How I feel...

Yep! Pretty much sums my week up.

Beanies

I spent the weekend with my favorite Bennette Family!

Oh the fun we can have with a skein of yarn.

I bought a set of hat looms to keep the kids busy while it rained and rained in St. George.

AND I did not get any pics but my sister Jess ran the marathon and qualified for Boston… Woo Hoo GO JESSICA!!

Provo Canyon Ward "Octoberfest"

Those crazy Mormon parties…


When people ask me why I chose a family over a singles ward,

I just tell them its cus they LOVE me!!

Of couse its also funny to watch the girls get goofy





Its only apple beer? No really, It is.


And Apple Pie

New Job + Moving = Hooray

Blessed be, I got THE JOB! I am now a proud employee of the Art Institute of SLC. I start July 14th and will be traveling from Pittsburgh to Denver to Ft. Lauderdale from July 20th to August 8th ~ Even on my birthday. Yes it’s almost my birthday... Can you believe I am turning 30~ I am sooo in denial. Oh well I am still extremely excited about everything!!

Another Hooray... I am moving to Provo!!
I got a little "garage loft" apartment located in Springdell at the base of Provo Canyon. If you have ever been there you will understand why I am sooooo excited, Springdell is one of the most magical and beautiful places to live. Come visit me soon... And if you want you can help me move all of my "non crappy crap" down there too.

Pretty Feet

Summer is about to hit full force and as I look down at the feet I have so faithfully hidden in shoes all winter long… I realize somebody needs a pedicure!

Anyhow these are a few of my FAVORITE Pedi products and my own personal “How TO” I developed when I could not afford to go to the salon...and now that I can I realize mine are just so much better!

Remove all traces of old nail polish


Fill an old "dish tub" or a new foot bath with very warm water.


Add approximately 1/3 c. Powdered Milk: the lactic acid helps soften and remove dead skin


1/3 c. Baking Soda: detoxifies and deodorizes


2T. olive oil: softens and moisturizes



Soak until water becomes tepid


Hold each foot over your foot bath and scrub using "MR Pumi" concentrating on the rough spots such as your heels.

Pat your feet dry with a clean towel then cover with a thin layer of "Heel to Toe" Peppermint Sloughing Foot Lotion available at "Sally's". Trust me it is the best of the best~ I have tried them all! **Keep your feet over the towel or sit on the edge of your bath tub tub and massage the lotion in. The dead skin will roll right off. You can also use this product on elbows and knees~I always use it before I put sunless tanner on.

Rinse feet with warm running water and scrub with a nail brush to remove any remaining lotion.



Soften cuticles using Sally Hansen Instant Cuticle Remover available at most drug stores. I tried it ounce and now never go without it. Then Gently Push back cuticles.



Now is the time to trim your toenails~make sure not to get them too short you you may end up with an ingrown toenail. Gently file the edges.


Before you get too excited about polish, clean all traces of oil off your nails using rubbing alcohol to ensure that your polish will last!

Now it is time to add some "bling" I love OPI nail polish. You have to buy it from a salon and I used to cringe at the cost but in this case shell out those few extra dollars and you wont have to worry about constant retouching and repainting. My favorite is "Got the Blues for Red" also I used to take forever and paint precisely but have since learned that whatever you get on your skin will wash off in the shower, just make sure to let the nails dry first.

Last but not least apply a top coat. I use "posh" top coat(again available at Sally's) it dries in a flash and the shine outlasts any other I have tried.

"TA Duh" Slip into those open toe pumps or your favorite new flip flops and show your pretty feet to the world!
so long...I am off to take my own advice and give myself a Pedicure.

Cartoon by Dave Walker. Find more cartoons you can freely re-use on your blog at We Blog Cartoons.

I saw this and had to laughf. This is how I feel about laundry. Only thing is I wash mine... It just never gets folded.

