Sunday, December 25, 2011

Merry Christmas...

Merry Christmas loves! 

I want to thank you all - friends, family, bloggy buddies - for enhancing my life and allowing me to share yours. This year has been full of ups and downs, this blog and all it has brought into my world has definitely been an "up". I am so grateful for all the friends I've made in bloggy land. You all mean more to me than you know! I am looking forward to a wonderful 2012 - and can't wait to see what this blog will bring in the new year!

I will be taking a break from the internet this week, spending some time with family and friends. I will see you all in the new year (unless something that absolutely can NOT wait pops up!)

Until then my dears - have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

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Wednesday, December 21, 2011

12 Days of Christmas Music

Here's one of my favorite Christmas/Winter songs from my absolute FAVORITE Christmas movie! 


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What's your favorite Christmas movie?

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Sunday, December 18, 2011

12(ish) Days of Christmas Music - Day 9


I love Christmas lights - one thing I miss about living in Georgia is the elaborate Christmas lights displays people would put up on their houses. 

We used to drive around every year just to look at Christmas lights. No need to pay money to go see the zoo lights, etc. The people here don't decorate like they did in Georgia. I don't know if it's just the part of Arizona that I live in - but we might get a few neighbors throwing a string of lights in a tree with a "Feliz Navidad" sign and that's about it. Seriously. One block down from my house, the guy has a blinking "Feliz Navidad" sign in his tree. I think it might be time to move... 

In contrast - there was a guy who's house we used to drive by every year in Georgia who had a red convertible he'd decorate and have a stuffed Santa sitting in it waving at everyone. And that was only PART of his lights display! I miss that. I suppose when you live in a neighborhood of huge houses on 1/4th of an acre lots you don't exactly have much room to be elaborate with the decorations. And we always have the HOA's to contend with. I'm feeling quite nostalgic right now and would love to move back to the country - where we have things like this...


{image via}
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And that brings us to today's Christmas song. This is really cool - I didn't even know you could do this to your house until this year. I suppose I just never really thought about it... Check it out! 



What's the best Christmas lights display you've ever seen? 
If you send pictures I'll post them! 

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Saturday, December 17, 2011

12 Days of Christmas Music

I'm a little late to do the whole "12 Days' thing. It will be more like 10 days of Christmas music if you count yesterday's post... and I'm gonna count yesterday's post :) For those of you who know me well, you already know that "Late" is my middle name and would expect nothing less than a late start to MY 12 Days of Christmas Music! 

I love Christmas - and I love music. So clearly I love to put two of my favorite things together. The result: I LOVE CHRISTMAS MUSIC! We have a local radio station here in the Phoenix area that starts playing  Christmas tunes 24/7 around Thanksgiving. My radio at work has been tuned in ever since. My alarm clock is set to wake me up to festive music every morning. Love...


So here it is folks - the Belle of the Desert's 12 10 Days of Christmas Music!  


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Day #9: Kenny Chesney's All I Want For Christmas is a Real Good Tan



(pic via via my iPhone - I am lame and took a picture of my own desktop background.)
Check back tomorrow as I continue the countdown to the best day of the year with a celebration of my Christmas music favorites! 

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Friday, December 16, 2011

Random Friday...

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It's Friday and I'm random... so here's Josh Groban's version of Ave Maria. 

I have no idea what he's saying - but it's GORGEOUS! 







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Monday, December 12, 2011

Monday

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Good morning Loves! 

I'm excited - there's finally an official video on YouTube for Adele's "Someone Like You"! 
Don't you just absolutely LOVE this song? It makes me happy...


Me thinks my new co-worker is insane - he's got the back door open and is freezing us all to death! Let me crank up my little heater and throw on a jacket... Have a fabulous Monday Loves!
xoxo

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Saturday, December 10, 2011

It's Holiday Pie Time!

Why are those damn McDonald's Holiday Pies so delicious?

I can't even tell what's in it - nor can I find what it's made of listed online. It's likely that they do that on purpose. It's a yummy, disgusting, sugar cookie-esque, sparse sprinkle laden "pie" tube. I don't even know how McDonald's still sells any of those apple pie tubes - now we have Holiday Pie Tubes. 

And I love them... 

It's most certainly not vegan - and COMPLETELY not gluten free. In fact, I feel deathly ill every time I eat one. I had one today. I will most certainly be sick all weekend. 

BUT I STILL EAT THEM! 

There's something wrong with me...

They only have them at select McDonald's during the holiday season - my local McDonald's is - of course - one of those select locations. And every time I drive past it, I want one of those damn Holiday Pies! 

McDonald's is PURE EVIL!

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Friday, December 2, 2011

Review! Nad's Facial Wand Eyebrow Shaper

Good morning everyone! I have been MIA for quite a while - I do apologize for my absence. I've missed you all and have missed checking in on your blogs every day. I'll hopefully have time to start doing some catch up over the next few weeks as my last class of the year winds down and I have a short break before the next one. I feel so out of the bloggy loop!

Today however, I am reviewing the Nad's Facial Wand Eyebrow Shaper - which is a handy little thing! 

What is it? 
The unique Nad’s Facial Wand Eyebrow Shaper is the easiest way to remove unwanted facial hair and get salon quality results at home. Incorporating the original Nad’s Natural Gel into a slimline applicator, the Nad’s Facial Wand allows you to apply just the right amount of gel exactly where you want it. 

What does it do?
Perfect for all delicate facial areas, the Nad’s Facial Wand for facial hair removal glides across the contours of your face. Melting with your own natural body heat, there is no need to worry about making mistakes, as any excess gel easily washes away in water. 

