My Beauty Routine (or Lack Thereof)

My beauty routine is pretty nonexistent these days. My phone alarm goes off around 5:15 a.m. and depending if Charlotte slept through the night or not (most often she does) I still manage to have circles for days. My routine right now is all about being quick and easy and doing the bare minimum to look decent. (High standards here, I know.)

Moisturizing at night is a must do item for me. Forget about balancing the checkbook or doing laundry. At 9:45 p.m. each night it's moisture time! If I happen to forget to moisturize my skin ends up feeling so tight and dry that by midnight I'm reaching for the bottle like a drunk reaches for a glass of water. Right now I'm alternating two different moisturizers at night -- ANEW VITALE night cream by Avon, and Clinique's Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel.



The Clinique one is nice because it absorbs super quickly into the skin. If I feel like I need a little bit more moisture, I'll add the Avon cream on top especially around my eyes and mouth. The Avon night cream is nice and thick, yet it absorbs well too. I despise moisturizers that just sit on top of the skin and make you feel greasy, so believe me when I say these are combination-skin approved.

Moisturizing Mistake
The most common moisturizing mistake is to forget your neck. I heard recently of a video shoot where Fergie (yes the singer) refused to be photographed a certain way because of wrinkles in her neck (apparently she's super self conscious about them). The neck is an area that is seen just as much as the face, so I always put a little extra on and rub liberally into the neck and upper chest.

Lip Service
I am all about the bright lip lately. It could be because it perks you up almost instantly, or because I'm stuck in the 80s like the mom from "The Goldbergs." Truthfully a bright lip usually means I have to wear less eye makeup and sometimes that is a real treat.

LIP TIP - The brighter the lip, the less intense the rest of your makeup should be! Keep eyes simple with a thin line of black eye liner, some mascara (I'm wearing Diorshow here) and a sweep of a bronzey eye color. Another lip product I really enjoy is Revlon's Just Bitten. They feel great going on and have lasting power.


wearing Nars "Michiyo"

Your Hair is Your Best Accessory
I once read somewhere that your hair is your best (or worst) accessory. Even when I go to bed with wet hair I usually do try to do something with it in the morning. My favorite hair product has to be leave in conditioner. No, not all leave in conditioners are made equal! Trust me, I've tried most of them. My all-time tried and true product is Biolage's Daily Leave-In Tonic By Matrix. It smells amazing and leaves hair silky soft. Plus you can get it at Amazon or JCPenny's for only $26 for a giant bottle that will last you 2 years! Don't be fooled by imitators on that one. And don't waste your time with "prep spray" or "heat spray" or all that stuff you don't need that will only end up making your hair feel like wax!

That's it for now, more beauty tips and mom stories coming up soon!

Stay beautiful!

Amanda

Mom's One Year Older

I really need to make more time to blog. The funny thing about time is that you never seem to have enough of it. I start my day waking up at 5 a.m. and getting dressed and sometimes wanding my hair (although that has proven deadly at that hour of day and has led to a few burn marks). Then I walk Bruiser for 15 minutes before dashing to catch the 5:53 train. I have an 8 minute walk from Tower City to my work and after a quick stop by Starbucks I'm usually walking into the office around 6:40 a.m. I leave anywhere between 3:30 and 4 most days, and by the time I get to school and pick up my favorite girl and head home, it's almost 5 p.m. It's quick dinners at my house with Sam doing most of the cooking these days and I spend the time feeding Charlotte and reading her stories or having playtime.

Since Cleveland decided to have an early winter it's really been limiting our outdoor time, so we've been having dance parties in the basement! She usually starts to get cranky around 6:30 p.m. and then it is bathtime and maybe a couple more stories before a big bottle and some songs from me. My favorite part of the day is putting her to bed. I've been singing to Charlotte our Hodie chant (one of the songs we'll perform at Saint Dominic's Christmas concert on Dec. 14). She doesn't like to be turned sideways anymore, she just snuggles chest to chest with me and puts her head on my shoulder. I sing to her for a few minutes and rock her and then kiss her goodnight and put her in her crib. She always rolls onto her side and after a few sweet words I close the door. After that it's 2 hours to get everything else done which includes grocery shopping, cleaning, watching TV, or in the case tonight, working out! During the week Charlotte is usually in bed by 6:45 or 7 p.m. When I actually think about how much time I spend with her it's a bit depressing (usually 2 hours and 40 minutes a day).

I've been rethinking a lot of things lately about how I spend my time. I stumbled across this quote recently, one of my favorites from Mitch Albom's book, Tuesdays with Morrie.

“The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning.”