Insanity

So you may be wondering why I have been so…. for lack of a better word, cranky?
Along with my other health goals I have entered into a little friendly competition with a few of the gals from my ward to help us get ready for swim suit season. It is called "INSANITY"

Here are the rules

• $20.00 entry fee
• 6 Week Program Starting on Monday April 28th- June 8th
• One FREE day a week, do & eat whatever you want
• Points are on your honor.
• To make it fair for everyone days count even if/when you are sick, vacation, whatever.
• Weigh yourself the first day and the last day and record it.
• You don’t get extra points for exercising more than 5 days a week.
• Person with the most points after 6 weeks take the pot of money.

Our Daily Insanity Log with point Values

1 Point
Two 8 oz. glasses of water (x4 points)
Eat something for Breakfast

2 Points
Eat 3 serving of fruit
Eat 3 serving of vegetables
Watch your portion sizes
Eat every 2-3 hours

3 Points
No Carbonated drinks all day
No Fried food all day
No eating after 8:00pm (water is fine)
3 Tbs. or less of butter, mayo, ranch, ect. all day

5 Points
No Sugar (anything with the top ingredients including sugar, fructose, corn syrup etc.)
Nothing refined (white bread, pasta, white rice, ect.)
Exercise 45 minutes or more


We started last Monday…hooray week 1 is over!!! Here are a few of my True Confessions

• I did not exercise at all last week because A. I never do so its hard to start & B. I had killer headaches (possibly sugar withdrawals!! haha)
• The not eating after 8 is murder especially if you stay up past 11:30
• Sometimes I want to rip brownies, cookies etc. out of my student’s hands....
• I have never been a soda drinker (unless I have a headache so that sucked this week)
• I only keep whole grain foods at my house so that was a definite benefit.
• The diet on a dinner date is very tricky!

I'm gonna love myself...

If you know me, you know that I LOVE the LYRICS more than the music
Today I heard a song that spoke to my heart, your listening too it now.
Read the words & you too will understand


I guess you could say
I'm one of those girls...

...I'm gonna love myself
More than anyone else
Believe in me Even if someone can't see
The stronger woman in me

I'm gonna be my own best friend
Stick with me till the end
Won't lose myself again never, no
Cause theres a stronger woman
a stronger woman in me

I've lived on hope Just like a child
walking that mile faking that smile
all the while wishing my heart had wings well tonight I am gonna be
The kind of woman I want my daughter to be

I'm gonna love myself More than anyone else
Believe in me, even if someone can't see
There's a stronger woman in me
I'm gonna be my own best friend
stick with me till the end
Won't lose myself again never, no
Cause there's a stronger woman, stronger woman
Theres a steronger woman in me

From Stronger Woman ~Jewel

I guess its time to stop worrying about who loves me, and learn to love myself.

when your “FAT” pants get skinny tight

• In life epiphanies are bound to occur, my latest grand realization is that I can’t or at least should not eat like a 15 year old male, especially when I can’t afford a whole new wardrobe.
  
  You may be thinking…. Do I think I am fat? No, however I have grown to be very uncomfortable in my own skin. Why? Simply stated my fat pants have become skintight!
  
  I know…. your thinking…. MANDY stop…. What in the world are you telling us this for?
  
  And so… I’ll tell you. I have set some new “Health Goals” including no sugar treats except on Sundays and exercising… Yes it is only a minimum of three times per week, which seems small, but this girl has to take baby steps.
  
  What does this mean for you? Not much unless you’re my roommate Karen, to whom I want to publicly apologize. I am sorry about pilfering your Ice Cream on many a late night. I would buy you more…but then I’d just keep eating it (so how about $5.00) I am just looking for a little bit of moral support~ some extra “keep me on my toes” comradely.
  
  Health goals
• No eating after 8:30 p.m.
• Veggie juice 1+ times daily
• Exercise 30+ min. 3+ times per week
• No treats (sugar) except Sundays
• Complete a 9 day Isagenix cleanse by May 28th