I'll spare you the pictures from my attempts... because I am a terrible photographer and I had a huge zit in the middle of my forehead on that day. Ew...

But here's a video showing how to use it...



My Conclusion:
I LOVED the ease of application this little wand provides. I'm typically a plucker - and find that to be rather time consuming. If I have the extra cash I'll get it done at a salon - but always wind up with a rash and pimples from the hot wax. DO NOT WANT! 

With this little beaut here's no rash, no pimples (except the one I already had...) and if you mess up and put some in the wrong spot, it washes away easily with water and you can start all over! (Yes - I had to do it... twice!) 

I give this product... (drum roll please...) 

4.5 Stars 
     


It lost .5 of a star for the small amount of strips and cleansing cloths it comes with. There is plenty of product but I think I'll be running out of strips and cleansing cloths long before I run out of the product. They strips are however, washable and reusable - so don't throw them away! As for the cleansing cloths - I may experiment with some toner when I run out of those.  

All in all - DEFINITELY worth the 9-ish bucks you'll spend. Give it a try! 


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Friday, November 11, 2011

11.11.11

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I got an email yesterday about 11.11.11 from Christine Hassler with the following that I think needs to be shared with all you lovely readers. I'm doing this today, will you join me?



"Upon waking, begin with an 11-minute mediation (be sure to set a timer to be exact). Light a candle and start by sitting in a comfortable upright position, closing your eyes and focusing your awareness on your breath. Feel and hear each inhale and each exhale. As your breathing starts to slow down, bring your awareness to your body. Feel yourself sitting on the chair, floor or bed you are on. Feel the bottoms of your feet grounding into the earth. Take some time to simply observe the physical sensations in your body to support you in becoming fully present. If thoughts wander in, simply acknowledge the thought and then let it go, bring your attention back to your breath each time your mind wanders. 


Next, make the focus of your meditation “Oneness” so that you begin to experience yourself as part of a greater whole. Begin to feel and sense how there is no separation between you, the Universe and all of creation. Sense, see in your mind’s eye and feel your connection. Allow and trust your intuition to lead you through this process. 


 After you complete your mediation, grab your journal or a piece of paper and write the date on the top of the page along with “This or something better for the Highest Good of all concerned.” Number the paper from 1-11 six times (because there are six 1’s in 11/11/11). Without over thinking it, write: 




  • 11 new things you intend to begin this year (these do not have to be huge projects, sometimes the simpler the better) 
  • 11 new beliefs you would like to lean into and grow this year (such as “I am good enough, I am successful, I am abundant”) 
  • 11 prayers, requests, or intentions you’d like support around 
  • 11 things you are going to do TODAY that bring a smile to your face or someone else’s and more fully integrate the experience of oneness 11 people in your life to send a little extra love and light to 
  • 11 things you are grateful for (be sure to include a few that are about things you appreciate about yourself) 
When your list is complete, say a prayer in your own way blessing this day and everything you wrote. Put the list in a sacred place for the day or carry it with you.  


At 11 pm at night, sit for another 11-minute mediation. Again begin focusing on your breath and your body to fully arrive in the present moment. Then allow your intuition to lead you on a visualization where you begin to see your new ideas, projects, beliefs and behaviors being born. Really use your imagination here to begin the co-creative process of bringing your intentions to life. Then reread your 11/11/11 list and complete with a prayer of gratitude before you drift off to sleep."


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Thursday, November 10, 2011

Music for The Morning


Good morning loves!

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Green Day - 21 Guns

I love this song. I was a HUGE Green Day (and grunge rock in general) fan growing up. I'm still a big fan of pretty much anything Green Day puts out. With Veteran's Day coming up this week - I thought this song might be a good one to bring out of the vault and share this morning... 



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Thursday, November 3, 2011

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Music For the Morning



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Holy CRAP this song is so wrong - and SO hysterical! I heard it on the way home from work yesterday and must have looked like a moron driving down the road by myself laughing hysterically...

 

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Monday, October 31, 2011

The triumphant return of Miss Piggy, convos with Siri & music...

I have had so many random things going through my head lately - and just haven't had a chance to sit down and blog about them!

First up: a question dear bloggy friends... Should I not be admitting out loud that I actually want to see the new Muppets movie while it's in theaters?

Well - because I do. I don't want to miss Miss Piggy's triumphant return to the big screen! She was my idol as a child...

And she's still as awesome as ever! Check out some crappy iPhone pictures of pictures I took for you from her spread in the latest edition of InStyle Magazine. You're welcome...



As much as I adored Miss Piggy - the Martians were my favorite.... yip yip yip yip yip yip! 

Who was your favorite Muppets character?




yip yip yip yip yip yip!

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I like this guy - I've decided... I just love it when I hear awesome new songs on the radio that I want to share with all my bloggy peeps. I have to take more crappy iPhone pictures so I can remember the songs :)



I also heard this song on the way home from work today...



At first I was like... this sounds ok... and then T-Pain's part came on and I thought... well I just really don't think I get what this song is saying. It goes in about 2 or 3 different directions as the song goes on. I like whoever this Lily Allen person is - she has a beautiful voice. She should probably stay away from T-Pain though. 

"She'll be waiting for me naked with one of my chains on..." ???

 No... T-Pain. Just... no.





And last but certainly not least... I've been talking to my phone again. No - not ON it. I think I actually talk TO it more often. It's like a game - how is Siri going to respond to the random crap that pops into my head? Observe...


It would've been funnier had she said "You should ask your Magic Mirror." hmfph.

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