I need to create more. I need to get back in touch with my creative side. I also need to be more active (hence the workout tonight). I don't want to wait until the new year to make resolutions that will fall short. I am talking real change here folks!

Enough with the philosophical and onto some cute photos of the real meaning and light in my life.





It's amazing to me how quickly she is growing up. Everyone says it happens so fast, but when it happens to you and your family it makes your insides feel weird and you really start to question the big things.

Don't believe me? Here is Charlotte from my birthday celebration last year.



Charlotte, Nov. 16, 2013



And one year later...

Charlotte, Nov. 16, 2014

Moms: 12 Tips to Make it Through the Holidays

With only 64 days until Christmas, stores are already decorating their interiors and putting out the "hottest toys for 2014" lists. Read on for some of my best tips for how to manage it all without losing your cool.

1. Remember that it's not all about the gifts. My church announced they are starting to collect new and gently used bookbags for children in El Salvador. Not everyone has the same opportunities that we have. Instead of buying one more meaningless cashmere sweater, offer to sponsor a family in need this holiday season.

2. Take time for yourself. I know, I know. You hear this all the time. It's hard to find "couple time" let alone "alone time." My alone time typically consists of showering and drying my hair - what a treat! In all seriousness though, it's important to have quiet time to catch up on reading or two hours to get a massage and go to the salon because your roots are 3 inches long. Pick one day on the calendar and block it off as "MOM DAY!"

3. Take help when it is offered. For some reason taking someone up on their offer to help feels like a failure. I know I've had many friends and family members offer to help me out and I've never gotten back to them or just say, "It's fine, I am getting along great." Sometimes we need some help! If a friend offers to come over and babysit for an hour so you can go to the grocery store, doctor's appointment or to get some shopping done, remind yourself that you are not failing and reply, "Yes, that would be great. Thank you!"

4. Reconsider the visit to Santa. Last year I took Charlotte as a 4 month old and she was all smiles. I saw a lot of parents with older children though who were scared, screaming and crying. If your child is terrified of Santa, don't force them to sit on his lap. Ask your child what they would like to do! Maybe it is to go see Santa, but then they get nervous when their time is near. Remind them it was their idea to see him, but they can always change their mind too. Alternate ideas to the forced close proximity to Santa: snowball fight, build a snowman, bake some cookies together, create a keepsake holiday ornament with a recent photo.

5. Watch your favorite holiday movie with a glass of wine. My all time favorite is Chevy Chase's Christmas Vacation. I think I have just about every line memorized at this point and it still makes me laugh to this day. The point is to watch something that makes you happy and reminiscient and it will be even funnier with a little buzz.

6. Set spending limits. Talk to your spouse/partner/significant other about what you can afford to spend this holiday season. Deciding upfront how much you'll spend rather than racking up credit cards with high interest rates is the better way to approach it. If you and your significant other decide not to exchange gifts this year to save some money (my husband and I did that last year) then be sure to do something small together. Even if it's just cuddling up together with some hot cocoa and watching your wedding video or looking at old photos together, it doesn't have to be expensive to be meaningful.

7. Start planning now to get holiday photos taken. I know it seems early, but I've already got my photo session booked for Nov. 1. If you plan to get cards in the mail and want some photos hanging before the actual holiday, best to get the outfit now and the photographer on the phone. Last year I waited too long and was rushing to get cards in the mail. This year I am thinking ahead so that come mid December I can be less stressed.

8. Try on your holiday dress a few weeks before Christmas/New Year's/etc. I made this mistake two years ago after I found out I was pregnant. I was barely showing but the dress my mom had bought me six weeks earlier no longer fit. I was hysterical and emotional and couldn't find a darn thing to wear - a recipe for disaster at 7 pm on Christmas Eve night! Even if you're sure the dress you plan to wear "still fits" give it a try. The worst thing to happen is my scenario above. Best case scenario is that you try it on, it doesn't fit, and you have an impromptu stop to H&M or Ann Taylor Loft in the works. (see #3 above for babysitting help)

9. Ask for what you want, not what you need. As moms, I think we immediately feel guilty if we want to indulge a little bit. This is the time of year to ask for something other than new cookware or bath towels! If you really want that $25 Nars Manhunt lipstick or $25 Diorshow mascara that normally you'd never think of buying, put it on the list! Maybe Santa thinks you look smoking hot with red lips and long lashes too.

10. Take lots of photos and videos. This may seem like a given but often times it's the day after Christmas, everyone is leaving and not looking their best, and this is suddenly when the family portait idea comes up. Make a timeline on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day and be sure to schedule that family shot when everyone (including you) is looking their best. The little ones grow up so fast and it's nice to have those keepsake photos and videos to look back on as they get older.

