So you think you can dance........

This post is in honor of our new holiday, National Dance Day.

My daughter performed at the Relay for Life this morning. She was in two performances, costume change and all. I think she has been on stage more times in her mere 5 years than I have been in my entire life. She loves it and is quite a ham on stage.  Here you go.....

We're on our way to the stage. She is pretty excited!!

 She is in awe of all of the people, there are so many.

Check out his cool ride!

Her first set.

It's pretty cold while they're waiting to go onstage.

Her second set.

Taking a few laps in support of the cause!

The Day Just Began.....Already Giveaway

Check out this beautiful necklace from 

http://www.rock925jewelry.com/

The Day Just Began....Already is giving away this awesome necklace. If you haven't been to her blog, now is the time to go.  You can catch up on her posts AND enter to win this necklace. Can't go wrong there!!

Acne Face Mask DIY

Women in the northeast African nation of Eritrea often apply a facial mask of avocado, egg yolks, and honey to beat blemishes. This mix works because eggs are rich in vitamin A, or retinol, which helps heal skin. Honey helps kill bacteria cells by dehydrating them, and avocado moisturizes skin.

Be mindful of which part of the egg you use. Use egg whites only on oily skin; they act as an astringent. Use the yolk - high in fats and other helpful compounds - if you have dry skin. Use only pasteurized eggs in this mixture to eliminate the risk of salmonella. To make, mash and mix one avocado, the egg part suited to your needs, and about one tablespoon honey. Then apply to your face and leave on for 5 - 10 minutes. Add this remedy to your weekly skin care routine, or when you feel an outbreak coming on.

Garlic-Ginger Shrimp‏

Here's the third recipe in "What to do with a bag of Frozen Shrimp?" Hope you are getting some use out of these EASY and delicious shrimp recipes.

2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp grated or minced peeled fresh ginger
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound frozen medium shrimp, thawed, peeled, and deveined
1/4 cup rice wine or dry white wine
1/2 cup chopped scallions
2 cups hot cooked brown rice

Warm oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add ginger and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, 1 minute. Add shrimp and wine to the pan, and raise the heat to medium-high. Cook 3 minutes more or until the shrimp turn pink on both sides and are opaque. Add scallions to pan and toss well to combine. Divide rice and shrimp mixture evenly among 4 serving bowls.

Green Gracie Home Giveaway

This beauty is going on an antique side table that Green Gracie Home is working on and giving to ONE OF YOU!  Yes, you heard it, she is shipping an antique side table to YOU!


If you haven't checked out her blog, you should! The transformations she does are amazing. Very talented person with a great blog. Go and enter to try and win the table. Based on her other stuff, I am sure it will be beautiful.

Weekly Outfits 7/19/10 thru 7/25/10

Here are last week's outfits in review

 7/19/10 Taffeta Quilted Dress by Zac Posen

7/20/10 Tie-Front Heaton Dress by Diane von Furstenberg

7/21/10 Floral-Print One-Shoulder Dress by Shoshanna

7/22/10 Lace Jumpsuit by 3.1 Phillip Lim

7/23/10 Dolman Sleeve with Fitted Skirt Dress by Alice + Olivia

7/24/10 Deep V-Neck Muscle T and Tribal Print Miniskirt by Robert Rodriquez

7/25/10 Leopard Print Tie-Waist Dress by Diane von Furstenberg

Say WHAT?? An award for me!!! YES

 If you haven't already realized, I love me an award!!

So, clearly, you know I was very excited when Cherry Chanel awarded me this INSPIRING blog award! I know why she received it.....because she has inspirational fashion style! She is new to the blogging world, but is already one of my must reads!!  Go check her out. 

The Rules:
1) Post this award on your blog.
2) List things/people that inspire you.
3) Award 5-10 other blogs that you believe are an inspiration for others.
4) Let these bloggers know they won this award.

Can I? Should I? Dare I mention him again?? OK, I have to say I have been inspired by.............none other than...........William Shatner.  Not because I have a crush on him and not because he was Captain Kirk. NO, I have been inspired by him because, although he totally lacks any singing talent, he will, without fear, sing on national TV and in front of anyone who will listen.  But not only that.....he has also had a recording contract and an album (which I own, of course). How can that not inspire you!!

My mother was and is a huge inspiration for me. She came from the poorest of backgrounds, born in a foreign country where girls were not appreciated, and her father was killed when she was just a little girl. Any one of these items could crush your spirit, but not my mother. She was strong and determined. She fought her way through the poverty and made her OWN way to America where she worked hard and long to build a life for herself and her family back home. She had no formal education, but was able to learn our language and work hard to give her daughters (yup, she had all girls) a rich life (both monetarily and through experiences). She was strict, but taught us to love each other, stick together, and be strong females. To her, women were definitely NOT the weaker sex and she instilled that in all of us. She died of cancer almost 3 years ago, but she continues to be a huge inspiration to me.

