I Can't Believe No One Ever Told Me

that they have beer at Sea World!!!!!!!

What the hell were we doing taking the kiddos to Silver Dollar City and Six Flags when we could have been taking them to Sea World all along? And drinking beer? Damn, who knew? If you knew and didn't tell me, I'm super pissed at you.

Does Disney serve beer? This may figure in to our vacation planning for next year.

Anyway, when I was attempting to get my 2nd beer of the day, they happened to be out of light beer. No big- I just went on about my way and headed over to get P some popcorn and frozen lemonade. All of the sudden Mr. Beer Guy was tapping me on the shoulder- he managed to get about 1/3 of a cup out of his tap and brought it over to me- free! I suppose he thought I needed it- the Wild Child was napping in the jogging stroller, and P was tagging along, looking beyond tired, and Mr. Sasha wasn't around as he was riding an adult ride by his lonesome, and I'm sure I looked out of control as usual. What a sweet beer guy- made my day!

More family fun to come tomorrow......

Ask the Product Junkie: Hershey's Bliss

Ash asks: I keep seeing these commercials for Hershey's Bliss. Have you tried them? You are the snack food/candy guru as well. Let us know if they are worth the $ :)

Ash, you are in luck! (And you can call me Sash, by the way!) CVS has them on special this week (2 bags for $4 after ECB) so I picked up a bag of the Milk Chocolate, and also the Milk Chocolate with a Meltaway Center on Sunday when I was doing the Huggies diaper deal.

Now, typically, I'm not a Hershey chocolate fan. I don't particularly care for their plain chocolate bar, and don't like their plain chocolate kisses. The chocolate just tastes "off" to me. However, I do like some of their specialty products, so I was glad to try these, all in the name of product review of course.

Simply put, love them! They melt fabulously in your mouth, if you can keep from biting into them, and they leave a wonderful taste behind. So go for it, Ash, I really think you'll like them!

Progress? Maybe?

WC has been asking about going to school- and we've been telling her she can go back after she stops biting. She'll say, "OK".

I had to take her with me yesterday when I picked up The Politician, and his class was on the playground. WC's class was out there too, and her teacher came up to us and started crying, so upset that WC wasn't in school this week because of her behavior. It's been the talk of the school, I believe.

Wow. Such drama at such a young age. More to come, I am sure.

Our Pet Piranha

is home today with her DeDe.

Mr. Sasha said she stuck her bottom lip out this AM when he told her she wasn't going to school, looked upset for 1/2 a second, then went and found her Elmo book and said "Read it to me!"

Yeah, cross your fingers that time with grandparents and mom and dad without Bubba around doesn't turn out to be The Most Fun Ever.

Sorry, no lylas from me today. I'm kinda meh. I mean, I do love ya, just don't feel pink and swirly right now.....

For Holly: Target Liquid Dispensing System

I love this so much that I will actually pass on the of convenience of CVS's drive thru pharmacy and drag my two ornery kids smack dab in the middle of Target to pick my liquid meds up since I heart their liquid dispensing system so much.

See the pic above? There is this little insert in the bottle that allows you to insert your dosing syringe, flip it over, pull out just how much you need, flip the bottle back up, and voila! No mess!!!!!!

And if you ask super nice and bat your eyes a bit, they will even give you the inserts for your OTC meds like Motrin and Sudafed!!!!!!! Oh, it rocks. Best thing ever, and I totally should have thought of it.

Well, Crap

The Wild Child bite someone today. On the face. Left a huge bite mark, even though it didn't break the skin. I imagine the parents freaked out when they got their to pick up their child.

So Mr. Sasha and I have made the decision to suspend her from school for a week ourselves. I am trying to call the director to tell her what we've decided, but she doesn't seem to have call waiting.... "I'm sorry that line is busy..."

Anyway, this is unacceptable behavior and we've got to do something radical. Six months ago and I would have freaked out about her being out of school for a week, but it's time for something BIG. Between my parents, Mr. Sasha's parents and sister, and the planned vacation we have for next Thursday and Friday, we've got next week covered.

Hopefully the school and the parents of the child/children she's been biting will appreciate our efforts. And most of all, hopefully it will break the cycle.

I think she'll be crushed Monday when The Politician goes to school and she doesn't. That's exactly what we are going for.

Cross your fingers it works......

Effective Discipline Method Found!

Yesterday, The Wild Child did a little chomping, but that led her teacher to find AN EFFECTIVE DISCIPLINE METHOD for her!!!! Yay!

