hCG Diet: Day 1 of Phase 2

So my husband and I have started the hCG diet. Today is the first day of Phase 2 VLCD. So far so good. I got a little hungry earlier.. but nothing bad. After eating lunch I am still a little hungry. but nothing I can't handle. I think part of it is because I havent been drinking my water. You are supposed to drink 32 oz before lunch and I've had no where near that. I will do better tomorrow.

For my early morning snack I had half a cup of mixed fruit. No sugar, just fruit. Apple, Orange, grape, cherries & strawberries. I made this last night so that there would be enough for both my husband and I. I think in the future I will just stick with one fruit. For lunch I had cottage cheese ( low fat 2%), one small roma tomato and 3 spears of Asparagus that i just sauteed in a little bit of water. It was a yummy lunch!

I will update this entry for dinner and exercise, ect.

NOTD: LA Colors, Color Craze in Seashell

This is such a pretty color. It is a little sheer, so a couple of coats in needed.

Thats just Grapey

Nail on the vine

Sponging

Okay, not sure if I like this yet or not....

NOTD: Orange

Was messing around last night. This is what I got.

Baseball Fever

Nail designs for the Oakland A's and San Franscico Giants.

NOTD: 4th of July

This is my design, although i am not the one who painted my nails. I was feeling a little too shaky, so my nail gal did them for me.

Randomness in my Life

So okay, I've been a complete slacker. I haven't posted in awhile, and I swore I was going to stick with this. Everything just seemed to be happening, and yet, nothing was happening. I was going to blog this past weekend, but I just got to busy. Busy doing nothing, it seems. Looking back, I should have had plenty of time. I didn't really do anything. Sure we grilled outside and spent alot of family time. I will NOT oppologize for family time instead of blogging. Then there was the laundry. Sure, I could have blogged while at the laundromat.  There is an app for that on my phone. Basically a bunch of small things and when I wasn't doing that I was parked on my couch. So sue me! lol

On with the randomness. Yesterday my son brought home a plant. He didn't know what it was or how to care for it. I could tell by looking at it that it was a succulent. Looked to also be in the Aloe family. After Googling it I discovered it is a Zebra plant. Well that is the common name for it. Haworthia Fasciata - AKA The Zebra Plant.

Isn't it lovely? Easy to care for. So we planted it into a clear bowl when he got home so that it wasn't in a styrofoam cup, which is easy to tip over ect. Then today, my oldest son brings home a plant. Same kind. There is a family that lives across the street from the boys' school that donates a plant from their yard every year to the school kids. So we had to do some adjusting and replant BOTH plants in the same bowl for now. I want to get a big oversized brightly colored coffee cup to plant them in.

Today I had a visitor. I was sitting on the couch watching my soap opera.. Yeah, yeah.. I know. How do I watch that stuff? I have no idea. Its the only thing on. So anyways. I start hearing this chattering, squeaky noise. I got curious and went outside to see what was making all the racket. There were about 5 birds outside and they were flying around like crazy. Along with this little guy.

Isn't he cute? We had quite the conversation. Looks like I need to get some squirrel and bird feeders.

Today I received my replacement foot file from Julep. I got one in my Julep Maven box, but the sand paper stuff started coming away from the file so they sent me another. Along with a little envelope of some hand cream.

I think that is all for my randomness today. It's Hump Day people!! We are half way to the weekend!!

May Julep Box

Hooray!! My May Julep Box arrived today! I got some goodies this month! There were the 2 polishes as always, plus some pedicure items and a snazzy makeup bag. Definately a good box this month. So here are my goodies as I unwrap them:

Here is what it looked like when I opened the shipping box. I can already spy the free gift: the makeup bag.

Here is whats inside the bag. 

This little gem was hiding under the makeup bag. I can see summer pedicures in my future.

Here are the polishes.. more on those in a bit.

Ahh the roll on pedi prep. I can't wait to use this. 

This cream was hidden inside a pocket in the makeup bag. I am a little disappointed at the size. They give us a larger size of the Pedi Prep, yet such a small bit of the Pedi Cream. Now really enough for us to know if we like the product or not.

Here is the makeup bag. There are three little pockets for polish and then a bigger pocket next to that. Its not a huge bag, but it is big enough for overnight. Maybe a weekend, depending on the amount of makeup you wear. This would be great to stick in your purse, if you carry a larger bag.

Here are the colors. This is Ellie. This is a pearly/opalescent pink color. This seems to be a very light color. Very pretty in the bottle.

Then we have Kylie. I LOVE this color. I painted a nail tip with this color so I could use the magnet. I didn't/don't have time to do a whole mani right now, but I wanted to see how the magnet works. The color is awesome. I was suprised at the design the magnet gave off. From what I had read on the internet, I was under the impression that the lines that you saw on your magnet, would be the lines you got on your nails. Well you can see my magnet in the picture... imagine my surprise, when I got wavy lines! I was so happy.. and it looked very neat! My son was even impressed once he realized what I was trying to show him. I can't wait to do my next mani now.

