To Friday

With the help of my enabling mom and the beauty of teh internets, I have discovered Wine Ice Cream USA. As a frequent sad bastard, what better way would there be to eat away some feelings than with 5% alcohol ice cream IN MY BELOVED WINE FLAVORS!?!!

This is revolutionary. 

I'm writing to them to see if they'll distribute their magic to other states. Bored housewives the country over will rejoice with me!

Posted, I shall keep you.

Cheers, end of NaBloPoMo Maybe! Smell ya later!

From Printstagram site:

The MINIBOOK

Print 50 photos in a little spiral-bound book with thick glossy pages. Get two in each order.

100 photos total - $12

I was apprehensive about ordering because of the size, didn't want to waste money, and well, my kids ruin everything. After some cajoling on Twitter from Social Print Studio, I ordered the Minibook for the ladies, ages 5 and 2. 

With lightening speed it was at my door and into the sticky fingers of the ladies. These little books are AWESOME. Perfect size for little hands, fun instagram pictures, and crazy thick, glossy, plastic-like pages that they can't destroy. I love, love, love them. People will be getting these for Christmas.

*I was not paid to write this review. I bought the items myself, loved them, and wrote about them in hopes of getting a sweet coupon code.

Do not give me the lurgy.

I do not want to barf.
I'm barfed out.
Week 1, Athena barfed all about the house.
Week 2, Zofia barfed all about the house, the car, and the school.
I've had enough and I refuse to get it so I got some of these:

Emergen-c Raspberry

And in true Nadja style, I mixed it with this:

Yellow tail Chardonnay 

And created a pink sparkly beverage that makes me forget all about teh pukes.

Cheers.

You guys! I bought JEANS!!

Women's Premium The Rockstar Super Skinny Jeans

$39.94 $19.97
I haven't worn jeans in probably 6 years. As my waistline went up due to cake and pregnancy, the muffin top became increasingly uncomfortable in even the stretchiest of denim. My wardrobe began to consist of nothing but maxi dresses, flowy tops, and the old stay-at-home-mom uniform staple: black yoga pants. Even after The Big Weight Loss I've still predominantly been wearing the old yoga pants even though they're now so big the ass looks like it has a load in it.

Sex appeal. I haz it.

I kept seeing all these hot mamas in skinny jeans and I wanted to look that cute too! But jeans?? Could I?? Should I?? Yes. Yes I should. So I typed "Old Navy" into my super sweet coupon widget on my side bar and found jeans for $19. I decided I could afford the risk and bought the jeans I have pictured above.

I. LOVE. Them.

They are as comfortable as my yoga pants but considerably more attractive. I dress 'em up, dress 'em down and actually look good in public! They seem to run a little on the small side but I'm 100% happy with them. Take the plunge. Get yourself some skinny jeans.

Little Halloween Weirdos

I love that my kids want this. They crack me up every time the commercial comes on.

"MOM! ZOMBIE BARF! CAN WE HAVE IT?!?" My kids are my favorite.

How does a balding girl do her hair?

Like so...

As you know I haz hair issues. The amount that is still falling out is enough to make me cry some days. I've tried extensions and wigs and they really do make me look like my old self again, but I just don't want to have to wear them every day. This weekend I managed to make my hair look normal, cover the thin spot, and feel confident enough to leave the house with my hair down.

Enter: Mark and Avon Hair Care

The wave defining gel and hairspray worked SO well.

I think the root lifting treatment was the real key though. I had so much volume in my pathetic little hair!

(My hair is usually so thin in back I have to cover my scalp with a bun.)

Specially formulated with unique styling and holding properties to build fuller body and added thickness. 

Adds brilliant lift and texture where you need it most. 5 fl. oz. $4.99

I'm a cheap-o when it comes to products so I'm happy to find something that works AND is a good price point. This bald gal gives 'em two thumbs up.

A few of my favorite things...

Since going back to school, I decided to revamp my Avon and Mark. business sites to see if I can pay for school by myself. People are being SO supportive of this venture, and I can't even begin to say how much I appreciate it.

