Ladies Who Link: Favorite Makeup Products

Today I'm linking up for my first time with Ladies Who Link.

I've enjoyed following Allie, and couldn't pass up this chance to blog about makeup that I love and get ideas from everyone else.

 

I always love those women who don't have to wear makeup. 

Their skin is flawless and if I were them I wouldn't ever cover my skin either. 

Unfortunately, I'm not one of those women. 

Acne hit me hard in my teen years, and as a result I have a lot of scarring. 

I hate those scars so much, so I try to hide them as much as possible. 

I'm debating having a little procedure done that will diminish those scars. 

I'm really looking for anyone who has had a similar procedure done and if it was worth it. 

So, in the meantime I cover it up. 

I've spent so much time and money on my skin that I am so fearful to put a product on it and cause a reaction, so I tend to splurge on my makeup. 

In addition, my skin is very sensitive from all of the products that I've used over the years that I have to be careful about what I use. 

Here are the different brands of makeup that I've used in the past couple years. 

Jane Iredale

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H&H Science

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Rig and Co

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I really trust my dermatologist and when I first started seeing her they sold Jane Iredale makeup, so I started using that. 

Not too long later my dermatologist started making her own makeup, so I started using H&H Science. 

Then, I went to an image consultation at a local salon and started using Rig and Co. 

I love my dermatologist, but I started feeling like the people in the boutique weren't that knowledgeable about questions I was asking and didn't seem like they really wanted to help me find the right product. 

So, when I had the chance to go to a local salon and talk with ecstatic people about makeup, I was hooked. 

Typically, I use a combination of Rig and Co. or H&H Science products. 

Here are some of my other favorites...
Makeup Remover

I used to buy this at my dermatologist, but I ran out, and it's not close to where I live. 

So, I'm supplementing with these. 

A local spa told me that these remove makeup just as well as any other brand. 

I was fearful at first that they might burn my skin, but I've only ever felt a little tingle for not too long. 

I'm still in search for the perfect mascara.

I like ones that make my lashes look longer but not too bulky. 

Any great ideas, let me know!!!

Super Simple Supper and Dessert

Today I'm all about a super simple meal for supper. 

I love planning ahead and making meals the night or day before. 

This meal can be made ahead, and it makes enough for you to have for several nights!

Poorman's Steak and Semi-Homemade Apple Pie

Poorman Steak

You Need:

1 Pound Hamburg

3/4 Cup Milk

1/4 tsp. Pepper

1 tsp. Salt

1 C. Cracker Crumbs

2 Tbsp. Chopped Onion

1 Can Cream of Mushroom Soup

Mix all of the ingredients together except for the mushroom soup. 

Put into a loaf pan. 

Let sit in the refrigerator overnight or 8 hours. 

Slice and fry til brown. 

Put in shallow pan.

Mix mushroom soup with 1/2 can of water. 

Bake 1 hour at 350.

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Semi-Homemade Apple Pie

I'm usually a completely homemade kind of pie crust girl, but I had two pie crusts in my refrigerator since Christmas and thought I should use them!

In addition, I had 4 Granny Smith apples in there as well. 

So, I set off to make a super easy Dutch Apple Pie. 

You Need:

4 Apples (I used Granny Smith this time)

1/2 C. Sugar

1/4 C. Flour

1 tsp Cinnamon 

1 T. Lemon Juice

Topping:

1/4-1/2 C. Butter

1 C. Flour

1 C. Brown Sugar

Less than 1/4 C. Sugar

Set the oven to 400

Peel and slice the apples. 

Add the flour, sugar, cinnamon and lemon juice. 

 Roll out the refrigerated pie crust into a pie plate. 

Roll the edges and crimp as desired. 

Spoon the apple mixture into the pan. 

Mix together the topping mixture of flour and brown sugar. 

Add in the butter to make a crumbled mixture. 

Top the pie with the crumbled mixture. 

Sprinkle less than 1/4 C. sugar on top. If you want more or less sugar, adjust as desired.

Bake 40 minutes.

I usually don't love pre-made pie crusts, but this pie tasted delicious!

January Book Review

I'm a bit late, but today I'm talking about books. 

It only seems right to recap what I read each month since by day I teach reading and writing.
So, here I have for you five great books from January!

Love Your Life Not Theirs

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Anymore I love informational texts! 

Now, I'm not so sure I want to sit down and read a history textbook, but I love books of ideas for the classroom and financial tips. 