Here is everything in the box, unwrapped. Well except for the makeup bag.

Want to try Julep yourself? If you use this link.. I will get credit. Click HERE to join julep.

Elf Haul

I got this stuff in the mail about a week ago and I just plain forgot to take pictures and do a blog. I am relatively new to doing my makeup. I did my makeup everyday in High School, but about a year after I got married, I just got lazy... and depressed. I just didn't see the point. I wasn't going anywhere, I wasn't doing anything. I had already landed my great guy. Who did I need to impress. Obviously it isn't about impressing anyone, but like I said.. I was depressed and wasn't really thinking clearly. About a lot of things. But that's another blog. Anyways, I have recently decided that I need to start doing my hair and makeup on a daily or almost daily basis. And by doing my hair I'm not talking about my usual pull my hair into my regular messy bun in the back of my head.

In my new journey to all things beauty, I realized that the makeup that I had was *gasp* 10 years old. Only slightly outdated and old, right? So my wonderful hubby agreed to let me spend a little at a time on makeup and other beauty products that are needed.

First I got products for my face. Like my cleanser and toner and moisturizer. I am using Olay. I will get pictures of that some other time. I realize after the fact that what I ordered probably wasn't the most important. Honestly I went by what was on sale. Instead of focusing on replacing just my makeup, I actually spend a majority of my budget on non actual makeup, but other things needed. So now I have to make do with my 10 year old makeup for a month or two. *sigh* Lots to learn huh? Anyways, here is my total haul. Well.. I had bought false lashed cause they looked fun. I got the synthetic ones.. They were not fun. They were stiff and really had no give in trying to shape them to my eye... I ruined them in the process of learning how to apply them. Live and learn.

Here is my total Haul. I am loving the brushes. It is so much easier to get eye shadow where you want it and blended like you want it.

Next I got some mascara, because mine was all crusty and hard and probably was empty. I mentioned 10 years right?

Next i got blush and bronzing powder.

I have never really worn blush. I could never apply it right, anyways. And bronzer. Never even really heard of it. I've been spending some time on Youtube. I think i am figuring it out.

I bought this powder not really knowing.. I get it and its a white powder. I am thinking.. white.. what is this Halloween and I'm going to be a ghost? Imagine my surprise when I put it on and its not white. It goes on.. well.. kinda clear.

I tend to like the more natural looks. I do like some the of the vibrant colors on eyes, but I just tend to think its not something I could pull off. Seems like it looks better on the younger crowd. I think I would just look like a clown. I might experiment though.

I got these to remove my mascara because I read online to use non oily remover for regular mascara and to only use oil based for the waterproof. But these are so small, I am kinda thinking I will use these to spot clean my brushes after using them.

Mommy Bragging Rights

So my youngest son just came to me about 45 minutes ago. "Mommy, can you come fix my training wheels? They are falling off!" While I agreed to fix them, I asked him if he would be willing to try to ride without the training wheels if I went outside and helped him. He said he was scared but agreed.

So off we trekked outside for the removal of the training wheels. Sure enough.. They were swinging back and forth when I went to remove them.. a lot of help they were doing for him huh? As we were walking out our front gate to ride in the street, ( we live on a very quiet street with hardly any traffic so we were perfectly safe ) he said, "Mom, don't forget to hang on and don't let go!" He got on his bike and i grabbed the back of his seat and started giving him a little push to get going........ AND HE RODE RIGHT OUT OF MY HAND!! He just took off! He looked back at me and yelled that I had let go but continued to ride. I was so proud! He pretty much did it all on his own. At this point I had walked down the street to make sure he stopped okay. I turned around and asked my husband if he had gotten it on video. Of course... no! He said I just managed to get out here.. you started to quick. So the following video is actually his SECOND time riding with no training wheels.. but who cares? He is now doing it on his own. He was even riding his bike standing up at one point. 

Here we go!

Mystery Plant

Can anyone tell me what this plant is? My neighbors moved out and since I have plants outside, my landlord moved the plants that the neighbor left behind over to my plants.

Nicole by OPI: Too Rich For You

I love love love this color. The polish is a bit of a pain. Its on the thin side, so it is most definitely not a one coater. And even the second coat it is hard to get a nice even coat of polish.

Here I have one coat of Sally Hansen's Hard as Nails Hardener base polish, two coats of Nicole by OPI: Too Rich For You and a coat of Top Coat. My Top Coat doesn't really have a brand name besides Top Coat. I got it at a nail supply store. Its in a glass bottle that just says..... Top Coat.