To get things started, I thought I'd share some of my very favorite items.

1. Skincare

I am a certified skincare expert by Macy's, so I know my stuff! However, I was under the impression that you had to spend serious money for great skin. I humbly stand here before you saying that ain't so! Louis and I have tried every brand at department stores, pharmacies, and even Proactiv, and nothing has worked on our skin quite like this stuff:

Wash:

That's Deep Purifying Gel Cleanser

Skincare with super fruits and super foods.

^$9.00

Treat:

Break Out Plan Anti-Acne Gel Lotion

Banish blemishes.

^$18.00

2. Makeup

I use to spend $45 a bottle on my foundation. I thought nothing could ever compare. This Avon foundation wears BEAUTIFULLY!

Ideal Flawless Invisible Coverage Liquid Foundation SPF 15

Complete coverage that looks and feels 100% natural. Looks great from every angle. Lightweight and oil-free. Dermatologist-tested; suitable for all skin types.

$11.00


3. Dudes

Patrick Dempsey UNSCRIPTED Eau de Toilette Spray

Reg. $32.00

Sale $22.00

SAVE 31% While Supplies Last

4. The Wee Ones

Athena gets SO excited over this bath and shower stuff for kids.

And they just partnered up with Tiny Tillia!!

The BEST Baby Gift!
Take the guesswork out of baby care with the Tiny Tillia 3-Piece Gift Set. The gift set includes a Citrus Sorbet Shampoo & Body Wash (8 fl. oz.), Berry Sorbet Calming Moisturizing Lotion (8 fl. oz.) and Diaper Rash Cream (3.4 fl. oz.), so all of baby's needs are covered from day one.

$15

So there you have it. A few of my favorite things. I'll talk about things I discover or show specials from time to time, but I promise I won't be throwing it in your face all the time here on the ol' blog. I don't want you guys getting sick of me, ya hear?

Oh, and if you want to share, that would be pretty cool too. The sites are:

www.YourAvon.com/nbrocus

www.MyMarkStore.com/lbrocus

OK, now for real I'm done.

Have a Trader Joe's by you? Run there right now!

Lately I've been exploring the benefits of drinking a, ahem, glass of organic red wine every day, and in doing so made a miraculous discovery. Trader Joe's sells an amazingly tasty organic, sulfite-free wine for $5.99 a bottle. It's called WELL REaD, and it's my new best friend. Being sulfite-free, there's no migraine in the morning for me, and having this nightly glass of wine has been quite helpful with my anxiety.

The taste according to them:
"A blend of Grenache, Sangiovese and a kiss of Syrah, this wine was left on oak a little longer to strengthen its overall structure. You'll find a dark rich blend with full mouth feel, subtle earth notes, traditional Sangiovese tannins and a soft oak and vanilla finish."

I couldn't possibly recommend it more. Cheers!

Breaking News: I made a shocking discovery.

While this may not be CNN-worthy news, it is absolutely Athena Bee's Breaking Beauty News!

Every couple weeks I go to one of a couple stores I frequent and stock up on my organic red wine. I always see the same general group of people. Sometimes they card me and sometimes they don't. (And as you know, not getting carded chaps my ass.) I found this curious. What makes me sometimes look 30+ and what makes me sometimes look younger? Quite the mystery.

WELL WONDER NO MORE!

Through trial and error, experimentation, process of elimination, and the scientific method, I discovered that it comes down to 2 things: under-eye illuminator and mascara. I'm serious. That's it.

1. Christian Dior Skinflash Radiance Booster Pen

This is the end all, be all best one. A lot of other companies make some that are OK, but that's it... just OK. If you take the time to go to a Christian Dior counter and let them show you all the ways to use it you will be in love.

2. Mascara, again, Christian Dior makes the best mascara around. The Diorshow Mascara in black just can't be beat in my opinion. However, Avon makes a mineral mascara that I like quite a bit and it's only $8.50. It doesn't have the best reviews on their site which kind of surprises me because I was impressed

So there you have it. I solved the mystery Scooby Doo style. Now you know how I spend my free time.

