La Petite Chic

Fabulous Find Friday

I am a chapstick/lip balm/lip gloss addict.  I currently have five in my purse, one in my desk at work and three on my nightstand, not to mention the entire cosmetic bag full of them in the linen closet.  They range from Burt's Bees to Lip Smackers to Clinique and I am in love with them all.  When we were little girls, my sister used to torment me for my big lips and I would run crying to my mom who would tell me that they were beautiful, just like Julia Roberts, and that one day I would appreciate them.  They're by no means the epic proportions of Angelina Jolie's lips, but I did learn to love them and pamper them.  I actually rarely wear lipstick, but you can bet that I'll always have one of the aforementioned products on my lips.

A few years ago, I came across Rose Salve from the C.O. Bigelow line at Bath & Body Works.  Even though the small tin of salve cost $7.50, I knew I had to have it.  I probably would have paid almost anything for it's sweet rosy aroma and the magical healing powers it possesses.  I've had the same tin ever since that first purchase because I always manage to lose it in a retired handbag only to discover it again when I clean out my purse.  And when I do find it again, it's like we're long lost lovers.  I can't get enough of it.

Jon and I were doing some Christmas shopping earlier this week and we stopped into B&BW to pick up a Secret Santa gift.  Once I stepped into the shop, I knew I had to find my beloved Rose Salve.  It's gentle and effective way of healing chapped lips (or even cuticles and dry skin!) is just perfect for this time of year, when the wind and cold weather seem to make my sensitive skin itchy and irritated. 

Another reason I love it?  They don't test on animals so you can make a conscious-happy purchase.   And as if you needed another reason to love the B&BW Rose Salve, they've dropped their price since the last time I purchased it.  It's now only $5.50.  A total bargain, especially considering all of the uses and good it does for your lips and skin.  So go ahead and treat yourself and don't forget to grab a few to stick in stockings.  I promise you will love it as much as I do!

Dirty

Remember the Q&A I did with Jennie back in September?  Her first question to me was, "What is a drink that you wish you could sip on and enjoy but the taste is horrid?"  My answer was a Dirty Martini.  It's always been a drink that's intrigued me because it sounds, well, just so dirty!  I love olives, like "will drink the olive juice out the jar when Jon's not looking", love,  but I'm not so big on straight martinis.  I've always wanted to try one, but when you're out at a nice bar and it's your money buying, ordering a drink that you're not sure you even like is a gamble. 

My consulting firm hosted a holiday happy hour at Ruth's Chris tonight with a free open bar.  This was finally my chance!  My first order was a whiskey sour...a classic favorite drink that I know I'll enjoy.  And oh, was it tasty!  Then with a bit of alcohol in me, I decided to take a risk and order a Dirty Martini.  But then the waitress asked, "What kind of vodka?  Or would you prefer gin?"  I was like, "Ummm, Grey Goose?"  It's on the company dollar so what the hell!  And I was excited for it.  Oh so excited.  And when the waitress brought it out, it looked so pretty with it's two jumbo olives speared on a cocktail toothpick. 

But the taste?  Oh my god, it was strong!  I could taste the faint aroma of olives.  And that I loved.  But the vodka, oh the vodka...so strong.  I just couldn't handle it.  I had a few pursed lip-sips and finally conceded defeat. I plucked the olives off the toothpick, popped them in my mouth and pushed the glass to the center of the table.  I felt terrible wasting Grey Goose.  That's pure alcohol abuse at it's worst.  Jonathan would have been ashamed of me.  But I just couldn't drink it.  So I ordered a $14 glass of Shiraz instead (my favorite red!) and called it a night. 

What do you order at an open bar?  Only the finest or your usual fare?

Dee Legs...Dey Hurt

So much for my big plan to get in shape this week.  I was so sore from the BodyPump class yesterday that I coudn't even bear thinking about going to the gym.  It actually didn't start out so bad.  Yesterday morning I could still sit down without grunting, but by lunchtime I was walking with the akward stiff-legged cadence of a girl who's taken it all a bit too fast with her get-in-shape plan.  You know it's bad when I opt to sit on the couch in the mall while Jon tried on backpacks at North Face.  This girl sit on a couch when there's shopping to be done?  Definitely sore beyond belief!  How sore?  Last night, Lola jumped up on my lap as she normally does and I screeched in pain from her tiny little 5 pounds coming down on my thighs.  OWWW.

Today my legs are feeling slightly better, i.e. It doesn't look like I'm walking around with a pole up my ass.  It's kind of strange that my upper body wasn't sore one bit.  But if any part of my body were to get the better workout, I'm glad it was my thighs.  They'll thank me later.  I'm going back to the gym tonight, I plan to just focus on cardio and my upper body.  It'll need to be a short workout because my sister-in-law is staying with us for the next few days and I have a little bit of straightening up to do before she arrives.  There's nothing like company to make you clean your toilet, right?