I would like to pass this awesome award to the following blogs. If you haven't been to them, click them and visit them now. Go on!! You will be very glad you did.

A Flourishing Perspective

Village

A girl needs 2 Talk

Wasted Seventeen

Allister Bee

C'est La Vie

Jammer at 10 A.M.

exPress-o

Bella Gets Real

Melanie's Randomness

The Secret to Hollywood's Sexiest Brunettes

Despite the blonding trend amongst some of Hollywood's most head-turning brunettes, you don't have to go blond to be a certified bombshell. Maybe that's because there's a new way to make brunette hair look extra gorgeous. Brad Johns, color director for the Red Door Spas at Elizabeth Arden NYC, calls it "invisible highlighting," a salon process in which three shades of complementary browns--coffee, chocolate, dark chocolate--are all woven through the hair to give the color life and dimension. (That's salon-speak for total awesomeness.) You don't necessarily notice the different shades immediately, but the way the scene-stealing hair catches the light can't be missed. The other bonus: On natural brunettes, these invisible highlights only need to be touched-up once or twice a year for maintenance, so it's pretty wallet-friendly. Steering clear of any dye or highlights this season? Whatever your color, Johns recommends silicone drops like Davines Defining Drops to make hair as smooth as glass after a good blow-dry. 

New hope for damaged skin Health

If, like a lot of people, you spent too much time in the sun as a child, you may want to try photodynamic therapy (PDT). The newly FDA-approved treatment is said to erase sun damage - and even prevent skin cancers from forming. First, your derm will apply a solution to your face that targets precancerous cells, then she'll use a light source to destroy them.  Bonus: Your insurance may cover it! Go to aad.org for more info.

I AM BACK!!!

We have returned from our mini vacation and I can't wait to get caught up on everyone's posts!!  I'll be by to visit soon.  We had a GREAT time and I'll be posting about it in the next few days. Thanks to everyone who visited me while I was gone!!!

Strawberry fields forever....

Another item checked off of our summer to do list. 

We went BERRY PICKING!!

 We are so excited to get started!!

 Wow, where do we start? How do we choose?

 Attempting to pick berries. This is way harder than we thought. It's hot! You have to bend for each one. Don't know which ones to pick.

 Finally, here's one we can keep.

This nice lady didn't even charge us for our pathetic bounty!! We stopped before we even came close to filling one side. She said our berries wouldn't register on the scale and gave them to us for free!!

It is a good thing we went for the experience and not for the berries. I don't think we will put this on our list next year.

The Rich and the Poor - Shrimp and Beans‏

A few days ago, I did the first recipe in a series: What can you do with a bag of frozen shrimp.  Here is recipe #2

1/2 cup white wine or dry vermouth
1/4 cup water
1 bay leaf
1 pound frozen medium shrimp, thawed, peeled, and deveined
1 (15.5oz) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp white wine or dry vermouth
1 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp each salt and pepper
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Add 1/2 cup white wine or vermouth, water and bay leaf in a pan; cook over medium-high heat. When liquid starts to bubble, add shrimp; cook 3 minutes. Add beans and cook until hot. Drain shrimp and beans and transfer to a bowl; discard bay leaf. Add olive oil and toss. Add the 1 tsp white wine or vermouth, lemon juice, and salt and pepper. Top with parsley.

Weekly Outfits 7/12/10 thru 7/18/10

Here are last week's outfits in review

I will not be able to read all of your lovely blogs for several days. I am already gone on a mini vacation with my daughter and will not return until late Wednesday.  My husband is being so kind as to post for me.

 7/12/10 Metallic-Panel Tank and Drapey Cargo Shorts by Haute Hippie

7/13/10 Degrade Asymmetric Shoulder Blouse and Multi-Seam Leggings by Narciso Rodriguez

7/14/10 Beaded-Pleat Dress by Philosophy di Alberta Ferretti

7/15/10 Violet-Print Back-Cutout Dress by Black Halo

7/16/10 Herringbone Blazer, Top and Girly-Fit Faded Jeans by D&G

7/17/10 Shadow Peony Dress by Marc by Marc Jacobs

7/18/10 Degrade Burnout Tee and Denim Zip Leggings by Vince

GIVEAWAY WINNER!!

After a very scientific random drawing...........in which

my daughter drew a name out of a hat

 

See, my eyes are closed so I can't see!!

The winner is..............

 Congratulations to Shari at little blue deer for winning my first giveaway!