Water

My family has recently started a journey to becoming more healthy. One of the things that I am TRYING to be better about is drinking water. There is a lot of information about drinking water as part of a healthy lifestyle. So I thought I would do an entry on some of the things I have learned while researching this topic.

Top 11 Benefits of Drinking Water 

The human body is anywhere from 55% to 78% water depending on body size. A rule of thumb, 2/3 of body is consists of water, and it is the main component of human body. Did you know that your tissues and organs are mainly made up of water? Here is the %:

• Muscle consists of 75% water
• Brain consists of 90% of water
• Bone consists of 22% of water
• Blood consists of 83% water

The functions of water in human body are vital. The water:

• Transports nutrients and oxygen into cells
• Moisturizes the air in lungs
• Helps with metabolism
• Protects our vital organ
• Helps our organs to absorb nutrients better
• Regulates body temperature
• Detoxifies
• Protects and moisturizes our joints

Every cell in your body needs water from head to toe. That is why it is so important to drink enough fluid. Take for example, brain consists of 90% of water, if you do not supply enough water to your body, your brain cannot function well, and you will get headache or migraine. Hence, next time, if you feel fatigue and headache, it may be the sign of dehydration.

11 Reasons to Drink Water

1. Lose weight: Drinking water helps you lose weight because it flushes down the by-products of fat breakdown. Drinking water reduces hunger, it’s an effective appetite suppressant so you’ll eat less. Plus, water has zero calories.
2. Natural Remedy for Headache: Helps to relieve headache and back pains due to dehydration. Although many reasons contribute to headache, dehydration is the common one.
3. Look Younger with Healthier Skin: You’ll look younger when your skin is properly hydrated. Water helps to replenish skin tissues, moisturizes skin and increases skin elasticity.
4. Better Productivity at Work: Your brain is mostly made up of water, thus drinking water helps you think better, be more alert and more concentrated.
5. Better Exercise: Drinking water regulates your body temperature. That means you’ll feel more energetic when doing exercises. Water also helps to fuel your muscle.
6. Helps in Digestion and Constipation: Drinking water raises your metabolism because it helps in digestion. Fiber and water goes hand in hand so that you can have your daily bowel movement.
7. Less Cramps and Sprains: Proper hydration helps keep your joints and muscles lubricated, so you’ll less likely get cramps and sprains.
8. Less Likely to Get Sick and Feel Healthy:Drinking plenty of water helps fight against flu and other ailments like kidney stones and heart attack. Water adds with lemon is used for ailments like respiratory disease, intestinal problems, rheumatism and arthritis etc. In another words one of the benefits of drinking water is that it can improve your immune system.
9. Relieves Fatigue: Water is used by the body to help flush out toxins and waste products from the body. If your body lacks water, your heart, for instance, needs to work harder to pump out the oxygenated blood to all cells, so are the rest of the vital organs, your organs will be exhausted and so will you.
10. Good Mood: Your body feels very good and that’s why you feel happy.
11. Reduce the Risk of Cancer: Related to the digestive system, some studies show that drinking a healthy amount of water may reduce the risks of bladder cancer and colon cancer. Water dilutes the concentration of cancer-causing agents in the urine and shortens the time in which they are in contact with bladder lining.

How much should you drink everyday?

Every day you lose water through your breath, perspiration, urine and bowel movements. For your body to function properly, you must replenish its water supply by consuming beverages and foods that contain water.

So how much fluid does the average, healthy adult living in a temperate climate need? The Institute of Medicine determined that an adequate intake (AI) for men is roughly 3 liters (about 13 cups) of total beverages a day. The AI for women is 2.2 liters (about 9 cups) of total beverages a day.

Everyone has heard the advice, "Drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day." That's about 1.9 liters, which isn't that different from the Institute of Medicine recommendations. Although the "8 by 8" rule isn't supported by hard evidence, it remains popular because it's easy to remember. Just keep in mind that the rule should be reframed as: "Drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of fluid a day," because all fluids count toward the daily total.

So what’s the correct time for drinking water and its benefits?

Here’s how to drink water at the correct time to maximizes its effectiveness on your Body:

• Drink two glasses of water after waking up – helps activate internal organs.
• Drink one glass of water 30 Minutes before meal – helps digestion
• Drink one glass of water before taking a bath – helps lower blood pressure
• Drink one glass of water before sleep – may help to avoid stroke or heart attack.

 I hope this information helps others in the journey to drinking more water.

Elf : Metallic Neon

So last week, I won Amanda from Fashion Footing's twitter giveaway. I received my prize in yesterday's mail, and it was Elf's Metallic Neon. Thank you Amanda! I LOVE the color. It really reminds me of OPI's Pompeii Purple. Or at least I think that is the name of it. I used to wear it all the time back in high school.. and that was ummmmm.. around 15 years ago. I really loved that color. Anyone have that color? I think I see an internet search in my future!