I've read all of the Dave Ramsey books so far and was so happy to find this one by Rachel under my Christmas tree!

I will say I think a lot of the tips and tricks that they've mentioned in previous books were in this one, but I loved a little refresher and a few new ideas since I'm now married and have different financial goals!

Trapped

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This book had been floating around my classes for the past couple years. 

I just never got around to checking it out. 

My love for snow and wish to one day be snowed in somewhere made me eager to read this!

A couple of students stick around after school to be picked up by a parent only for that parent to never show.

It started snowing and didn't let it. 

The students were TRAPPED in the school with nearly no way to get out. 

It was a quick read, but definitely had a different ending than I expected. 

Shaken

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A few years ago I bought Tim Tebow's first book for my brother. 

I'm not sure that he read it, but I stole it from him and read it. 

I loved Tebow's first book so much that I got the second one under my Christmas tree!

I think I enjoyed this book more than the first.

The reoccurring theme was not to be shaken- that God has a plan!

Numerous times Tebow's initial plans did not work out, but he didn't let them get to him. 

His accountability team built him up and he saw those hurdles not as challenges but as re-directional tools leading him to the life God meant for him to live.

Perseverance, persistence and trust is what this book was about! 

Gathering Blue

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Ok, if you've never read The Giver you need to read that book first. 

Currently, I'm reading that aloud to my 8th graders. 

They are so confused and love it at the same time!

Gathering Blue is the sequel to The Giver. 

I read The Giver when I was in school but had no idea there was a quartet to it!

So, I recently started reading them. 

In a community nearby Jonas' a girl named Kira lives. 

She was born with a physical impairment, so the rest of the community thinks she isn't worthy to live, but what they don't know is she has hidden talents. 

Messenger

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This is the third book to The Giver. 

Matty lives in the village and has been a great messenger, but he's not prepared for the last message that he has to deliver. 

Matty must make it through the Forest before the Village decides to block all newcomers. 

I just finished the final book-Son. 

I still think The Giver is the best one, but read them all. 

Let me know what you think. 

Well, I just finished up Son, am reading The Giver with my students and am reading a mystery and preparing questions for a final class book for my students. 

Happy Reading!

Friday Favorites: V-Day Weekend!

It's Valentine's Weekend!

Whether you're single, dating or married, I hope you get to spread the love and enjoy being with those you love. 

We're back at it for another round of favorites on this Friday. 

I'm linking up with Erika, Narci and Andrea. 

Grab their graphic and linkup with your favorites from the week.

Facial

Saturday morning I enjoyed a relaxing facial. 

There's just something about clean, healthy skin that I love.

Unfortunately, my Clarisonic died after about 5 years.
I'm still debating buying a new one.
There are so many new ones compared to when I first bought mine.
I need to research and figure out which one would work best for me!

Since my Clarisonic is no longer working, I opted for a facial.
I'm really considering having some laser treatment done to relieve some acne scarring.
I haven't totally decided to take the plunge, but I'm curious what you all think.

Has anyone had skin laser treatments?
What are your thoughts on all of the Clarisonic options?

Sunshine and Pretty Sunrises

This was my view waiting to go in for my facial. 

This winter hasn't even seemed like a winter.
We've barely gotten any snow.
One week it's 60 degrees and the next it's 20.

Don't mind my streaked windows from the salt and snow/rain. 

Plants!!

Each year I grow some of my own plants. 

My dad and I always start them from seed, and then transplant them outside. 

I really swear by growing your own. 

It's fun to see nothing turn into something, and I get to pick and choose the varieties that I want ahead of time.

I planted my violet geraniums on Sunday night.

Wednesday morning they looked like this

Wednesday afternoon all but one were up!

I love growing impatiens.
I will plant them later on in the month.

Last year the ones I grew from seed grew bigger than any others that I bought from a greenhouse.
They are easy and pretty!

Snow Delay

The last few weeks have been rough!
I've broken up a fight, had choice words said to me and tried to referee the constant contention in the halls.
As much as the teachers want a snow day, the kids NEED one!!
We actually have flowers coming up here in Ohio in FEBRUARY!
Our winter has been quite unusual.

At first we got a delay and then we cancelled!
I spent my morning reading, blogging, reading blogs and enjoying some cocoa and water!

Grad Classes

I've decided to sign up for two grad classes. 

