I have GOT to bite the bullet this week and complete this Sephora project so I can move on to my next splurge mission!

And the last two weeks have been a crucial turning point in my weekly splurge quest! I casually strolled into Victoria’s Secret while Mall Surfing at lunch and my splurge destiny was revealed (lol)!

My senses were on overload. All of their new spring bra and panty sets were out in pretty pastel colors, looking like Easter M&Ms!! They have a whole new line of lotions and perfumes. Super cute & casual pj sets for lounging around the house…

And of course, they had to have a SALE too! Some new bra called the “Air Wear”?? is on sale for $29.50 right now. It’s a really light breathable fabric for the warm weather months up ahead. I had to buy one, OF COURSE, because summer IS coming… lol (The Simpsons- inside joke)

…..ok I bought two! HAHA! There goes my splurge budget for last week!
They also have really cute pastel undies with girlie patterns and graphics on sale 3 for $30!

So THEN the sales associate SET ME UP- She bypasses TWO registers in the bra section to ring me up at a register in a separate room of nothing but perfume, lotion & powder puffs! Now I’m waiting for her to complete my transaction, and I can’t help but to smell this, smell that, try this lotion- ooh and aah over this display case- man, Sometimes it can be so much FUN being a girl!

It takes me back to my beginning days as a single new mom- when I ALWAYS had a second job to make up for not having another person’s income. For one blissful year I worked at Victoria’s Secret on the weekends. The BEST retail side job a girl could ever ask for! Each season when a new bra came out, you got one free. You learn how to measure for the proper bra size and the training courses were awesome- (ask me about the 3 things you should look for when buying lingerie! LOL) You got first dibs on the semi-annual sale (and now you ladies now why you can never find matching sets when you shop that sale- the employees got ‘em first!), plus EMPLOYEE DISCOUNTS!!

And then it was just cool to be surrounded by feminine scents, pretty frilly things, and soft music all day while wearing a black suit!

That year I worked there, my goal was to have 30 matching B&P sets. I met my goal and then some! I also had a gang of sweet smelling lotions, bubble bath and perfumes. Even though I was exhausted and had worked my ass off all week at both jobs PLUS staying on top of my mommy duties, it felt like it was all worthwhile. I would go home from being on my feet all day on the weekend at my second job, tired as hell, and just SUBMERGE myself in a bathtub full of bubbles that smelled like strawberries & champagne!!

Plus there is just something about wearing something pretty UNDERNEATH your clothes that gives you kind of a confidence boost throughout the day…

Anyways, enough of my reminiscing- I think you guys know where my weekly splurge reports will be coming from for the next couple of months!!

The 500 Club!!

Blog buddies!!!

I have a few minutes before I dash into a meeting so I wanted to get you guys up to speed.
I'm so excited!!! Only $40 left until I hit 500 shopping points at Sephora! With the weekly splurges, I've been able to build up pretty quickly on top of some previous points I hadn't cashed in yet!!

Though I think I'm narrowing my purchases down as far as items I want from Sephora.
Every week I've been at Sephora testing new products to figure out what to add to my collection next, and there is one thing that I've learned...

Just because a makeup product is expensive, doesn't mean that it's the best value or the best quality. I bought a $25 lipgloss because of the product name, and turned around and returned it the next day because it felt sticky and clumpy on my lips.

But I LOVE me some M.A.C. glosses and they run as low as $14!!
It made me realize I could reach my goal of makeup product inventory much faster if I switch things up a bit!

I've decided that I'm going to meet my $40 goal at Sephora so I can get my Reward Points Prize, and then I will switch to M.A.C. for the remainder of my cosmetics bag needs.

I still don't think Dior Mascara can be topped, so I will go ahead and purchase the Dior Iconic Mascara (per Eunice's advice) at $27, and I'm also thinking about a travel size perfume stick at $25, so I can test out a new spring/summer scent and see if I like it enough to buy the full size!



As far as the rest of my makeup needs- I don't have much left to go before I will be satisfied for a while. Wishlist is as follows:
-peachy/ginger blushes
-peach/coral lipstick and gloss
-pastel eyeshadow colors
-gel pot eyeliner and brush
-cream foundation and concealer (purchase after tanning)
-misc. other brushes
-new travel cosmetics bag

Today I went to M.A.C. and purchased:
-peachy lipgloss
-peachy pink lipstick
-eyebrow wax (COOL PRODUCT!!) to combine with my Anastasia stencils
-eyebrow pencil

They also had their new campaign on display:
Hello Kitty goes Wild/ Hello Kitty goes Mild
umm, I think I'm a little old to get excited over Hello Kitty products, but they do have some really cool colors in the collection!

Plus the little Black Leather Hello Kitty Plush doll is kinda cute!!
(Shhhhh!!! Don't tell anyone! lol)




Once I get these babies out of the way, I'm on to a new category for my weekly splurges!! Any suggestions??

Spring & Summer 09 Wishlist!!

On days like this when its freaking BONE CHILLING cold- makes me long for warmer days and how I envision spending them!!