11. Laughter really is the best medicine. If something doesn't go right (your child cries during a holiday concert, or ruins their fancy Christmas dress with a crazy poopy diaper) laugh it off! We've all been there. Make sure you have a few friends who you can share these experiences with because in the end perfection is boring. It's the little things that make the holidays memorable.

12. Keep Calm and Remember There's New Years! If Christmas means the entire family is in town visiting, schedule a low key New Year's Eve. Last year Sam and I rang in 2014 with a cranky baby (we later found out she had an ear infection) while watching "Finding Nemo" with a bottle of Prosecco. Giving your loved ones a kiss at midnight is sometimes the best part of New Year's Eve night (well, for me it is anyway.)

Christmas 2013 - Charlotte (3.5 months, and Bruiser, 5 years old at the time)

On Mother's Day: A Tribute to My Mom

In 5th grade I was in an after school Catholic girls group and each year there was an essay contest for Mother's Day. When they announced I was the essay winner for my class I was thrilled for my mom to hear my story read aloud. Unfortunately someone lost all of the essays that year and so my mom never got to hear what I had written about her. It's crushed me to this day. Now some 20 some years later, I will try to recreate the feeling behind the essay on why my mom is such an amazing mother, woman, and friend.

A tribute to my mom

There are many words to describe my mom: loving, kind, patient, funny, selfless, dedicated, warm, devoted, caring, and light-hearted. I think all of these are qualities that every mom needs to possess in order to be great. What makes my mom so amazing is that she makes me feel all of these things just by being around her. The relationship between my mom and I is very special. From an early age, I remember my mom and I always being silly together. She never took things too seriously and if I did, she was always there to remind me to lighten up and she'd do something goofy so I'd smile.

One of the fondest memories of my mom had to be when I was in what I think was the 2nd grade. My mom came home that night and promptly announced that everyone had to sit on the couch. I remember thinking we were all in trouble and wondering why she was home so late. A minute later my brother, sister and I sat on the couch. All of the lights in the house were turned off and my mom appeared in the center of the living room. She was speaking into my sister's Fisher Price microphone that lit up when you hit your feet on it. She was making the lights go crazy as she shouted into the microphone -- "in my hands I have five tickets to see...The New Kids on the Block!!!" O.M.G. My brother, sister and I went absolutely crazy, screaming and jumping all over the house! We were all obsessed with the New Kids on the Block and my mom had waited in line for hours and hours to secure us tickets.

My mom has always made me feel special. After she picked me up from my ballet class we'd drive over to Wendy's for a chicken sandwich. We never told anyone else in my family that we did this. We'd go through the drive-thru, order two chicken sandwiches, park the car, and eat and talk. It was our little secret. I always ordered my sandwich with ketchup and pickles only, and she'd get hers with lettuce, tomato and mayo. We always laughed when the Wendy's commercial came on the radio. The man that did the radio commercials made this chicken sandwich sound like it was to die for. His voice was so melodramatic. "Come by Wendy's for a hot, juuuuicy, deliciousss, chicken sandwich!" We'd crack up every time knowing our inside secret!

My mom encouraged my love for reading at an early age. She had this great contest in the summer months where my brother, sister, and I would each get a piece of colored construction paper hung on the fridge door with our names on it. For each book we read we got a sticker. Whoever had the most stickers at the end of summer got a prize. Second and third place also received prizes too, in case you were wondering.

Birthday parties growing up were always a blast due to my mom's great makeup applications and hair makeovers she'd give me and my friends. We'd play Miss America and she'd make sure each girl won for some category - best smile, best stage presence, etc.

When my sister and I did gymnastics, my mom took us to every practice and meet. She was our biggest cheerleader in the crowd and I remember all of the other gymnasts saying how cool my mom was because she sold leotards at our home meets. My sister and I were always dressed in the best and newest leotards with matching hair scrunchies. We didn't have much money growing up but my mom never let us go without anything we needed or wanted.


Bird and I with my friend Mallory

When I quit gymnastics and moved on to cheerleading she was there to support me. After every tryout she'd be there, waiting in the car with a gift. I was always so nervous before those tryouts but knowing that my mom believed in me always calmed my fears. My mom is protective as well and willing to go to bat for us. I remember I wasn't doing well in an algebra class and wasn't going to be able to cheer because of a low grade. My mom called and spoke to the teacher and convinced him to let me retake two of the most recent tests so I could cheer. I'll never forget how awesome I thought that was.