Then there's still all of my autumn decorations to put away so that we can finally start decorating for Christmas.  Please tell me I'm not the last one to start decorating for the holidays.  It is still November, after all!  I've been trying desperately every night to burn the last of my "Mom's Apple Pie" candle, but Yankee Candles last forever!  I'm just chomping at the bit to bring out my new Mistletoe candle, but I refuse to start burning it until I'm done with the other.  This is all part of my new clutter-free philosophy...no storage of half-burned candles to be brought out next season. That's what living in a one bedroom condo will do to a girl!

Response to Vocabulary Victory!

Oh my gosh, I already got a response from the teacher from Vocabulary Victory!  Check out the e-mail she sent:

Dear Mrs. D.,

Thank you for opening an entire new world for my students. Their vocabulary skills will soar with the items you have made available to them. These increased skills will enable them to become more successful readers because they will understand what they're reading. Victorious Readers! Thank you again for your support. 

And the best part?  When I donated my $25 last week, I was the first to contribute towards the $199 needed for the project.  As of yesterday, the entire project has now been funded.  I am so excited for that teacher and her students.  I hope they find as much joy in reading as I do.  Except when it's NaBloPoMo and your Google Reader makes you groan every morning when you see all the new posts that have come through. 

BODYPUMP

Have any of you ever taken a BODYPUMP class?  They just started offering them several times a week at my gym and I finally made it to one tonight.  I'm so glad I went because I just loved it!  BODYPUMP classes seem to be designed with people like me in mind: I need a group workout for the motivation factor, yet I also need something with lots of variety because I get bored very quickly.  Yes, this is all coming from an ex-long distance runner (hello, solidarity!), but there's an ex there for a reason.

It wasn't the typical aerobics class in that there were several men mixed in the crowd and none of the women present were the frou-frou type.  The workout is set to modern Top 40 music and each segment has a different song and beat.  You can really make your workout as easy or as hard as you wish...just add or remove weights as you see fit.  I kept a small stack of weights beside me and was soon able to gage just how much I could handle.

Before class I chatted with the woman next to me and she told me that she used to take BODYPUMP classes a while back and they got her in incredible shape.  She said that the thing she loved most about them is that she didn't bulk up with muscle. She was simply very defined and toned and that's exactly what I'm going for.

The only problem I had with the class was when we did the lunges portion.  My knees are pretty bad from running for so many years, so I had to take it a little slower.  We worked out our legs and butts first so by the time we got to arms and shoulders, my legs were actually quivering.  I felt like a jackass because the shaking seemed really noticeable to me, but I'm hoping the others were too engrossed in their workouts to even notice.

I've been wanting to get back into Pilates and I think if I combine this class with a Pilates class and a cardio workout during the week, it should get me to where I want to be in terms of fitness and definition.  I've been bad these past two weeks so just sticking to any fitness plans will be an accomplishment for me!   

Day 25

It's day 25 of NaBloPoMo which means there are only 5 more days of coming up with something (anything!) to write about.  The whole purpose of NaBloPoMo is to hone your writing skills by writing more often, but I'm not really sure that I've suceeded in that aspect. But I haven't missed a post yet, so for that I'm proud of myself!

And today I realized why husbands are willing to stand in line in the freezing cold at 1:00 AM to buy a laptop for their wife.

It's all so they don't have to write out one holiday card and they can do so guilt-freaking-free!  (Although he did help with the stuffing and licking of envelopes once I whined a little)  Even with cutting our Christmas card list significantly from last year, we're still mailing out 66 cards.  I got every single one done today and thus my hand hurts.  And I have glitter all over me.  Remind never to buy those pretty, glittery cards ever again.  Because glitter in your contact hurts like a bitch.

Favorite Things of a 4th Grader...and a 26 Year Old

My parents have been cleaning out the junk in their basement and today they came across a little gem of my early writing.  It's a compilation of "My Favorite Things" essays written by each member of my 4th grade class.  A copy of my essay (word for word, error for error) is below and my current thoughts are in red. 

My name is Katie Lyn Sloan.  Aww, I miss my maiden name. My favorite foods are sphagetti, Chinese Food and pizza.  They are very good.  Mmm, those still rank high on my favorite foods list.  My favorite book is Little House in the Big Woods.  It is very good.  Who didn't love Laura Ingalls Wilder?  My favorite sports are basketball and baseball.  They are very fun to play.  My favorite television show is 21 Jump Street.  It is good.  Johnny Depp still rocks my world. And also, didn't anyone teach me any adjectives besides good?  My favorite subject in school is Social Sudies; it is very fun.  Notice the semi-colon use there!  My favorite holidays are Christmas, my birthday, Easter and Halloween because you get lots of stuff.  Apparently my birthday was a holiday back then.  I like all of my clothes.  True that, 4th grade self.  I have lots of awards.  I have 4 trophies, 1 medal and 5 diplomas.  God, wasn't I modest!  I like collecting rocks. All of my rocks are pretty.  I still like collecting rocks...especially those of the sparkly diamond variety.  The most important thing to me is my dog and my family.  Nothing has changed there.  My best friends are Jamie, Lauren, Lisa and Kacey.  Yeah, the only one whom I still speak to is Kacey and she's my sister.