Spring/Summer 09 Wishlist

-Gladiator Sandals


-Bermuda Shorts


-Breezy Tops


-New Hair Color (Black is starting to depress me a little. Lol)

-Free Tanning Coupons (OH! Wish GRANTED already!! LMAO! Thanks Jenn!)

-A Truckload of Thin Mint Girl Scout Cookies!! Lol
Someone actually gave me a thin mint cake recipe and I’m dying to try it! (for my other girl scout cookie addicts if you are interested, let me know!!)


-Lighter Wash Jeans

-Light Body Mist Scent (sometimes perfume is a little heavy in the warm weather)

-More 80s/90s Romantic Comedy DVDS. Something about Spring makes you want to watch an old “feel good” flick! And the saying is true, “They don’t make em like they used to!”

I already have Mannequin, Pretty Woman & The Golden Child.





I would LOVE to add Splash, Date with an Angel, Pretty in Pink, Teen Witch, Can’t Buy Me Love, Troop Beverly Hills, Sixteen Candles, Princess Bride, Footloose… haha, I should do a separate wishlist JUST for movies!







-Nail colors reminiscent of different ice cream/sherbet flavors






-Summer Jams for my IPOD. I like easy breezy music when the weather is nice: 311, UB40, (Old) Rhianna, Aaliyah, Ciara, Lloyd

-Put my TWO [Thanks Kennan AND Coop! haha] blenders to use making smoothies, margaritas and bubble tea at home.



-Put my indoor/outdoor Foreman Grill to use [Thanks Tina!] this spring/summer on some grilled fish recipes.


Been wanting to try tuna steaks and salmon on that mugggg… And maybe some SHRIMP on the BARBIE? Lol


-Get me some COSTCO Size stock of Asian snacks: Pineapple Fruit Snacks, Those little lychee jelly shooters, Breadsticks dipped in strawberry, Chinese Rice Crackers…
I like that they aren’t too sweet, and remind me of working at PMI (aka Taiwan Computers) with Lyn when they had all these snacks in the break room!! Those were the days!!!








And don’t get me started on Chinese Bakery treats!! I wish I didn’t live so far from Dinh Ho Bakery, I would spend my whole day in there picking out pastries!! =(

-Some new authors/books to read! I stumbled upon a new mystery writer that I’ve never read before and have been enjoying my book, but I would also like reading something a little less heavy for the summer (something quirky and funny, maybe reminiscent of Jemima J?) My bookworms, holla if you hear me!! Lmao


K guys, I’m daydreaming while staring at my Ocean Desktop Background… Back to work!! =P

Happy Shopping!

Hey bloggers!!
Looks like it’s been a few weeks since my last entry! Lots of things have been keeping me busy at home and work.
Nevertheless, I have some downtime today so I will get you guys up to speed on what’s happenin’ in my world.

The weekly splurge mission continues!
I’m actually starting to feel pretty good about the purchases I’ve been making, and may be looking at expanding the splurge purchases beyond makeup and nail polish soon.

I purchased the Aveda Skin Care set, which is awesome! The cool thing about Aveda is that they sell their products in refillable travel sizes, so I was able to get a whole set and still stay within my splurge budget.
I purchased the exfoliator, the toning mist, and the moisturizing face lotion. DEFINITE BUYS!!!



My skin feels great, so much so that I wash it about 3 times a day just so I can feel refreshed. Lol!
There is also something kind of fulfilling in knowing that you are purchasing products that are kind to the environment and that a portion of your purchase goes towards Aveda’s various worthy causes.
They also tend to spoil you if you have time to browse around in the store. I purchased the skin care, but I received a biodegradable and cute travel bag to store it in, some free hair care products, a complimentary hand massage AND two cups of Aveda’s herbal tea (which they also sell). I left the mall feeling like I was leaving a spa! =)

I also feel like I’m getting squared away in the makeup sector thanks to some smart purchases.
I’m still enjoying the NARS blush I purchased as my first splurge, and I’m content with mascara for now, but when my supply runs low I WILL go back and try the DIOR Iconic mascara thanks to my buddy Eunice’s advice!!

My most recent addition has been the Anastasia Brow Stencils, which I really love! Purchasing the entire kit doesn’t fit into my splurge budget, so I’m purchasing one product at a time- but I don’t think I would use everything in the kit anyways. My eyebrows are naturally thin, so normally I have to draw them in to a certain extent, but the powder looks so much more defined. There are 4 different stencil shapes to play around with, and each one gives you a different look ranging from Angelic to DIVA. I can’t wait to see the finalized look when I get the rest of the components from the collection!




As far as future purchase options- I have my eye on more Anastasia products, a cream pot concealer, a gold face luminizing lotion (for that spring/summer glow), a pretty peach lip color, and some spring eye shadow colors. Though I have NO IDEA which to purchase next! I spent about 30 mins debating on buying the stencils vs. the concealer. The only thing that throws me off on the concealer is that it’s almost time to tan, and I don’t want to look crazy with white raccoon eyes!
My favorite season is approaching- SPRING!! Time to reinvent myself- My look, my attitude, my focus…

I’m still at the drawing board on most of it, but I have lots of new ideas and big things in the works this year! Can’t help but to be excited!!!