Graduating high school and moving onto college was scary. I remember calling my mom all the time and asking for advice. She encouraged me to get involved and go out for the cheerleading squad and join a sorority. She even guest-starred on my weekly radio show on the college station and students all across campus came to know her as Bird.


visiting S in DC

Some kids are embarrassed by their parents, especially their moms. I've never once felt that way about my mom. In fact, my mom is well loved by anyone that meets her. Her kind spirit and infectious personality just make you want to be around her. I was always proud to have my mom chaperone a school dance, meet my friends, and hang out with us.


bus trip to New York

Traveling with my mom has been a highlight of our time together through the years as we've become even closer. Whether it's a road trip to visit my sister in Washington, DC, or flying across oceans to go to Jamaica, Maui, or Grand Cayman, our time together is so fun and always goes too fast. I hope we continue to travel together in the future, making memories and being silly with our newest member of the girls club (CharTot).

Now that I'm a mom myself, I truly appreciate her even more. A dear family friend gave my mom a photo frame the says "Great Moms Get Promoted to Grandma's" and I couldn't agree more. Birdy, I feel so lucky to have you as a role model. I hope I can be half the mom to Charlotte that you are to me. Words can't truly express how much you mean to me. I love you so much. And Charlotte and I are so very lucky and blessed to have you in our lives. Happy Mother's Day!



at the crane room in college - i love the dark hair all around


in Jamaica at President's Club for PRN


At Dana's wedding - dancing the night away


Maiu island on lavendar farm tour - (owner Ali Chang died later this year in 2010)


celebrating Bird's bday at Greendance


Turks and Caicos fun


Big Island girls trip


big hair in Washington, DC


Mother's Day in DC 2013


Christmas 2013


Charlotte and grandbirdy


love them


she loves grandbirdy


goofy in Grand Cayman


three generations together

Weekend at Home in Greensburg, PA

As if you didn't know, being a mommy is a full-time job. It requires love, patience, kindness, planning, energy, fun, and empathy. Charlotte has taught me so much already - it's crazy. You can read all the books about parenting you want, but until you actually have the baby and your instincts take over, you don't know how you're really going to be as a parent. Charlotte turned 24 weeks yesterday (2/10/14) and we spent our first weekend at Grandma Birdy's house! Charlotte got an A++ in the car both ways - she slept the entire way there and only cried for ten seconds on the return trip and then fell back asleep. It definitely helped that I gave daycare a heads up about her trip so they gave her last bottle to her a little earlier, so she was extra sleepy when I got to her on Friday. Friday night we laid low and I put her to bed early. She slept pretty well that night, only waking up twice, which was pretty good for sleeping in a pack 'n play. Saturday was my sister's surprise birthday party and all of the ladies loved holding and gushing over Miss Charlotte Faye. It was nice to see how social she is and how good she is with people who she met a long time ago, or is meeting for the first time.

Charlotte's thinking, "take me out of this seat, I want to party!"

Charlotte and grandma Birdy

Ali and Charlotte

Charlotte loved being the center of attention and having all the ladies swoon over her! The fondue, fruit, cookies and wine were fabulous, but the company was even nicer!

Later on Saturday we went to out for our family dinner at Rizzo's and snapped a few photos of peanut and Auntie S.

On Sunday we were supposed to go to Pittsburgh to see Wicked, but a freak snowstorm ruined those plans. Boo!

In all, it was a fabulous weekend at home with friends and family. It was so nice to see everyone and just relax. On Monday we returned home and Sam and Bruiser were very excited to see us. We had a nice time reuniting and smiling and laughing together as a family.

5 Minute Makeup

Let's face it - many of us don't have a lot of time to do our makeup these days. Whether we're running late for work, trying to take care of a baby, or jetting to an outing, five minutes is all you probably have to do a quick makeup job. I'm here to show you how to create a pretty look in just 5 minutes!

How to do the 5 minute face:

First, start with freshly washed skin. Before drying your hair, apply face lotion. I use ProActiv's Green Tea lotion (does not contain Benzoyl Peroxide or Salicylic Acid - products to avoid when pregnant/nursing). Let that soak into skin while drying your hair. Once hair is dry, apply a primer - trust me, this is the trick that will keep your makeup on your face all night long. Skipping it is quite detrimental! Any primer will do, I use Victoria's Secret or Smashbox (just make sure it's an oil-free version). If you want to skip the face lotion step - use a hydrating primer. Next, mix in your hands two-thirds tinted moisturizer - I use Stila's Sheer Color Tinted Moisturizer Oil-Free in Light ($34 at Sephora.com) - (or use foundation if you need more coverage) with one-third of Victoria's Secret PRO Radiant Face Illuminator ($15 at victoriassecret.com.) Let the primer set for 30 seconds.