 Please email me your mailing information by July 21st to
tayebug2004@hotmail.com.

Thank you to everyone who entered.

Master Mineral Makeup in four steps

Step 1 - Face
Ace your base - To make minerals last, prep skin with primer. For a non-cakey look, apply liquid foundation, like Maybelline New York Mineral Power Natural Perfecting Foundation SPF 18 ($10 at drugstores), with a damp sponge.

Camouflage Imperfections - Dot concealer onto flaws with a small makeup brush. Pat extra on with your finger for more coverage.
Get a flawless finish - Dip a fluffy brush, such as the Dior Backstage Makeup Powder Brush ($52 Sephora), into a translucent powder and sweep on.

Step 2 - Cheeks
Create a fresh flush - This requires a two-pronged approach. First, make a "3 and an E" on your face using bronzer and a brush: Beginning on the right side, draw the number three so the bristles start at your hairline, hit your cheekbone, and outline your jawline. Repeat the same motion on the left side, outlining an imaginary E. Second, add blush to the apples of your cheeks so they pop. A bronzer to try: Physicians Formula Mineral Wear 100% Mineral BronzeBrightener ($14 at drugstores); a must-have blush: CoverGirl TruBlend Microminerals Blush in Natural Rose ($11 at drugstores)

Step 3 - Eyes
Emphasize your eyes - Regardless of the look you're going for - subtle or dramatic - the goal is a standout gaze. Complement brown eyes with earthy tones, subtle golds, or soft grays; enhance blue eyes with shimmering taupes, like Pur Minerals Pressed Mineral Eye Shadow in Gold Marcasite ($13 at purminerals.com); and play up green eyes with khaki or moss shades. To intensify the effect, sweep on a liner in a matching or - for evening drama - contrasting shade. Finish with two coats of black mascara.

Step 4 - Lips

Paint your pout - The pigments in mineral formulations aren't as saturated as traditional ones, so you might have to add coats to get the intensity you desire. Pick a hue that works with your skin tone. If you're fair, choose softer pinks similar to Wallett Eco Gloss in Bohemian Blush ($20 at wallett.com); if you're medium, try a vibrant berry hue, such as Emani Minerals Hydrating Mineral Lip Color in VIP ($16 at emani.com). Everything from beigey bronze to rich plum flatters a dark complexion.

Tomato and Shrimp Stew

So, what can you do with a bag of frozen shrimp? In the next few days, I will be giving you three different recipes telling you just that!!.

1 pound frozen medium shrimp, thawed, peeled, and deveined
1 large onion, diced
2 garlic cloves
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 (26oz) can whole tomatoes
dash of sugar
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1/2 pound cooked pasta

Cook onion and garlic in 1 tablespoon warm olive oil until tender. Season with 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Add whole tomatoes and sugar; cook 10 minutes. Add basil.  Season shrimp with salt and pepper to taste and saute with 1 tablespoon warm olive oil in a separate pan for 3 minutes or until opaque. Add shrimp to tomato mixture, and toss with pasta. Garnish with additional basil.

8 Reasons to start loving your body TODAY

Life is short; why spend it bashing your body? If you need help jump-starting your self-acceptance, just read this list of reasons to embrace yourself - from head to toe.

1. BECAUSE it's unique; no one else has the same one.

2. BECAUSE it's capable of extraordinary feats, enabling you to run, climb, jump, lift, squat, snuggle, and spoon.

3. BECAUSE no matter how badly your treat it, it's willing to give you another chance.

4. BECAUSE it's expressive, telling you how it feels (pay attention!) and broadcasting to others how you feel about it.

5. BECAUSE, let's face it, confidence is pretty sexy.

6. BECAUSE your daughter must learn to love hers.

7. BECAUSE somebody out there (or many somebodies!) admires, covets, and adores it.

8. BECAUSE you'll regret not loving it more later!

Don't forget to enter my GIVEAWAY! Tomorrow is the last day to enter.

GIVEAWAY by elle hearts blogs

You are probably going to want to check this one out!!!

elle hearts blogs is having a fantastic giveaway. YES, those items in the picture above are the actual giveaway items.  There are way too many to tell, so just go over there and enter. You will see what I'm talking about!

Chuck e Cheese to the rescue

Well, my daughter and I checked off another item from our summer to do list! Yeah for us. We had planned to go to Wallace Falls a couple Thursdays ago. I had checked weather.com several times to make sure it would be a nice day and it was supposed to be, all the way up until the day when it started raining! So we switched up our plans and went to Chuck e Cheese instead. It is on our list, it's an indoor activity and my daughter loves it, so why not!

Don't forget to enter my VERY FIRST GIVEAWAY!! Ends July 16th.