Studio Gear- Smokey Eyes... and a GIVEAWAY!!!!!

Hello ALL!!!! I know what your thinking how dare she come back and not post about the wedding LOL TRUST ME ALL that wonderful stuff is coming.... Today I want to talk about some faboulous make up from Studio Gear. This is a sponsored post and I received some form of compensation to write this post. However all thoughts, opioions, and photos are my own.

 

 

 



Here is the inside of the make up..

 

 

How cute are these holiday colors?

 

 

 

 

If you have yet to master your Smokey EYE technique they have also included directions.

 

 

 

 

Now here is what I think... The make up is great. It lasted all day and I didnt have any major issues. Im not a fan of blush (call me new school I guess lol) So I did not use that. I honestly dont have anything negative to say about this brand.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I wanted to focus in on my eyes so you could really see the product. If you are like me and love good make up and a sale hop on over to their website and use the code SGHOLIDAY to recive 10% off your purchase ... Ready, Set, SHOP!!!!

 

In case you spent all your money cant wait, Im doing my first GIVE-AWAY!!!!! Enter below!!!

 

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Gender Reveal.... Enter Baby Jaxon

I dont know about the people in your life but my friends are all getting pregnant!!! Im like what are you all drinking because I need to stay away! Anywho... A dear friend of mine, who is also my Matron of honor (yea some things changed but that's a different post) recently had her Gender Reveal.

If you dont know what a Gender reveal is then you are probably not on Pinterest. The idea is almost like a baby shower. There are games, food, and fun, and then the big reveal. For their reveal the couple opted to find out with their guest. Im not sure how they were able to hold out because I personally couldn't take the suspense. 

Its a boy!!!!! See the blue cake is how you know its a boy!!! Im so excited to meet my little Jaxon. That baby is already surrounded by love and I know these two are going to be great parents!!!

The Healthy Struggle!!!!!

How is it November already... That means soon I will be Mrs. Gilyard!!!!! This post is not about that though LOL!

I was reading a friend of mines blog and she speaking about the struggles with being healthy. After reading I thought WOW what a great topic. Often we hear people complain about being healthy and the cost and other constraints and then we see those who have it mastered saying suck it up it can be done. Well this post is... eh... just keep reading... lol

Let me start with the hair!!!- I am a African American female and my hair is a beast when it is untamed. I personally get relaxers because I am too lazy to deal with my hair in its natural state and I do not like the curly look for ME. I have friends who are natural and I love it. It is just not for me. Surprisingly I have not had a relaxer all year. Mainly because I have been wearing a sew in so that I can work out and still look presentable. Joi wrote a post that you can read here that sums up this challenge better than I can so check it out.

The cost- I have seen this argued both ways but society makes it so easy for us to drive through the drive through rather cheaply and conveniently all the while we are gaining weight. The salads I get through the drive though are usually dull and browning and look nothing like the advertising picture. What is your experience? Have you ever gone to the grocery store to buy salad fixings? You can really spend a pretty penny... Oh and why is a gym membership with child care so freaking expensive?!!?!? UGGGHHHH

The time factor- I am not an early riser. I have tried desperately to be a part of the 5am club and it is just not for me. I am able to do it occasionally but I love to sleep, and is it just my bed or does it feel better right when it is time to get up for work? After work is good for me if I leave on time but if I leave even a little late my schedule is thrown I'm stuck in traffic and then EVERYTHING is behind... between dinner, homework, cleaning, and actually getting home it seems like time just gets away from me.

So what is a girl to do? The truth? Be fat and unhappy or suck it up and make changes. I'm happily engaged and my boo doesn't mind my hair in a ponytail in between sew ins because I'm in a better mood when I work out. Life is expensive and I'm happier when the scale is going down so buying food at the store and not from the drive through is just what I have to do. I have to make time for what I want. That's what we do anyway. Girls night, game night, soccer, whatever it is if we want to do it we make time for it. So in short yes it sucks it is uncomfortable but the outcomes are so worth it!!! Happy Monday Folks!!!!

Bridal Shower...Great times with Great Friends

So I am trying to get back into my blogging groove and thought I would start with my wedding Shower!!!!! It was thrown by my fabulous Maid of Honor/Sister/Soulmate no homo/Soror Alisha, and my sister/friend/soror Meyoshia!!!!

Why did I feel the need to be so super sexy? Because I was feeling really down about the wedding, finances, and of course my weight!!! My grandmother always said when you feel your worse you need to LOOK your best. So that is what I did...

I have also been realizing things about friendships along this whole wedding planning journey and I'm sure I will be able to get a few good post from that as well. Out of the over 25 invitations that were sent 7 people RSVP this includes local family. Needless to say I was slightly hurt but my friend told me that God works in mysterious ways, and had all those people came the fellowship may not have been as nice and boy was she right. Technically I had three guest but there were more people there because I had two people giving the shower, me, mini me, and my little sister.

Im usually not very emotional and huggy (in real life before the engagement) so Meyoshia was stunned to say the least! LOL

This is my friend/soror Raquetta and whew I didnt realize how much I missed her until I saw her!!! she is EVERYTHING and the shower would not have been the same without her.

Prior to the games starting we were just hanging out... then they whipped out the Bridal Gift Bingo and things got seriously "up in here" very quickly LOL.... My mom was stealing answers and hiding her own answers it was agreat time!!!!

My sister outdid herself with the food. She knows me so well and she had LEMON PEPPER wings!!! Yaaay

Look at my mommy rockin her TWA (teeny weeny afro) she recently went natural!...Im a Zeta and they caught me right in the middle of reliving the good ole days LOL..