image courtesy of Sephora.com

image courtesy of VS Beauty

Mixing these two products together creates a flawless, glowing complexion. Dust your entire face with powder to set, including your eyelids. Finish your face with blush on the apples of your cheeks - I love Nars' Orgasm blush even though it's a bit pricey, it's the prettiest blush I've used to date. In the summer I use the blush/bronzer duo ($29 for the blush, or $41 for the duo).

image courtesy of Sephora.com

For a quick eye - always, always, always do your brows - they highlight your entire face more than anything! I like Clinique's brow pencil in soft blonde. Remember to blend and don't go too far beyond your natural brow shape. For eye shadow, I use a quick shimmer shadow - Clinique's Strawberry Fudge duo. Next, apply black eye liner on top and bottom (for daytime I use brown or grey on the bottom, or nothing). I like Urban Decay's pencil liners the best.

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Zero - image courtesy of Sephora.com

Finish with a coat of mascara, and a pinky lip gloss. As for mascara, just buy what works for your eyes. I've wasted so much money on mascara over the years it's insane. Right now I'm using L'Oreal's Voluminous, but even that is a little chunky for me. If you have a mascara that you just LOVE, please share it in the comments below!

And that's it for the 5 minute face. If you have an extra 60 seconds you can always add a highlighter to your brow bone and the upper cheeks (I like Benefit's High Beam - $26) and another coat of mascara, but this is a look that will set you right for the entire evening.

image courtesy of Sephora.com

Are there any makeup tips or tricks that you've learned to create a fast look?

Fall Festivities and Road Trip with the little One!

A couple of weeks ago Sam and I took Charlotte to her first fall festival at Mapleside Farms. It was the perfect afternoon - mid 70's and sunny. The venue had hayrides, a bounce area, and a huge slide for kids to play on. I can't wait to take her back when she's big enough to enjoy it all. She enjoyed getting pushed around in her stroller and posing for pictures for now!

The fam at Mapleside Farms

A week later it was off to Pennsylvania to pick up grandma Birdy for our trek to Washington, DC to visit Auntie S (my sister, Samantha). Auntie S didn't get a chance to hold Charlotte in the hospital so she was very eager to do so now that Charlotte was 7 weeks old at this point. Packing for a trip with a baby was a job in and of itself. You need every imaginable item: diapers, wipes, creams, lotions, wash, onesies, sleepers, pack 'n play, sheets, music maker, play mat, boppy, bottles, bottle warmer/cooler, burp cloths, and the list goes on! The car was packed before we got to PA, but luckily Bird didn't pack too much - although we did have to cart a pumpkin all the way down to Washington, DC for Miss S!

Auntie S with Char Tiger

Grandma, Auntie S and mom with the peanut

Charlotte was great in the car on the ride from Cleveland to PA. PA to DC was a little harrier, but 8 hours in a car was driving ME nuts, so I can't imagine it was fun for a 7 week old baby. We had to stop twice to feed her - and one time I had to nurse her in the back parking lot at Sheetz - not ideal, but that is why it's good to travel with blankets and a boppy!

When we arrived in DC Thursday night around 7 pm, it took awhile to unpack the car filled with babyland goods. Then S and I went and picked up Chinese and we had a lovely laid back evening at S's that night.

The next day we had our first playdate with Jenn and Caleb - he was born ten days before Charlotte!

Jenn and Caleb, and Bird and Charlotte

Jenn and I exchanged tips and tricks and it was nice to chat with a fellow new mommy!

That night we went out to dinner at Clyde's - my first test as a mom with a baby in a restaurant! I definitely got a few glances when I walked into Clyde's carrying a car seat, but most people were just saying how cute she was. I am pleased to say that Charlotte got an A++ on her dinner behavior - sleeping most of the time and sucking quietly on her pacifier the rest. Whooo!

The next day we took her into Georgetown for her first girls shopping adventure. Navigating the busy streets of Georgetown with a stroller wasn't as difficult as I had thought, and S and I took turns steering Charlotte into the stores. We even saw some Penn Stater's canning and had to stop and give them some cash and do a few WE ARE cheers with them! (S attended Penn State).

Later we had to stop for lunch midway through our shopping, and Bird gave Char a bottle in the restaurant. She once again was a great baby! Downside - the restaurant didn't have a place to change her, but S and I managed to do it in the bathroom. What kind of restaurant doesn't have a changing table these days!? Crazy to me.

Bird feeding Charlotte

That night we just laid low and hung out and watched TV. Our friend Alberto stopped by and got to see Charlotte awake for approximately 30 seconds before she fell asleep again - our shopping trip definitely wore her out!

Saying goodbye to S the next day was quite sad - but we'll get to see her again in a couple weeks - hooray!