Nose in the corner. She hates it, cries, and it totally hits home that she did something wrong! I am now going to be using this method at home to be consistent. Trust me, there will be plenty of opportunities. I talked with her teacher this AM and she thinks we have struck gold. Relief is washing over me and maybe I'm not the worst mom ever, we just had not yet discovered what was effective with The Wild Child.

By the way, another photobucket steal above- people, if you don't want your photos thieved, make your photobucket account private! That's a message to you, a-1tilemom!

So Who Am I?

Christen writes: okay maybe i missed something.... how are you such an expert in makeup? I am def trying the two faced products! Sounds fab! :)

Christen, I am definitely not an expert, by any stretch of the imagination. I am a product junkie, however, and if you are wondering about a new product, there's a good chance I have tried it and have an opinion on it! Let me know what you think about the Two Faced products!

Here's the little bio blurb I wrote for A Million Little Glosses, the beauty blog I contribute to:

I'm 34 and grew up and still live in the Southwest, where it was pretty much all the rage to bake your skin (face and all) to a nice crispy dark brown shade every summer! As a result, I suffer from some sun damage, and of course some wrinkles, which may or may not have something to do with wearing contacts since 4th grade.

I have naturally light brown hair that I highlight the hell out of. Blue eyes. My skin is pretty combo and can have some dry patches from time to time. I'd describe my skin color as PDP (pretty damn pale).

I like a natural look but love to experiment with vivid lip colors and am partial to rosy stains with sparkly gloss on top.

I'm a self-professed product junkie. If it's new and pretty, I'll buy it.

Phew, Wed was a Good Day

Well, we gave The Wild Child some Motrin yesterday because she is cutting her top two year molars, and I am looking for something to blame the biting on.

Whether that was the reason, I don't know, but she had a fabulous day and didn't bite at all!

We are continuing the Motrin today too for good measure.

Plus the assistant director loves it when I brings meds with the Target dispensing system in it. Why didn't I invent that?????

Ask the Product Junkie: Tinted Moisturizer

sweet-seventeen writes: Oh, it would be so awesome if you could recommend a good tinted moisturizer. My skin tends to be sensitive, especially to new products on it, and I have no clue which ones are the best and which ones will make me break out or get shiny. (If it helps, I'm PDP, too. lol.) Thank you!

You betcha.

One of my long-time faves (probably 15 years!) has been Clinique's Almost Makeup ($19.50). Sheer, lightweight, non-oily, this is pretty fabulous. I have relatively sensitive skin, and never experienced breakouts or extra oil while using this product.

It even has an SPF of 15.

I have always purchased the Light, which used to be the lightest shade- but it looks like they have even more colors available now so I'd probably stop by a counter and see what shade works best before I purchase again. If you can time your purchase with a GWP (gift with purchase), even better!

Application is super easy- I typically use a damp sponge. However, I have recently been using a damp foundation brush and like that as well and it seems more sanitary.

Another tinted moisturizer I recently discovered is Stila's Illuminating Tinted Moisturizer ($32). It's become my weekend staple and I love love love this product. It's perfect for the PDP!

Even better, it's available as part of the above Best of Stila Set, which is a $120.50 value for only $40 at Ulta. For just $8 more, you get five more products! Well worth it.

I Am Failing

Note from school:

The Wild Child was playing with another child in the playroom under the slide and bit the child on the head above her right ear. No other children were affected. The Wild Child sat in the corner, was told not to bite her friends, and apologized.

Also, right after I was discussing this with her teacher, The Politician said, "Momma, I ate some moon sand today, so I'll probably throw up tonight."

Uncle.

Dear Bret Michaels,

Listen, why don't you just admit that Heather is your perfect match and call off the show? You know it, I know it, everybody in my office knows it, and even Ambre and Daisy and Destiny know it.

Now, I'm sure you are contractually obligated to continue the show with VH1, and yes, it's fabulously trashtastic. But we all know you and Heather have a thing going on, and basically she's your perfect match.

Now that the writer's strike is over and my other faves like The Office (and Greek!!!!) are coming back, I've got less time for fake trash TV. Just wanted to make sure you knew that.

You Take The Good, You Take The Bad

Well, my 5K went fab this AM. 29:40! I am excited! I've got another one coming up on May 3rd and I am excited to keep working on my time.

As for the bad, well, WC attempted to bite 4 times yesterday, and two of the attempts were completed....................