Wordless Wednesday - Painting al fresco

Athena taught her sister to finger paint.

Zofia's masterpiece.

Athena's masterpiece.

We LOVE Crayola Washable Kids' Paint.

Talk to me, friends. - Aging Edition

Coming off the heels of the 10th anniversary of my 21st birthday, I realized that I'm now firmly in my 30's. My skin must have got the memo because I swear to Bob my face started sagging. I'm devastated. Where is my youthful firm skin?? Halp!

I was perusing Sephora and the options are endless. How do you know what works?

So tell me this, what product or regimen do you believe in?
Would you ever get a cosmetic procedure like a Juvederm injection?
Is my vanity shameful and should I just age gracefully??

Talk to me...

Sunday Sharing - Beer and Family Resemblance

I know. I'm reaching. What kind of topic is this? But I would like to introduce to you (if you don't already know) the greatest tasting lager I have ever had the joy of drinking. My mom got some for me to see if drinking one helped calm the old nerves on particularly bad OCD days. It's delicious, works like a charm, and boosts the old milk supply.

From their site:

Wild Blue is a blueberry lager that fuses the juice of nature’s perfect fruit – blueberries – with premium American and German hops, two row and six-row barley malt and cereal grains. Wild Blue has a full taste with a pleasant blueberry aroma and flavor, and contains 8 percent alcohol by volume

My mom shared this picture from my youth. I think I'm starting to see myself in Athena. Maybe. Just a little bit.

Happy May, y'all. I hope the weather gets nice and warm. SPRING!!!

Dress-up Made Easy

Some things are a big deal in this house:

Dressing up.
Birthdays.
Dressing up for birthdays.

Since dressing up is already a daily activity in our household, Athena starts talking about her birthday attire a good 6 months ahead of time so I have plenty of time to prepare for all of her requests. The other day she announced that she needs to have a "Wizard of Oz" party and that we all need to dress as characters. (She said that Yia Yia can be the beautiful nice witch and that I can be the mean witch. Excuse me?) So I swear she must have had something to do with CostumeSupercenter.com contacting me to do a review. The timing was impeccable.

Athena and I perused the site together and we both LOVED it. It's very organized, user-friendly, and they have costumes for anything you can think of. You can search by holiday, theme, character, gender, age; the choices go on and on. Going through the awesome selection of costumes for toddlers, we saw a ton of stuff we wanted, but Athena had a one-track mind:  Wizard of Oz costumes. She was overjoyed at their selection and we had them send us a Toddler Dorothy Costume post-haste!

It quickly arrived and I was surprised at the quality. I was honestly expecting one of the thin, papery material costumes that you usually find. This costume was thick, sturdy material and washed up great. (We got jelly on it almost immediately.) When her dad got home and recognized her as Dorothy, she nearly fainted from excitement. I've had to pry the thing off of her daily.

What do you think? These for her dad and me?

I know you generally only equate costume stores with Halloween, but there are SO many more occasions that call for a fun outfit. For what you spend on pretend-play clothes at a regular store, you'd be better served spending your money at a costume store and getting more elaborate choices. I see many more purchases from CostumeSupercenter.com in our future.

*Athena Bee's Disclaimer: I was sent a costume to review. This review is 100% my opinion and has not been edited or reviewed by anyone. I was not compensated in any other way for this product review.

.

Makeup Artist Tip

I think I may be in denial about how old I look. When I'm at the store purchasing a bottle of wine and I don't get carded, I think "Wow. You're just going to let this incredibly underage looking person pass on through?? It's your ass, lady."

Then a few things snapped me back into reality:
 Louis informed me that I needed a time machine in order to look like my business card picture again. (Jerk)
A bagger at Kroger called me ma'am.(Jerk)
I discovered I'm 13 years older than my adult cousin's girlfriend. (How is that possible when I'm only 21?)
I was talking to someone who was too young to know who Bell Biv Devoe was.
 "You know, BBD? Poison?"
Nope.
 "You never trust a big butt and a smile?"
Nope.
 "Smack it up flip it rub it down OH NOOOOOOOs?"
Now you just sound gross.