Every five years we need renewal hours, and even though I've already met mine, I found two classes that really interest me and are on sale. 

Reaching and Teaching Gifted Students in the Regular Classroom 

and 

Teaching Poverty's Children 

are two hot topics for me right now!

I'm taking the classes online and on paper through Advancement Courses.

I'm a bit leery about taking a paper course, but it wasn't offered online. 

I really think these courses will help me immensely to learn more about the kids I serve on a daily basis. 

This past year has been the first year since I was 4 and started Kindergarten that I haven't been taking a class. 

I started college and then transferred, so to catch up I always took summer classes. 

Then, I started my master's. 

Last December I finished my master's and then I started 3 online classes because they were a good deal and on high interest topics. 

I finished my last course over the summer and have been class free since then. 

This was my first year not coaching cross country in the fall and not having classes!

So, now I'm ready to learn again!!

It's Valentine's Day weekend!
Well, at least for us it is.
We are having dinner with some friends and then going to try out our hand with a paint and sip night.
I'm not coordinated in athletics or with drawing/painting.
Let's hope this goes well!
Enjoy!

Crockpot Cream Cheese Chicken Chili

Today is all about great recipes!

I'm linking up with Allie to share one of my recent favorites for the crock-pot. 

Cream Cheese Chicken Chili

For my bridal shower we asked each person to bring a recipe. 

One of my best friend's gave me this one. 

I made it last week, and we've been eating it ever since!

 Items Needed:

2 or more Chicken Breasts

 1 Packet Dry Ranch

1 Can Rotel Tomatoes

1 Can Black Beans, drained and rinsed

1 Can Corn

Onion Powder

Cumin

Chili Powder

Block of Cream Cheese

This was super easy!

Layer frozen chicken breasts on bottom of crock-pot (I used 3).

Add Rotel tomatoes, black beans, corn and spices. 

Mix together. 

Top with cream cheese. 

Cook on low 7-8 hours. 

Shred chicken. 

Enjoy!

Or

Make some brown rice. 

Layer chicken mixture on top!!
Enjoy!

Since I'm gone so long during the day, and perhaps because I'm afraid something will catch fire, I put all of the ingredients together the night before and baked everything over night. 

It cooked about 8 hours and smelled great when I woke up. 

I pulled the crock-pot off the base. 

Mixed in the cream cheese that hadn't fulled dissolved.

I then, shredded some of the chicken. 

Let it cool. 

Put it in the refrigerator. 

When I came home from work I decided to make some rice and we layered the chicken mixture on top.

What I love about this recipe is that you can use FROZEN chicken breasts. 

You don't even have to cook them ahead of time!!

Also, I don't love tomatoes or beans, but they taste great in this recipe!

Finally, I detest rice. 

My husband suggested having brown rice with it. 

I LOVED the rice with it!!!

Yum! 

This meal made so much that I've eaten it so many times for dinner and taken it in my lunch at school. 

Everyone has been asking what smells so good!!

Workin' It

Today I'm back at it linking up with Shay and Erika. 

We're sharing how we 

Keep Our Marriages Strong

I'm by far a rookie in this category. 

I've been married for about 7 months, and each day I keep working at it.

There are a few things that my husband and I do to try to set us up for success.

Eat Dinner Together
Every single night we sit down and eat together. 
This gives us a chance to share our days. 
I really love eating and getting to hear about his day. 
Some days he has more to share and other times I do. 
I really think it's good for us to share. 


Exercise
This one is a work in progress, but we try to workout together once a week. 
In the summer we enjoy nightly walks together. 
I'm more of a speed racer, so he has to remind me that we're doing it for enjoyment and to slow down.

Right now, he's been riding the bike while I run outside or sometimes he runs with me. 
He doesn't love to run, so when he runs it means a lot to me. 
I don't mind if he rides along or runs, but I enjoy that extra time together.


Renovations

Just picking out our couch and some pillows to match!!

This is probably the best way that we keep our marriage strong. 

We love to fix things up!

We bought my grandma's house and spent about two years renovating it. 

We're now nearly done, so we have a lot of time on our hands, and my husband keeps talking about how he wishes we had something to fix up. 

I think a garage is in our near future, but we really did enjoy spending every week at Lowe's.

We loved getting color samples and visiting furniture stores.

 That was really us. 

Hopefully we will find more projects in our future, but it's nice that we compliment each other in fixing things up!