Also, they said she doesn't seem to "get" the concept of time-out, as she chose to laugh, dance, and sing a few songs while there. Now, I could have told them that.

So start crossing your fingers again that we don't get kicked out. For good measure, I am going garden shopping for the school garden on Sunday and will probably attend the Catholic pancake breakfast before church tomorrow. Cause it can't hurt.

Ask the Product Junkie: Eye Makeup

Shannie writes: Please tell me about non-smudging eye makeup. I don't care what I buy, it smudges and I look like a raccoon by the end of the day. Please help!

Oh Shannie, this ties in perfectly with the Too Faced eye makeup review I've been meaning to do for almost 2 weeks! Thanks for kicking me in the ass and making me get it done!

I went along with Slim to Ulta a few weeks ago to watch her get a Too Faced makeover by a Too Faced makeup artist. It was fab! I intently watched every move the artist made, asked a million questions about her techniques and even what makeup she was personally wearing, and probably convinced her that I was a freak. Or maybe not, because she did offer to do a touch-up on me since I wasn't bare-faced. Fun!


One product I was particularly interested was the eye shadow primer, something I haven't used since the old days when I used Clinique's Touch Base, which I stopped using because I hated using my finger to apply it. Recently, I've heard a lot about Urban Decay's Primer Potion (called UDPP by beauty bloggers), but I've also read a lot about how their delivery sucks and leaves a lot of product unreachable in the tube.

But I am in love with Too Faced's Shadow Insurance ($17)! Much better application system. The makeup artist said to squeeze a small amount on a concealer brush and apply all over your lid up to your brow. It's amazing how much better my eye shadow wears when I use this. I am wearing eye shadows I never wore before because I could never get a good application from them. Now I know the secret.....

Next, she showed me Too Faced's Liquif-Eye ($17.50). What a fab product! This turns any eye shadow into an eyeliner that lasts all day! So now I'm always able to have a coordinating eye liner to go with my chosen shadow. Now, I was a liquid eyeliner virgin, but this is relatively fool-proof if you go slowly. The result is a just more intense version of the eye shadow you choose. You'll love it.

I'm always on the make for that perfect mascara. Here's my wish list of mascara qualifications:

• doesn't run or smudge throughout the day, even when I exercise
• thickens
• lengthens dramatically
• is easy to take off

I thought I'd found my HG mascara a few months ago when I discovered Fiberwig ($22). Fiberwig met all my qualifications except it didn't do much to thicken.

However, Lash Injection ($19.50) does! Magnificently!

Note that removing the fiber mascaras is a little different and takes a little getting used to. When you remove them, your cotton ball doesn't get all black and smeary. The mascara comes off in little tubes, almost solidly. Fiberwig's marketing includes the slogan "No more panda eyes" and that goes for Lash Injection, my absolutely most favorite mascara ever. Seriously.

So have fun shopping!

You've got to be kidding me

Guys, The Wild Child had been doing so great at school and hadn't bitten in weeks, maybe months.

But today she bit someone. Her closest little buddy.... on the face.

I am crushed. And at a loss as to what to do.

Ask the Product Junkie: Self Tanners

Clemsongirl asks: How about the self tanner dealies at BBW? Thoughts?

Courtney writes: ooh! I'd like a review on your favorite self tanner please!

First and foremost, you should know I love to be tan. I spent so many years trying to get (and usually achieving) that savage tan. I always feel prettier with a tan. But alas, we now know that it's bad for your skin...... So a few years back I decided no more outside or bed tanning for me.

I was always freaked out by self-tanning lotions because of all the orange results I'd seen on others so I stayed away.

So when Jergens first came out with their gradual tanner in 2004, I rushed to try it. I was not impressed. The smell was off-putting and I could not get even color, especially on my legs. So I gave up for a little while.

Next I tried Dove's version. A little better, but still not something I enjoyed using.

Now, one of my favorite beauty bloggers is Beauty Addict. Last summer she did a feature called Fake Bake Month and I discovered St. Ives Healthy Brilliance Renew & Glow.



Oh, what a much better smell! The color was great for me and it actually was a terrific body lotion as a bonus. Easy to spread, dries fast, develops into a nice light tan after a few days. I found it at Target and it was reasonably priced at around $7. I was sold.

Of course, you'll never get identical results to an actual outdoor tan, and my results were nowhere near as dark as the savage tan I was used to getting..... but this is probably the next best thing. Check out Beauty Addict and give some of her suggestions a try!