Anyway, I digress. One of the first things to happen to skin as it ages is a loss of radiance. That dewy, rosy, youthful look you had at 20? Yeah, not so much at 30.

Enter radiance powder.

I bought Mark. Glowdacious Illuminating Powder for $12.

I brushed it on my face, neck, and chest and it gave me a healthy, glowy, youthful look. It's not a deep bronze, so I didn't have this weird unnatural tan in February. It just made me look healthy.

The only thing I didn't like was the brush it came with. It put it on a little heavy and streaky, so I used a kabuki brush instead.

I'd highly recommend it, especially in these drab winter months.

This stuff makes my hair look amazing.

mark Curl Goddess Curl and Wave Defining Gel With Conditioning Sunflower
Catch the wave.
$5.00
As seen in Elle. Gel-based balm creates well-defined curls, corkscrews and curves. Helps you keep your locks in order. Or go totally out of control. Contains sunflower and olive extract to nourish and protect hair. 5 fl. oz.

*My curls come out looking so perfect it's like I actually did my hair. In reality, I washed, towel-dried it, then put this in. That's it. And I kept walking around going "What smells so GOOD?" and it was my hair.

Would you like to see a freakin' awesome facial cleanser?

Of course you do. Who doesn't?
Solutions Plus+ Total Radiance Thermal Cleanser

Now the first time I used it it startled the crap out of me, because man, it gets WAAAARRRMM. But seriously, it scrubs well without being harsh and my skin looked better in the morning.

Here are the deets:
This self-heating, nutrient-enriched formula is designed to open pores and allow for a deeper clean, as it polishes and conditions skin. Instantly, smoothes surface skin and makes pores look smaller. Improves the look of skin tone and texture. Leaves skin looking vibrant. Dermatologist-tested. Non-comedogenic. Hypoallergenic.

It's $12.50 for 3.4 fl. oz.

Purchase - Jessica Simpson HairDo Bangs

I heart them. I really do. They VERY securely clip in and give a very natural hairline.

Athena said that I look scary, but I disagree.

Check the color.

Um, pretty spot on considering I bought this online.

There are so many to choose from I would venture to

guess they have one for almost everyone.

I'd give them an A.

Oooooh I LOVE the clothes...

I bought all of the pieces on the models. I.Am.In.Love. The clothes fit so well. I can make a million different outfits with them. They don't fit like teenager clothes. So in love. The t-shirt feels EXACTLY like a Juicy Couture shirt that cost $65.

Britt Bardo, you are a gem.

Tell me, friends (Especially you obsessive cleaners out there)

iRobot Roomba Intelligent Floorvac Robotic Vacuum

I really really really think I want one of these, but I don't want to make the investment if it sucks (bu dum bump, HA!)

Has anyone ever seen one, used one, or have a friend of a friend that uses one?

And to answer any unsaid questions: Yeah, I'm that bad about housework now that I'd buy a robot vacuum that could potentially turn on me and run amok.

Depilatory Cream - Where have you been all my life?

SKIN SO SOFT Fresh & Smooth Shower-Off Hair Removal Cream
price: $8.00
$5.99 Now

Easy-to-use in-shower formula helps exfoliate skin and removes unwanted hair without the nicks and cuts from shaving. Comes with dual-sided sponge. Smooth side of sponge applies cream; textured side removes unwanted hair. 4.2 fl. oz.

This was my first time ever using a hair removal cream. I've never had much luck with different hair removal methods other than plain old shaving... but I HATE DOING IT.

Shaving? Razor burn and happens too often.

Waxing? Glued my groin together and no hair was removed.

Nair? Watched Louis do it to himself. (Keep in mind this was over 7 years ago. He does not still Nair). While the hair was in fact removed, his nipples were injured in the process. The shade of red that they turned and the heat that they radiated was TERRIFYING. So much so that it scared me off the stuff.

Well, fear no more. Skin So Soft is the bee's knees.