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Friday, May 31, 2013

Birthday Boy // 28

Happy Birthday Campbell!
Even though you love bananas, prefer to sleep at arctic temperatures and make up song lyrics as you go... I think you are as good as they get!!
I am so blessed to be on this journey with you.
Much love,
Caitlin

Here's to many more vacations with you!


Cheers to golf tan lines.


Beautiful view ;)l

Can't wait to go back!

Saturday, May 25, 2013

//Drugstore Makeup Bits//...and a lot of rambling.

Normally I am not one to purchase and love beauty products from the drug store. Honestly, I have not been all that into makeup, aside from wearing a basic daytime face, until the last year or so. When I got married (almost two years ago now, CRAZY!!!), I knew that I was going to have my cousin Dana do my makeup, but I needed to add some good quality basics to my stash. Insert the Bobbi Brown counter. I purchased a few items and was matched for foundation which was a first for me. Ever since I have kind of been on the prowl, and even moreso recently, for the best the beauty counter has to offer. I had a good run with Bare Essentuals pre-wedding and like I said, a solid start with Bobbi, however, then I moved in down the street from Target.
 I personally hated Target. And then we hung out, and now it's love, pure love. Once I became a homeowner it was like Target and I started going steady, but that's another post. Anyway, Target has this beautiful makeup section which is fun just to walk through and enjoy all of the pretty displays. Or the lights? This is going to sound insane, but I swear the lights are different in the beauty aisles at Target. At least at MY Target, as it is now affectionally called, it feels brighter.
 Anyway, an Ulta store opened in our town about a year ago and I found myself drawn to the high-end makeup variety that they offered. I would go to Ulta and totally bypass the drug store side of things: what a jerk! Then recently, I stumbled upon the world of YouTube beauty vloggers. Game changer.This is a dirty confession of sorts because I have spent a lot of time lately, doing... research. Ahem, read: watching the "favorites" videos of said beauty vloggers.
And so was born my love for drug store makeup! These fine ladies have tried it all, from high-end to drug store. And as it turns out, there are tons of little gems hiding right there at the drug store. Right there at my Target! As if I needed something else to fill my cart at Target.
These items are some of the latest to make the cut:

I just opened these products so I cannot do a full review of them yet but I can tell you my initial thoughts.

Wet n Wild H2O Proof Liquid Eyeliner: My first thought when applying this, "Holy crap! A drug store eyeliner that I like!". We will see if I still like this stuff when I try to scrub it off in the morning!! Luckily I'm also testing out a round of eye makeup removers, more on that to come. But this eyeliner when on really nicely and so far has stayed put! I've been wearing it for about 9 hours now and it still looks great. I also liked that even though it was a liquid liner, it dried very quickly and I did not have to worry about getting it everywhere while waiting for it to dry. So far, this actually feels comparable to my Stila Stay All Day Liquid Eyeliner for less than half (less than a quarter?!) of the price.
**This was purchased from Walgreen's. It took Abby and I some serious hunting to track down a store that carried Wet n Wild. Go figure! Until I started looking for it I thought everyone carried Wet n Wild, at least they did when I was in the 6th grade. For the record, my Target does not carry Wet n Wild. Nor does the closest Wal-Mart. Or Ulta. Sheesh.
Aquaphor Lip Repair: This was recommended by a friend who was afraid to even recommend it to me because she knows how picky I can be when it comes to beauty products. So far, I'm really enjoying it! It has no taste which is nice. The hospital gets really dry at night and my lips pay the price. This stuff has kept my lips well protected! I also love that it's totally clear, none of the whiteness that comes with some super strength lip goo, and it's not sticky.
Maybelline Illegal Length Waterproof Mascara: This mascara went on well and really lengthened my lashes. I also felt like it held a curl. The only complaint I have about this mascara is that it did not build well. I ended up layering my Rocket Volume Maybelline mascara over the top of it to build body. However, as a base, or for a simple eye, this stuff added considerable length to my lashes!