Edited to add: Well, damn. It looks like it may have been discontinued. I haven't bought it since last summer..... I am very disappointed! Maybe it's still in some stores, though. Be on the lookout.

I guess it's back to Beauty Addict's reviews and I'll try to find something similar.

Taking Submissions: Ask the Product Junkie

Rachael had a fab idea- I should do a write-in feature! Fun!

Are you wondering about any new products you've seen? Makeup questions? We're talking food, cleaning products, candy, beauty products, clothes, anything.

Cause here's the deal: If it's new, on an endcap, or there's a coupon for it, I've probably bought it. And believe me, I've got opinions. Mr. Sasha is convinced there's a career out there for me in product review, but I'm not so sure. I'm a little like Rosie Perez's character on White Men Can't Jump, I know a little bit about a lot of stuff.

Anyway, leave me a comment with your question and I'll post some answers later today!

Also, can anyone think of a better name for the feature besides Ask the Product Junkie? Creativeness is my downfall.

Beer:30

One of the mottos in contention for NLP: RD: Motto is "Every day is a liquor convention" and of course there is WC's suggested "I need ice!".

Here in the south(west) we're stating to have some fab days mixed in with our 20 degree days. Saturday was one of those nice days and Mr. Sasha suggested we grill hamburgers. I ran to WalMart since we had none of the stuff on hand, and wandered down the beer aisle.

Ever since I'd seen the Tea Partay video last year (East is so much better than West), I've been dying to try to Smirnoff Raw Tea and this was the perfect occasion. I found the Raspberry variety and into my cart it went.
verdict: Yum! And more yum! Light and refreshing.... I downed two before I even realized it. No aftertaste. Just wonderful. I'll be buying more and can see these being a staple this summer.

I'm also a fan of the original Blue Moon, and yesterday when I was at Target at lunch I found this new version:

Blue Moon Rising Moon Spring Ale. So of course I bought this too. I don't know when I think I'm going to drink this all. Maybe you can come over for a drink this weekend.

Ask the Product Junkie

JKW writes: Hey! I have a makeup question for you! Along with transforming the body...I am in desperate need of a new lip and eye color...and have noticed your makeup reviews...any particular suggestions for a fair skinned person like me? I need a lip color that doesn't rub off in two seconds....Thanks!

Well, first of all, I'm so flattered you asked me! I do have some suggestions for you.

I describe myself as PDP (pretty damn pale) and it looks as though our hair color is about the same... so I think some things that work well for me may work well for you too.

First, let me tell you about my HG (holy grail) lip routine.

First, I apply TheBalm's Stainiac in Beauty Queen (it's berry pink, not the shade above). It's a fabulous gel stain that lasts quite a long time. I find I get the most even long-lasting wear from a gel stain. It's $14 at Sephora and a great buy because it lasts forever.

Then, once that's dry, I apply Bare Escentuals's Buxom Lips in Dominique (again, not the shade above- Dominique is a shimmery clear). Love love love this gloss- but only Dominique- don't try the colored ones as they suck. Dominique is $18 from Sephora. Still a good value- I've been using the same tube since Christmas pretty much every day and I still have half left.

Now, if you are looking for a drugstore HG, have I got the product for you.

I've been using Revlon's ColorStay Overtime Sheer in Sheer Pomegranate for years. I bet I've bought 10 tubes of this. The color is fabulous for someone with our coloring and I get almost all-day wear with this. I do reapply the topcoat a few times throughout the day, but the base color stays on very well. At under $10 at most drugstores and stores like WalMart and Target, this is a super buy and would probably be my recommendation on what you should try first.

Stay tuned for my long-promised Too Faced eye product post! I am still loving these three new products I got!

Happy Easter!

We had a fabulous Easter. The weather was much better than predicted and there were no rain clouds in sight.

Of course, after the kids got their eggs, I couldn't get them to look up for a picture, so this is all I've got. Like 10 of these. The Wild Child is all about the chocolate. I had to confiscate about 10 million pieces of gum, because The Politician swallowed some because no one besides me knew that Razzles turned into gum. Didn't they see 13 Going On 30?

And of course, as is typical in the south(west), our day was capped off by a little fishing. Hard to see, but The Politician caught him a little fish. He ran up the hill waving his pole around so excited and managed to whap my mom and his aunt Bridge in the face with his fish.

Hope you all had a nice holiday with your family!