Time for You - 28.08.2010

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It's that time again.  Time to tell us how you've made Time for You this week.  And if you weren't able to, tell us why.  We will be your support system!

Link up with us - Untypically Jia and The Girly Tomboy - as we make ourselves a priority for at least the fraction of each week to take care of ourselves and come one (no matter how tiny) step to meet our goals. 

Grab the 'Time for You' button and place it in your post or on your sidebar.
Blog about the steps you are taking to make yourself a priority and take care of yourself, and link that post. (Only link up the individual post. No links to your main blog, giveaways or other posts. Links will be monitored.)
Once you've linked up, click on as many other links as you'd like and offer your support to fellow bloggers who are taking time for themselves. Leave thoughtful comments, offer support and advice, follow their blogs and build friendships. We're in this journey together!

This is all about improving your life and taking time for you! It's not just about fitness or weight loss. Blog about how you're going to try and quit smoking. About how you're preparing to run a 5k marathon. Blog about your desire and steps your taking to overcome depression. Blog about your journey to lose weight or your plans to get pregnant.

One blogger from each week will be randomly selected and featured the following week.  Want to be featured? Then you have to participate!  I know, we haven't picked  a blog to feature yet, but starting next week we will include anyone in the last three linkups.

So take some Time for You, dish, and then link up and join the fun! 

Health and Fitness 3 - Indoor Cycling

I started cycling this week, after a 2 year absence.  And two things are clear.  First, I am way out of shape.  And second, my crotch is not as used to the bike seat as it used to be.  So I started with 25 minutes per day at an aerobic intensity, but took a day off yesterday to give my crotch a rest.

At this point, it's so easy to get discouraged by my lack of bike conditioning.  I used to teach at least 5 spinning classes per week.  I had no issues being on the bike for longer periods of time, both in comfort and fitness level.  And now there are issues.  That discouragement can easily translate to giving up.  Surprisingly, what has gotten me on that bike every day is the music.  I blasted some of my old spinning music while I worked out and it helped motivate me, get me going, and distract me from any discomfort.  The first day I tried playing a movie while working out, and after that I switched to music.  The music was much better.  Much more motivating, and much more energizing!

So whether you're on a bike, treadmill, elliptical, or any other gym cardio toy, skip the daily news or crappy daytime tv, and pump up the volume on your favorite tunes.

And if you have a few moments, let me know in the comments what music inspires you or pumps you up.  What do you like to workout to?

Time for You 21.08.2010

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It's that time again.  Time to tell us how you've made Time for You this week.  And if you weren't able to, tell us why.  We will be your support system!

Link up with us - Untypically Jia and The Girly Tomboy - as we make ourselves a priority for at least the fraction of each week to take care of ourselves and come one (no matter how tiny) step to meet our goals. 

Grab the 'Time for You' button and place it in your post or on your sidebar.
Blog about the steps you are taking to make yourself a priority and take care of yourself, and link that post. (Only link up the individual post. No links to your main blog, giveaways or other posts. Links will be monitored.)
Once you've linked up, click on as many other links as you'd like and offer your support to fellow bloggers who are taking time for themselves. Leave thoughtful comments, offer support and advice, follow their blogs and build friendships. We're in this journey together!

This is all about improving your life and taking time for you! It's not just about fitness or weight loss. Blog about how you're going to try and quit smoking. About how you're preparing to run a 5k marathon. Blog about your desire and steps your taking to overcome depression. Blog about your journey to lose weight or your plans to get pregnant.

One blogger from each week will be randomly selected and featured the following week.  Want to be featured? Then you have to participate!

So take some Time for You, dish, and then link up and join the fun! 

Health and Fitness 2 - Getting the Routine Started

Like many things, it's hard to start an exercise routine.  Once we start, and get in the groove, it becomes automatic.  We don't have to plan it anymore.  Just like we don't plan getting dressed, or brushing our teeth, or taking a shower.  It's automatic.  Wake up, shower, brush teeth, get dressed.  No planning required.  No notation in our agenda that says Wednesday, 7am, get dressed.  But starting a new routine is something else.  We have to think about it.  We have to plan.  We have to shift our schedule.  And let's face it, we have to shift our priorities.

