Archives for August 2008

favorites friday – pantene pro-v restoratives time renewal replenishing mask & aviva: stylist & colorist extroidanairre

Ya, how’s that for a title? Could it be any longer? 😉

For some fun reason, pregnancy has totally dried out my hair and is causing all kinds of breakage that I’ve never experienced before. So not cute, and since my hair is something I can still kinda control at this point in my body changing, I am doing what I can. I’ve been using it every time I wash my hair, per my ever so knowledgeable stylist Aviva, and I swear in two months it’s done dramatic amazing things. Even Aviva noticed my healthier locks at my last appt. I, of course, kept my cheap drugstore miracle product to myself. I wasn’t sure she’d approve of such a product, but now I think I’m ready to come out with it.

I used to be a salon name brand product snob (due to all my time in beauty school), but I think I’m starting to come around. You should definitely give this one a shot. I luv it! Click here to see what I’m talking about.

And speaking of hair and my favorite things, lets just talk about Aviva for a minute. She is AMAZING. I’ve been going to her ever since my hair apprenticing days, and I have stayed true ever since. (9 years!) She is so sweet and genuine, and she knows her stuff when it comes to hair. I think I’ve successfully referred most of my friends and family to her over the years, and I still continue to carry a stack of her cards everywhere I go. I must give out at least a few a week to complete strangers. If you live in San Diego and you need cute hair….call her! (just email me and I’ll get you her contact info!) UPDATE: she’s since moved away.

Okay, enough favorites. I’ll save the rest for next week!

Happy Friday!

© 2008 “Le Musings of Moi”
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hip websites wednesday – endless.com, goodreads.com, makeupalley.com

Okay, here are the websites I’ve been using a lot this week…

I have this website under Moi Websites, and I use it all the time. Especially when I want to find reviews on new makeup or skincare. Yes, remember, I’m obsessed! 😉 Its called Makeup Alley, and its super fun and easy to use. You can even swap makeup with other hip chicks…(most of it is unused.) If you want to know what other people thought after they used the products, good and bad, this is the place to go. You can even leave your own reviews if you are so inclined to share your own wealth of knowledge.

My other favorite lately is a website called GoodReads. Because I love to read, this site is perfect for me. In fact, I made it up in my own head a couple years ago, but apparently someone else jumped all over it before I had the chance. 😉 Anyway, you can list all the books you’ve read, rate them, review them, and even list them to sell or swap if you’re done with them. You can add friends to your page (kinda myspacey-ish, but not), which allows you to see what they are or have been reading and what they thought. It’s kinda fun for me to keep a record of all the books I’ve read, makes me feel smart for having such a list. =)

And lastly, you have to check out Endless.com.
It’s paradise for the shoe & purse addict/lover. What’s so great about it? Oh, only the fact that they beat most websites prices and they ship to you FREE OVERNIGHT! The other best thing about it is if you get your shoes and they don’t fit or they hurt, or whatever….you just put them back in the box it came in, attach the label they sent you and ship it back to them. Also, for free! I mean, what could be easier? It’s almost too easy actually. 😉 I’ve bought several pairs of shoes for me as well as a few for Taylor, and I’ve never been disappointed!

Now go shop!!!!

© 2008 “Le Musings of Moi”
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the skin care quest continues: brendita’s body works

Okay, so on my quest for the best, I’ve been scouring Allure’s Beauty Forums to see what people are using and loving. Over and over I kept coming across this Brendita’s stuff. And after looking some more I found that Allure even featured it in their magazine as one of the readers favorite things.

I emailed the owner herself and she responded pretty quickly back answering all my questions. Where do you get that kind of customer service??? So, I’m game to try it. The best thing about it is the samples are only 2 bucks AND they’re a generous size, so you can try it out first for not much cost and make sure you really like it. If you want to check it out yourself, just click on this link. Apparantly, the Phat Face Line is amazing for adult acne, and I also read rave reviews on the Sunshine Collection.

Anyway, I think I will put in my sample order today and see how things work out! I’ll be sure to keep you posted!

© 2008 “Le Musings of Moi”
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acceptance & grace – two words in one.

Definition of Acceptance:
*toleration, acceptance, sufferance

Definition of Grace:
*The exercise of love, kindness, mercy, favor; disposition to benefit or serve another; favor bestowed or privilege conferred.

You know how sometimes the same word keeps popping up in conversations or in the things you’re reading or suddenly there just basically seems to be a theme to your week/month/year?

That’s how my last week has been with “Acceptance.”

I’ve noticed that it’s so easy to look at everyone else and find what’s wrong in them. We can easily see what needs fixing and how they can better themselves and their lives. And frankly, many of us, given the chance, would jump at the offer to extend our opinions if only we knew they would listen. But, what we don’t realize is that they aren’t us. And we aren’t them.

We can never fully understand all the dynamics that make that person who they are. Only God really knows all of that, and only God can really change them. But the tough part is it’s only when He’s ready and more importantly when THEY are ready to change.

I learned this somewhat in my relationship with my dad. He was an amazing man, but he definitely had issues. (Don’t we all???) For so long I was constantly disappointed with and in him because he wasn’t acting or doing what I thought he should be. I don’t know that I would call it judgement, but I just felt I knew there was a better way. I couldn’t understand for the life of me why he just didn’t make different choices, or better yet, ask me what I thought he should do. 😉

At some point though, something changed in me. I realized he was who he was. And it was really up to me. I could make one of two choices. Either love him and accept where he was in his life, or let him go. It wasn’t easy, and it broke my heart sometimes, but I choose the first. I didn’t want to lose him and the value he added to my life simply because he wasn’t living up to my expectations.

Since my dad passed away I’ve had plenty of other opportunities to practice this lesson over and over again. Sometimes I think I do well, but often I seem to fail. I guess the Lord must want me to be working on it even more so right now because it keeps coming up.

I know that I am so far from perfect. God still (very obvious to most) has a lot of work and growing to do in me and my life. I make mistakes, I hurt people when I don’t mean to, I can be selfish…on and on the list can go. But, I also know that I desire to be better. I want to grow. I am totally open and willing to allow God to work in and through me so that I can be the person he intended me to be. But, in the meantime, I want those in my life and those who will come into my life, to love me despite the blaring faults. I want to be loved right where I am in my process of life. And if I want that for myself, I need to be sure that I am extending that same grace (isn’t that what acceptance is?) to others.

Loving others where they are.
Allowing God to work in them they way He has planned, no matter how long the journey seems to be taking.
Always searching for the good in people rather than focusing on the bad.
Having hope, but setting boundaries.
Knowing that most people are doing the best they can.

When we can do these things, we will be able to enjoy relationships so much more. We will be able to finally see the person as God sees them. And we can take all those judgements and toss them out the door.

And so far, thats where I am in this whole learning process. Guess I should get going and start practicing…

© 2008 “Le Musings of Moi”

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websites to check out – InStyle.com & My Luv Bugs

I just wanted to share two more websites that I love!

First of all, I love to change up my hair although I’m always a bit scared to try new drastic things. But, check out http://www.instyle.com/instyle/makeover/
You can upload a picture and try on hairstyles that actually look like you wearing them! It’s so fun and really addicting.

The other website is www.myluvbugs.com I got one of the frames for my baby shower and it was customized with Chloe’s name. It’s completely adorable. She has lots of other stuff that she makes too. On her site she says, “This is your place for unique scrapbooks & gifts for children, babies & more.”
Enjoy!

© 2008 “Le Musings of Moi”

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It means so much that you are here! I know life gets busy though, so if you don't want to miss a thing, I invite you to subscribe to my blog through email!