So aside from a few minor details, I have not changed a bit in 17 years.  How hilarious is that?!

***Okay, apparently when I titled this post last night I forgot how old I am.  Just for the record, I am newly 26, not 27!  I'm blaming the bottle of champagne I drank while posting. :)

Great Success!

Meet the newest member of the D family:

Isn't she pretty?  She's a Sony VAIO VGN notebook and we almost didn't have her.  Poor Jon* left the house at 1:00 AM this morning, stood in line at Circuit City for several hours, only to have a gang of jackasses cut the line, which resulted in mass chaos.  My poor hubby, who had braved the cold for many hours just to support his wife's blogging habit, got lost in the stampeding crowd and wasn't able to get a laptop.

So he drove over to Staples but they had already given out all of their laptop passes too.  He gave up and went to Sears where he had new tires put on my car.  God, he's awesome.  Sweet Hazel (my Jetta) is looking really sharp now!  My mother-in-law and I drove to pick him up from Sears at 7:00 AM so he could come home and warm up and get some much needed sleep.  Poor guy, he looked so cold when we picked him up.  But he also looked adorable in his little beanie hat.

So anyway, while I was shopping at the outlets this afternoon with my sister-in-law, he was pulling strings at the nearest Best Buy, trying desperately to secure us a computer.  By the time we were ready to leave, he called to tell us to swing by Best Buy on our way home because they were holding a laptop for us!  Again, he's awesome!  Nevermind that we got lost on the way there (we were in the Poconos) and I saw a real live skunk (yes, a skunk!) because we finally have a new computer!  I'm in love. 

Between both of our shopping trips, we got just about all of our Christmas shopping done.  Now we just need to wrap everything and buy a cute little Christmas tree to put them all under.  Phew.  Black Friday: done and done. 

*Once I heard that we would have to wake up at 1:00 AM to stand in line at Circuit City (which didn't open until 5:00 AM!), I chickened out.  Jon was lovely and said, "That's okay, baby, we shouldn't both have to freeze and wake up early; I'll go."  And me?  I said, "Okay!"  Love him!

LOLa

Since I will soon be very busy stuffing my face with Thanksgiving goodness and later resting up for my Black Friday shopping spree (hello 4 AM), I'm turning this post over to Lola.  Bask in all her chihuahua glory and have yourself a wonderful Thanksgiving! 

Do youz see mah new bling?  iz very pretty.

teh sun is tew brite.  It hurts mah eyez.

i's a supamodel.  See mez prowl.

I's to pretty 4 tehse leaves

I can has turkee?

Vocabulary Victory

I did it!  I picked a project to fund with the $25 gift certificate that I received from Crate and Barrel last week.  It was kind of daunting to pick just one project because there are so many teachers out there who have really substantial needs for their classrooms.  So rather than sift through hundreds and hundreds of requests, I decided to narrow my search for a project by city and subject.  There weren't any needs in the town where I grew up, so I chose Baltimore city, where my parents attended school.  I searched many different subject areas that were of interest to me as a student (writing, reading, history and art), but one of them really stuck with me.

The proposal, Vocabulary Victory, came from a Baltimore City Title I* school where over 80% of the children receive a free lunch.  The teacher who requested the funding is the Literacy Intervention Teacher where she works with children in grades 1 through 5 to help them gain better reading skills.  My donation will help to purchase practice books, riddles and "whisper" phones that will expose them to several different types of learning and instruction.  This will enable the students to increase their vocabulary and help them to better understand what they're reading.

And from a girl who relied heavily on her Reading Comprehension score to boost her meager Math score on the SATs, I'm so excited to help bring the gift of words that I love so much to these needy students.  Knowing that there are still teachers in the world who truly care about their student's development and want to give them every opportunity to learn gives me the warm fuzzies.  I'm hoping I hear from the teacher and students so that I can see for myself the impact that even just a small gift can make. 

Jonathan and I will be driving up to Pennsylvania tonight to spend Thanksgiving with his family.  After spending the first few years of our relationship driving to my parents in MD and to his parents in PA and then back home to Virginia all in one day, we wised up last year and are now on alternating schedules.  Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve/AM with one family and Christmas day/night with the other.  Then we switch if off for the following year.  We still end up doing a lot of driving, but we figure once we have kids they'll start visiting us.  For now, I'll get back to wishing that my boss would just hurry up and send us home already because I have some cookie baking and furbaby grooming to do before we hit the road!

*Title I is part of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, and is the foundation of the federal commitment to closing the achievement gap between low-income and other students. (Found at http://www.naeyc.org/)