That's where I'm starting.  At the beginning.  Putting regular exercise back into my daily routine.  On top of my daily walks with the dogs, I'm starting with 30 minutes per day of aerobic exercise - 70% max heart rate (more on this later).  I'm telling you so that I'm accountable.

I got this sexy looking CycleOps indoor bike to help me on my way.  It's beautiful.  And more importantly, it feels just like a real bike - without the rain, snow, heat, cold, or crazy motorists.  I love cycling.  I am not a runner.  Not even a little bit.  But cycling is awesome.  I have dreamed of having my very own bike for a long time.  Such a time saver.  Just hop on, work out, and you're done.  No driving to the gym, waiting for a machine to open up, then having to drive home again.  So much easier and faster when you've got something at home.  Once I get this routine down, I'll add longer rides.  Then I'll add resistance training.  But for now, it's 30 minutes per day.  I've got to start somewhere.

What have you been up to this week?  How have you made Time for You?

Lush Massage Bars as Moisturizer

I went to into Lush today looking for a body moisturizer.  My main criteria were scent (of course!) and that it not be sticky.  After testing some of the moisturizing creams in the Lush line, the sales associate asked me if I ever used the massage bars as moisturizers.  WHAT?

I love the massage bars, and have used them on my legs in the super dry Arizona winter.  But now that I'm in a more humid climate, the massage bars are just way too greasy.

But not when you use them when you're still wet!  That's right ladies, rub that lovely smelling cocoa butter goodness in your hands when they're damp and warm from your shower to melt the bar, and rub into your damp skin - like butta baby!   A very rich moisturizer, that's not sticky.  My favorites are Strawberry Feels Forever (smells like strawberry milkshake), Mange Too (white chocolate and honey), and Heavanilly (vanilla deliciousness). 

Will you be Preserving Summer's Bounty?

 Fall is inching closer and closer.  And as tough as it is to let summer go, one of the benefits of this time of the year is the cornucopia of seasonal fruit and veggies bursting at the seams of local farmer's markets. 

In an effort to avoid high sugar, high salt, and other mysterious (and bad for me) additives, I have decided to do some preserving this year. I have to admit, I have been planning on preserving for a while now, but was a bit intimidated by the process.

 I picked up the Art of Preserving by the fine people of Williams-Sonoma.  I recommend this book for newbs to preserving.  It has all the basic recipes and also recipes on how to use what you've made.  Brilliant.  I will do a more thorough review of this book once I've tried more recipes.

I was really pleased to find out that I needed very few specialty utensils and supplies to get started.   Very cheap start up! 

 I started with peach rosemary jam.  This is my first ever attempt at preserving, and it worked out wonderfully.  I used a bit less sugar, so it's a little runny, but SO delicious.  And a lot easier than I thought.

My next project is tomato sauce.  

 I also want to make salsa, apricot jam, plum jam, and apple butter.  

Are you going to be preserving this year?  I would love to swap recipes and tips with you!

Linked To:

Time for You - 14.08.2010

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When was the last moment you set aside time time for you?

Now is the time!

• Every Friday night, visit Untypically Jia and The Girly Tomboy where we will post a link up. Every week a new list will be added, so make sure to come back each week and link up.
  
Grab the 'Time for You' button and place it in your post or on your sidebar.
Blog about the steps you are taking to improve your health and link that post. (Only link up the individual post. No links to your main blog, giveaways or other posts. Links will be monitored.)
Once you've linked up, click on as many other links as you'd like and offer your support to fellow bloggers who are taking time for themselves. Leave thoughtful comments, offer support and advice, follow their blogs and build friendships. We're in this journey together!

This is all about improving your life and taking time for you! It's not just about fitness or weight loss. Blog about how you're going to try and quit smoking. About how you're preparing to run a 5k marathon. Blog about your desire and steps your taking to overcome depression. Blog about your journey to lose weight or your plans to get pregnant.