My cousin made a guest appearance as she was just coming in from out of town.

I love this bag!!!!

Cochea and I have had many ups and downs but she was there when some of my long time friends and even family members were not. She is getting married I believe 20 days after I say I Do... Without her support IDK what I would have done. Side note she lost crazy weight (like 30-40 pounds) juicing. I need to see if she will do a guest post. She is very disciplined and determined. From high school, to college, to down the isle. Im so excited that we were able to mature and fall into an amazing friendship!

Me and mini me!!! 

The newest addition to my family, Cassandra!!!!

People often say "blood is thicker then water" meaning that you should chose your family over your friends, or that family will treat you better than friends. However this is not my experience. My friends have been there for me when I was getting on my own nerves. Keeping my daughter so I could go to class (when my aunt said no), or keeping her while I went to step practice, and even entertained her during step practice. We have no say so about the family we are born into but we chose our friends.  I'm so blessed and grateful that the my friends chose me! I wouldn't trade these ladies for anything in the world.

My Sister, Me, My Friend

Wedding List Updated!!!!

Where has this girl been????? Planning this wedding thats where! LOL If anyone is still reading I miss you all, and promise I have been trying to play cartch up and comment when I can... So remeber my post about the to do list? Then I updated it again here? Well I decided not to keep listing the whole thing but to only list what Im lacking and here it is.... With the wedding what 40 days away I still have quite a bit to do LOL!!! Thanks for sticking in there with me, and since work is a little light today I will try to do some visiting!!!!

To Do or BUY

Cake topper

Find garter

Clutch for bride

Make day-of emergency kit

Going away outfit (maybe)

Dress fitting (HA I don’t even have a dress)- I do now and the fitting is 11/2/2013

Put together picture list for photographer- this is done I just need to send it to her

Get marriage license- cant be done until 30 days prior to the wedding

Honeymoon shopping

Book transportation for wedding party (this is for the Mr.)

Gift for the groom- taking suggestions LOL

Book rehearsal dinner location

Order thank you notes

Tips and thank you notes for vendors

GET MARRIED!! 

Ceremony

Programs 

Reception

Centerpieces

Flip flops or nice flats

You Do Not Know My Struggle!!!!!!

Today's post is a part of Joi's mini blog challenge and the prompt was to post a controversial post. If you know me in real life then you know my mind was every where!!!! Sex, Trayvon Martin, cheating spouses, Johnathan Ferrell Mega bloggers, racism, literally I was all over the place. I really was at a lost on this one.

Then while picking up my daughter from after care I asked the worker a question that I guess I should have known the answer to and a stay at home mom made the following comment while looking at me like I had a third boob "she must be one of those working moms"... *insert side eye* What does that even mean? Being a mother is work period. Since I am dressed in business casual attire you assume that I was so caught up in work that I missed the memo? Totally not true I was running late because I stayed up late LOL!!!

My immediate thoughts were she doesn't know why I work. I at the moment cannot afford to stay home or I definitely would. I worked really hard to overcome various barriers and obtain not one but two degrees as a single mom and Sallie Mae would now like to be paid back for that lovely Master's of Education that I still need to frame. Its frustrating because her comment on a different level says that women have to chose and I don't chose. I WANT IT ALL... I'm tired a lot but I get it DONE!!! LOL... I digress...


                                                        

Which lead me to a deeper issue. Why is that as women are so competitive and harsh. The never ending battle between women is RIDICULOUS lets see we have
SAHM vs Working mom
Bottle fed vs Breast fed
DIY vs Buy it from the store
Heels vs Flats

I could go on and on but who has that time.  We don't know the struggles that people face and what they REALLY have going on in their life. So maybe I work because I want to buy crafts so I can be a DIY type of mom. Maybe I didn't bottle feed because I have some type of illness or survived an illness.  Is it possible that I wear flats to work because I am on my feet all day? These examples are not all my real life just meant to open your eyes and hopefully allow some one to see a situation differently.

In the blog world we all are super supportive of each other until someone out shines you then enter the shade. We have all seen or felt it. It really should not be this way since the pie honestly is big enough for everyone to have slice...

Awesome day at work!!!!!

If you all remember I recently switched jobs. Currently I work for the homelessness commission and yes I miss therapy but this job has the potential to be rewarding as well. On August 28 (yea Im late) (Joi taught me to schedule posts LOL) I was allowed the pleasure of not only assisting but actually witnessing a man who has been homeless off and on for many years come of the street and into permanent housing.

The first time he became homeless he was a teen. When I think of the things that he has endured a sense of needing to pray and be humble overwhelms me. It was magical and moving. (verbal permission to use his image was granted in the day of move in... just in case)I have so many words but a picture is worth a thousand so I will let them tell the story

I will call him Mr just because he deserves a little privacy... He was not sure initially about the location but after viewing the apartment he became excited and his face actually lit up.

This man has lived on the streets and in shelters and to see him and capture how he is looking at this key brought tears to my eyes. He has said repeatedly that having his own key and being able to turn it in the lock of his own home is powertful and give him great joy.

Other community agencies already had furniture for him so he did not go into an empty apartment.

Initially this man was quiet and reserved and after he got the keys he was sooo happy and talkative. The transformation was great to watch. He appeared shy and unsure but the moment he recieved those keys he walked a little taller!

One of my favorite parts was the walk through. you know checking for before damage. Well he was all to happy to do a walk through and point out what was wrong that he DID NOT break!!! It was an amazing experience you all but this and other events at work have lead to a MAJOR mind shift. I will keep you all posted as things transpire. 

*Do you feel fulfilled at your job? Is it your passion?