Products I'm Living By This Summer....

I know this is not my typical "how life is" post. But if you're like me, you love getting a tip for a great, affordable product as much as the next girl. You love having one go-to product that someone you know personally uses, that they say delivers every time.

And if you're like me, you adore seasonal products. That means, if it's summer it smells of fresh scents, works with the heat and humidity, and isn't a hassle.

So for this entry, allow me to say a few words about the products I'm using now-a-days.

Ah, Envia's Conditioning Hair Masque. My mom got it for me, after Elyana was born. Having long hair, and never being able to resist coloring it every few months, gives me extremely dry/damaged hair. Add in the daily blow-drying in the winter, and the occasional straightning and curling, and you've got even more parched hair. Enter this masque. Most masques make my hair so limp, I won't use on a day I know I've got to go in public. I already have volume issues! That or they leave the scalp super oily by that evening/the next day. This one? My hair is so soft and smooth, and not oily, even the next day. Love it!


I discovered this in January and packed it in my hospital bag for Elyana's birth. The morning after she was born I used it and it felt like I was on an island getaway. Seriously! It brought back memories of my 1 year anniversary getaway with Jonathan to Grenada. It made me envision warmer weather and a suntan! Now that summer's here it is the perfect fragrance for a mini vacation in the shower. Heavenly!

My sister Mary, aka the Fashionista, introduced me to this. I used to love tanning booths, but with a baby they are a thing of the past. So I'm constantly on the lookout for a gradual tanning lotion that will not stink, rub off on clothes, or be sticky. This fits all the but last one, and it's only sticky if you wear jeans. Love this, I can use it even day and it's not horribly obvious I'm faking it. :)

This, I adored when I saw it in the Sephora summer catalog! My brother and sister-in-law had so, so kindly gifted me with a Sephora gift card for my birthday, and I only too happily went in to purchase this lovely bronzed, summer palette! I adore it! When I combine the liner with any three of the shawods, on my already (fake) tanned skin, it looks like I have been to the pool and am now ready for a fun evening out! Super beautiful combination, really my favorite one to date, and easy to stash in the purse in case I couldn't get my whole regimen done at home, to finish up in the rearview mirror (once parked, of course - you know you do it too!). My only wish? That this came with applicator brushes and/or had a spot for them!

There you have it.... Denise's summer survival kit! :)

Pictures..

Look what our little Princess has been up to...

She met some horses, and loved them...


She swam in a floatie in a big-person pool that was cold (compared to what she's used to).

She found her feet and loves to suck her toes!

She turned 5 months old!

And she got a perfect, handsome, boy cousin!!! Michael Stuart came into the world at 4:30am on June 17th, weighing 9lb12oz (for my petite 5'1'' sister who only weighs $1 dripping wet, that's a feat in and of itself!)

Picture Recap of our New Bern Getaway...

Elyana and me, ready to go pick up Jonathan/Daddy!!!

These are their first moments since she was exactly 2 months old, the day he left.

This is Jonathan's first morning back. After some initial standoffish-ness, she had warmed up to him by then.

Jonathan letting Elyana gum at bread for a little bit as we ate some fabulous seafood on the water in Beaufort...


Look at them play!

Elyana and me at the beach!

Jonathan shows Elyana the ocean! She was an amazing good baby, we stayed about 2 hours and she got hit by cold ocean water, ate sand, had to have sunscreen slathered all over her, and nursed in the heat under a towel... what a sport!

As a belated birthday & anniversary celebration for us both, we made a Mounds cake. Can I just say it was FABULOUS?

We took Elyana on daily walks outdoors. She loves the outside! She had started to like holding onto stuffed animals. So cute!

Jonathan gets a kick out of posing our little girl.

Less than 24 Hours Left!

I can hardly believe we're getting so close to our reunion! It feels so close now. I have to go to sleep of course, but then tomorrow should go by fast. I have the oil to get changed in the morning, and then the rest of the day to get more work hours in, play with Elyana when she's up, make sure the house is clean, get milk & eggs for breakfast on Friday morning, and of course get myself all dolled up! I have various other things on my to-do list, like returning some items and mailing some packages, but those may fall by the wayside if things just move too quickly. I am so glad tomorrow is full, so that even if Jonathan is hours late, it should still fly by.

Ha! Now it's just about 5 hours until my beloved is home!!! I am SO excited!!! I think the time will fly by, it already has really!

I want to give Elyana's 4 month Well-Baby check stats! She weighed 15.2oz, and was 25 inches tall! She's almost doubled her birthweight (of 7lb 13oz) and has grown 4 1/4 inches since her birth. They said she's in the 70th percentile for her height, and 90th for her weight. I felt really happy and proud with what that means for how breastfeed has been for her. What a delight! I am so grateful for my little chunky-monkey.

I've had her on the 4-hour schedule for a little over 3 weeks now. She eats, and then is up for 2 hours, then sleeps for 2. She transitioned into it really well. I have gotten her to mostly leave out the 4/5am feeding, and just go from a midnight feeding until 6 or 7am, about 80% of the time I attempt it. Again, she seems ready for it. She is getting to a super fun stage where every day there's new development. Recently, she started touching and exploring my face with her hands - so sweet! She also watches me drink water from a glass, and started to reach for it. So I let her, and sure enough she drank/licked it like a big girl! *sniffs* She has found her feet, but only occasionally plays with them. She screams loudly now, in delight most the time, but occasionally frustration. I can't help but laugh (bad momma, I know!). She can be occupied easily for 15 minutes with a toy, which is all the time it takes to drive to base, Wal-Mart, Starbucks, etc so that's just perfect for us.

Lots more, but I'll save it. Back to putting the final touches on the house!!! I cannot WAIT to see my Jonathan!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!