One blogger from each week will be randomly selected and featured the following week.  Want to be featured? Then you have to participate!

So take some Time for You, dish, and then link up and join the fun!

Time For You Segment and Blog Hop

As you know, I recently made a pact with myself to take better care of myself.  But in reality, it's not easy for me to make myself a priority.  And sometimes, I need a bit of inspiration, and a bit of support.  So I have teamed up with the wonderful Jia to bring you a weekly segment and blog hop called 'A Time for You'.  It's a way for all of us to inspire each other to meet our goals.

Here's how it will work:

* Every Friday night, visit Untypically Jia and The Girly Tomboy where we will post a link up. Every week a new list will be added, so make sure to come back each week and link up.

* Grab the 'Time for You' button and place it in your post or on your sidebar.

* Blog about the steps you are taking to improve your health and link that post. (Only link up the individual post. No links to your main blog, giveaways or other posts. Links will be monitored.)

* Once you've linked up, click on as many other links as you'd like and offer your support to fellow bloggers who are taking time for themselves. Leave thoughtful comments, offer support and advice, follow their blogs and build friendships. We're in this journey together!

And remember, this is about taking care of yourself and taking time out of your busy schedule for you.  In my case, the goal is fitness and weight loss, but you may be trying to quit smoking (yes little sister, I'm talking to you!), or overcoming depression, or uncluttering your closet, or looking for a job you don't hate, or even trying to get pregnant.  So blog about your goals and the steps you are taking to meet them, tell us about your struggles and your successes, and then share those blog posts with us every Saturday.

The Bronzy Glow - Kristin Cavallari Inspired Makeup

I am my sister's private makeup guru.  We have found her foundation, basic eye shadow colors, blush, brushes, etc.  Most recently we have been working on application.  I told her is to find a celebrity with similar coloring, who's style and makeup she likes.  Then we replicated the look.

She picked Kristin Cavallari.  I didn't even know who she was - clearly my sister and I don't watch the same reality TV.  But google image search came up with these two pics:

Based on those pictures, we used what my sister already had to replicate Kristin's neutral bronzy look.  The colors we chose are below - all MAC because that's what she had. 

 

APPLICATION

The most important part of Kristin's look is skin.  Start with a tinted moisturizer or light-medium foundation to even out your skin tone.  We used NARS sheer glow and applied with fingers.  Then follow up with a bit of powder (I'm loving MAC Prep+Prime translucent powder at the moment) on a fluffy brush to set the foundation.  Fill in your brows with either shadow, brow powder, or a brow pencil (we used Fling brow pencil).

Use a fluffy blender brush (MAC 217) to apply all eye shadow, which gives a soft application. On the lids use a soft shimmery peachy pink shadow (mix of Jest and All that Glitters e/s).  Use a matte soft warm brown to define the crease (Soft Brown e/s) and also apply it to the outer two thirds of the bottom lash line.  Lastly, use a soft wash of light shimmery shadow (Refined MSF) on the brow bone.  We used a pencil brush to apply that same highlight to the inner eye (tear duct) area to open up the eyes.  Finish the eyes by blending a black gel eye liner (Blacktrack) into the lashes and on the waterline, and apply a black mascara to the lashes.

Use a fluffy brush (MAC 138) to apply bronzer (Golden) to the hollows of the cheeks and on the temple and forehead to contour the face.  Make sure to blend the bronzer into the hairline for a more natural look. Then apply a light dusting of a shimmery peach blush (Springsheen) on the apples of the cheeks for a bit of color and glow.  Lastly, highlight the face with the same light shimmery shade used to highlight the eyes (Refined MSF).

Finally, apply a glossy pinky nude lipstick (Hue) to the lips.

Unfortunately, my sister is camera shy, but the makeup turned out great.  She even got complements from her friends!  So if you're ever in a rut and/or looking for a new makeup look, turn to your favorite celebrities for inspiration.

Who is your makeup/style idol?