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Camera Class

Mom, Abby and I are taking a camera class through our local community education program. I have always wanted to take a community ed class in an effort to truly be a lifelong learner but always seemed unable to find the time. Probably because I was in college. Twice. So here we are, post college life in full swing and I finally signed up for a class. We arrived to meet our teacher and classmates to find the usual first day awkwardness. Our teacher is quite the character. He yells curses, not cuss words, but actual curses, at inanimate objects such as the media projecter, etc. He constantly makes jokes that only he seems to get and then proceeds to laugh to fill the uncomfortable silence of the class. Being someone that finds humor in the awkward, I thought the class was quite entertaining.
At the beginning of class we all had to go around the room and introduce ourselves and say what our experience in photography was. Mine. Um...well. I take a lot of crappy photos of my dog??? One woman claimed to be a "siberian tiger cub photographer."
I mean...he's no siberian tiger cub, but Everett is still cute, and quite fierce. Okay. It's a stretch, but what's a girl to do?
Another woman brought a photo of a cloud that she claimed resembled a starship, at which my teacher held up the photo and made a good natured joke about the recent legalization of marijuana in our state. I found the joke hilarious. And being sleep deprived, which apparently hinders my sense of what is appropriate, laughed. Out loud. Hard. The soccer-mom-photographer of said cloud starship totally missed the reference our teacher was making and seemed to think I was just the crazy girl laughing out of turn. Again, uncomfortable silence followed.
It was fabulous.
We had homework this week. 
This picture is horrible exposed but I think it looks cool. 
Mom, trying to figure out her camera. Avery, trying to figure out why no one is throwing her ball. 
Taken on accident while I was trying to mess with my screen.

Abby totally knows way more than either of us combined. 


Avery being coy.
We may not be fab photographers at the end of this three week cours,e but we will have improved in the art of laughing at ourselves. And possibly, one another.

Friday, May 17, 2013

Declaring it Summer

This post was meant to be posted daaaaaaaayyys ago, but then I got distracted by work and such. Humph. Anyway, we have had some of the nicest weather lately, and by lately, I mean last week. Or er, the week before. Anyway, the girls and I had the best day playing out in the sun. Which got me thinking: I need to be more careful when it comes to the sun. I am totally guilty of many days spent out in the sun with no protection. As I get older, (I'm getting OLD: but that's another post), I've noticed the effects that sun damage has had on my skin. 
Now! Enough back story, to get to the point of my post. This year I am determined to be more careful when it comes to my skin. I want to have a better relationship with my sunscreen than I do with a sunburn. I also want to start a relationship with a sunless tanner. I want to really do my research, and find one that I love. I'm currently dating St. Tropez...and it might be the real thing. Maybe. More on that later. 

Pledge to myself to protect my skin.

Loving this tinted sunscreen. 
In other news,  I thought my black wayfarers had been lost forever, when they turned up in my car. Exactly where I had looked. 10 times. Those sneaky suckers.

Ziva loving the sprinkler. 

Avery fresh out of the sprinkler. She would not let me get one of her in the water. 
Hope everyone is enjoying this warm spring as much as I am! And if anyone wants to pressure me into being faithful to my sunscreen, I'm accepting any and all encouragement!

Sunday, May 5, 2013

Stephanie Comes to the Great Pacific Northwest

A few weeks ago The Best, Stephanie, came up for a much needed visit. Portland was on the agenda.  Naomi graciously offered to be our host. Two Bests in the same weekend. I was in heaven! When Keeno arrived, we stopped at the house to introduce her to A and E and stopped and Mom and Dad's so she could hug Mama Labberton and then off to Portland we went. 
It was so nice to be able to talk in person, face to face, shoulder to shoulder. It felt so refreshing to be able to really get into deep conversation and hash this life, this journey, out. Just being in the car together for hours was dreamy. I know how silly it sounds, but just the opportunity to sit and talk with this lady is a gift. It felt good to discuss what we are hoping, fearing, dreaming, feeling limited by. We always talk about all of these things, but to be able to share them in person with no limits on our time was the best.
We had all kinds of fun. We laughed. A lot. We shopped, drank more coffee than was probably safe, people watched, ate amazing meals, almost got knived, saw a man's bare butt donning only a thong and chaps. We explored Saturday Market, enjoyed the view from Naomi's house, savored the rain, took the bus like natives, got to worship together, found the cutest parking garage ever, drank delicious brews and simply enjoyed togetherness. It was lovely. 
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Right off the plane! SO excited.
Mother's Bistro. Amen.
Nomes and I. 
Rain coats in full effect.
Bussin' it, like a boss.

Getting me addicted to cappuccinos...
Amazing desserts.
More cappuccino. 
Morning faces.
Shopping success.
We also did a little wine tasting. There will be another post on that. 
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