Anyways. This polish is great. It went on nice and smooth. I think it definitely requires at least two coats, but honestly don't we all just automatically do two coats anyways?

I was content to just have a plain mani for awhile, but my youngest son, who is nail polish obsessed also, demanded that I do something special. "You have to paint a picture on them Mommy," he demanded. So I took the easy way out and only did one finger on each hand. It made him happy enough. So here is my cop out lol

I hope everyone enjoys their Tuesday!

Introductory April Maven Box

Hi ladies. I was so excited today I could hardly wait for my box to arrive. This was my first box ever and I simply couldn't wait. I've been reading every one's blogs and seeing all of the great colors and products they have been getting in their boxes. I was only slightly disappointed after watching videos on YOUTUBE of people opening their boxes and seeing that they got chocolate in their boxes. I received no chocolate. VERY disappointed. It's just not fair! I want chocolate too.

Okay, I am done whining now. Here is my box:

I received one Julep Facial for Hands Glycolic Hand Scrub

 a free nail file.

And two Nail Polish: Penelope and Portia

Penelope is an opaque, almost white creme with a hint of blush. Very pretty and just in time for Spring!

Portia is a sheer tropical blue with glittery sparkles.

I can't wait to do my nails in these colors this weekend. I will definitely post swatch pics at some point this weekend.

As for the hand facial.. eh, I don't know.. not really my thing to have around.. my luck my boys will try to use it was bubble bath lol I will probably save this to use in a giveaway at some future date.

I cannot wait for my May shipment!

Ginger Cupcakes

Today i decided my kids needed cupcakes. So I decided to make Ginger Cupcakes. These are fast and easy and are not all crumbly when you try to eat them.

I used this recipe from 101 Cookbooks. Recipe is as follows:

Ginger Cupcake Recipe

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp ground ginger
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup finely chopped candied ginger
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 eggs
3/4 cup milk

 Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). 

Prepare a muffin pan with paper liners.

1. In a small bowl, mix together flour, ginger, baking powder and salt. Stir in candied ginger.

2. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat together sugar and butter until well combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Alternately beat in flour mixture and milk, making three additions of flour mixture and two of milk, beating until smooth.

3. Scoop batter into prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 23 to 28 minutes or until golden brown and tops of cupcakes spring back when lightly touched. Let cool in pan on rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and let cool completely on rack. Top cooled cupcakes with frosting.

Ginger Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

Double this recipe if you like mounds of frosting on your cupcakes.

4 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
1/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 1/4 cups confectioner's (icing) sugar, sifted
1/4 cup finely chopped crystalIized ginger
1 tsp ground ginger
Pinch salt

1. In a bowl, using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat together cream cheese and butter until creamy. With mixer on low speed, beat in confectioner's sugar, 1/2 cup (125 mL) at a time so that the sugar doesn't fly allover the place. Increase speed to medium-high, beating until light and fluffy. Add crystallized ginger, ground ginger and salt, beating until well mixed.

2. Spread frosting over cupcakes and refrigerate until ready to serve or for up to 8 hours.

Makes 12 cupcakes.

These turned out really well.. although REALLY gingery. My oldest didn't like it and my youngest devoured his cupcake. I would recommend cutting back on the ground ginger in both the cupcake and the frosting if your family is not a HUGE ginger fan. 

I put some crystalized ginger pieces on top just for decoration.

These were pretty darn yummy!

NOTD: I Heart Red

My husband surprised me tonight after I asked him to bring me home red polish, because I didn't have any. He ACTUALLY did it! Such a good husband! Not many husbands would wade into the makeup isles to find polish for his wife.


My loving, thoughtful husband picked out Wet N Wild's Everyone Loves Redmond. This is two coats, but you could totally get by on just one coat. And it dried super fast.

Coffee Tutorial

Now first off, let me say that I've never written a tutorial, so go easy on me. And please let me know if something doesn't make sense. I will try to explain it better.

So today we are making a simple coffee cup design.

First start by applying your base coat. One or two coats depending on the color. I used pink, simply because it was what i had sitting beside me. I used L.A. Color's Vibrant Violet for my base color.

Next you want to make a small oval type of shape, for the top of the coffee cup. I used Color Madnic Nail Art Polish in white.

Then you want to make the body of your cup.. like this.

After you make the body of your cup you want to fill it in from the oval down, and add your handle to whichever side you prefer...

Take a brown of your choice and make a drop of color on a lid, or paper. I am using L.A. Color's Chocolate Shimmer. And you will need a dot tool or a needle or toothpick.

Using your tool or needle, dip into the brown and fill in the oval.

Almost done. Now take a drop of white and a drop of black and mix together to make your desired shade of steam. Make a small curly-que ribbon of steam. Apply your top coat and your done!

I hope you all enjoy!