Loving the Gray Nail Polish

I love black nails, but they're a little too dark for summer.  But sometimes you just need a break from colors, you know?  So I turned to gray - a summery black.  I'm loving it!

I have been wearing Zoya's Kelly, from the new 'Wonderful' collection on my toes.  I expected Kelly to be a little lighter, and a little less blue (kind of like the true gray in the splatter up top).  I think it's too dark to wear on my finger nails in the summer.  But it'll be a great color for fall and winter, and is great for toes.  Although I was hoping for concrete, I'm kind of digging the blue'ish hint to this one.  It looks almost navy in low lighting.  I feel like I'm too old to be sporting an in-your-face blue or turquoise.  So I'm thankful for Kelly, because the blue-gray color satisfies my blue needs in a sophisticated way.

For my fingers, I picked up Essie's Chinchilly from the Fall 2009 collection.  I am really digging this color.  It's a concrete gray with just the tiniest hint of beige - which warms it up ever so slightly and makes it very flattering with my warm skin tone (NC25).  The formula is a bit sheer, but I find that two coats are sufficient for a smooth even (non-streaky) coverage.  I am also happy to report that this formula works wonderfully with the Zoya color lock system, so my manicures have been lasting well for about a week.  Sweet!

Swatches of Zoya Kelly and Essie Chinchilly - taken in daylight.  One thing to keep in mind when shopping for a gray polish is that they tend to look lighter in the bottle than they do on your nails.

What nail polish colors have you been digging lately?

The Girl Next Door - Elizabeth Noble

Eve and Ed are two Brits who come to New York City when Ed gets a job offer he simply can't refuse.  They find a lovely apartment in a co-op on upper east side.  The story takes us into the lives of all of the residents in the building.  It tells us about their lives, the stories of their past, and their plans and prospects for the future, as their lives intertwine in the big city.  

I enjoyed The Girl Next Door for two reasons.  First and foremost, Noble is excellent at exploring relationships.  Even though I found the characters somewhat stereotypical, the depth of our journey into their lives, thoughts, and emotions is unique to Noble.  Secondly, Elizabeth Noble is a good writer.  There were no slow parts that I needed to skip.  And more importantly, there were no loose ends to the story.  

I enjoy books and movies that explore the inner workings of relationships, people, lives, and choices.  I love to think about the events, motivations and feelings that lead people and/or relationships to change.  This is the strength of Elizabeth Noble's writing. So pick up The Girl Next Door if you like to explore the inner workings of people and relationships, and/or are a fan of Noble. 

At the Movies - Charlie St Cloud

Charlie is an accomplished young man and a skilled sailor, who graduates from high school with a full scholarship to an ivy league college.  His life is on the fast track to success.  Then the unthinkable happens, and Charlie loses his younger brother Sam, and the light dims on his bright future.  Having faced death himself, Charlie comes out of the accident with a unique perspective on the world, and an ability to see and talk to Sam.  Charlie spends the next few years in limbo, clinging to Sam and the past.  That is, until Tess, a former classmate comes into town for an unexpected visit.  Soon Charlie finds himself at a crossroad, and must make a choice between the past and the future.  A choice that will change his life.

Charlie St Cloud was one of those movies I could have watched for days.  I did not want it to end.  Charlie was a great bird's eye view into how life in a sleepy Northwestern town can be both ordinary and extraordinary.  The acting was believable, and the characters were endearing.  So it was easy to transport myself to that sleepy small town.  And I really enjoyed the story.  It was definitely a love story.  Actually two love stories, one romantic and one fraternal.  Charlie explored our beliefs of what happens when we lose loved ones, and how we cope with that loss.  As expected, there is a bit of cheese interspersed throughout, but it was pretty good cheese that fit in with the story. 

Check out Charlie if you're a fan of the chick flick, and like Nicolas Sparks.  It was one of those kind of stories.  So if you want a sweet tear-jerker to cut through all the summer blockbusters, bring the girls to see Charlie.  But leave the significant other at home, because it is pretty much guaranteed to bore him.