Spirit-Led Parenting Book Buying Day

Today is such an exciting day for my dear friend and sorority sister, Megan, who blogs at Sorta Crunchy. Her book Spirit-Led Parenting: From Fear to Freedom in Baby's First Year was released yesterday and today is designated as the Book Buying Party! I just ordered my copy and hope you'll join in supporting Megan by buying one as well.

Although P was a relatively easy baby, if you've been a Sasha Says reader from the beginning you know that parenting WC as in infant was a struggle. Due to unmanaged pain from her ulcerated hemangioma, poor WC just couldn't rest comfortably and peaceful sleep was something that didn't come easy. Both my pediatrician and a certain book that was recommended to me left me feeling like I was "doing it all wrong" and each time I was unable to follow their instructions about sleep training, my heart broke a little bit, leaving me feeling helpless.

Megan and Laura, her co-author, have such a way with words and focus on encouragement rather than shame. I imagine this book is perfect for mothers in situations like mine.

I don't think I can sum it up any better than the description on Amazon:

Over the years, a mainstream approach to Christian parenting has emerged, and it’s one that promotes sleep training and feeding schedules for infants, warns that spoiled children and marital discord are certain by-products of homes where newborns are over-indulged, and promotes these methods as the Biblical way to care for a new baby. Unfortunately, the message of mainstream parenting advice preys on the universal fear of new parents everywhere: the fear that if they stray from the program, their babies and their marriages will suffer. In Spirit-Led Parenting: From Fear to Freedom in Baby's First Year, two mothers share their stories. They tell of a journey that began in fear-soaked, tear-stained days marked by an overwhelming fear of failure that eventually found redemption in discovering the freedom to ignore the wisdom of man and follow the direction of the Spirit.

And if you happen to be local, I hope you can attend the Book Release party hosted by Hollywood Housewife on April 21. I won't be able to attend, but will be there in spirit.

Yay for Pepsi Next!

For about 5 years, I have been lamenting the loss of my beloved C2, Coke's lower calorie cola option that was available from about 04-07.

I have one single can of Coke every morning as my coffee. I loved that C2 tasted so close to regular Coke, but with just half the calories. I have tried to switch to both Diet Coke and Coke Zero, and both make me feel sick a few hours after I drink them. Plus they just don't taste good.

So after C2 was discontinued, I reluctantly went back to the classic Coke because there just wasn't a good substitute.

HOWEVER, on Friday night I picked up a can of Pepsi Next and am excited to report that it's so so so close to the taste of regular full-sugar cola! As soon as I am out of my stockpile of Coke, I'm totally switching over.

In related news, I am wondering how in the world I missed this product launch. Did you guys hear about it somewhere?

Marketing 101

Last week I was at The Walmartz, and stopped by the home fragrance section to see if they had my favorite seasonal candle (Febreze Winds & Springtime) in stock yet, seeing as it's a springtime scent, and well, it's Spring Time! I only have 2 left in my stash from last year, so I needed to stock up! 2 is clearly not enough for a Y2K hoarder like me.

As all Internet-research crazy bloggers do, I did some homework before I headed to the store, and I was glad to see that Winds & Springtime was still listed in the Seasonal scents category on the Febreze website.

And yeah, I found no Winds & Springtime.

But..... it appears there is a new Limited Edition spring scent.... Brilliant Spring Blossoms. That.smells.exactly.like.Winds.&.Springtime.

And of course is not listed on their website.

Dear Febreze. Is it so hard to update your website with your current offerings? I've discussed this time and time again on my blog, and we all agree, and I just don't see why companies and their marketing departments can't keep up with their product lines. 

The concept is not hard y'all.

Lylas, Sasha

But at any rate, let me report that Brilliant Spring Blossoms *is* brilliant! It's light, springy, and fresh, and I love it. So if it has, in fact, replaced Winds & Springtime, I approve. I stamp my Sasha Says approval.

Race Report: Dallas Rock 'n' Roll Half

Skinny Runner sometimes posts Crappy Reader Race Pic and I finally have one to send her.

It appears I do something strange with my mouth when I run. As well as my right hand. And if I had noticed the girl on my right, I might have stopped and checked on her- boy does she look tired.


I un-PR'ed this one.... it got HOT and I've been pretending like I don't have a leg injury, so I added 13 minutes onto my prior PR of 2:13 on this course last year. We'll just pretend Sunday didn't happen. At least I looked good in my SR shirt!

All I all, I did have a fabulous weekend since I had some dear friends along to share the experience. I'm not upset at all about my time, just so grateful for getting to spend time with friends I value so much.

Garnier B.B. Cream: Review and Giveaway

I was recently invited to join the BzzAgent Garnier B.B. Cream campaign, and I jumped at the chance. I have heard so much about BB creams, and have even tried (and liked!) one by Dr. Jart+ from Sephora, but at $32 for 1.7 oz, I have been watching for a more affordable option.

Say goodbye to dull skin. Banish blotchiness. And discoloration and dryness? They're done for. Thanks to new Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector B.B. Cream – an all-in-one beauty solution that renews, brightens, evens, hydrates and protects – your precious face is in the best of hands.

Short for Beauty Balm, Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector B.B. Cream combines intense hydration with tinted minerals and Vitamin C, so you can ditch that drawn-out beauty routine for naturally more even, radiant and smooth skin in minutes.

Used as often as you want to refresh your look, Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector B.B. Cream instantly delivers big results:

• Renews radiance
• Brightens your complexion
• Evens skin tone and blurs imperfections
• Hydrates for 24 hours
• Protects against UVA & UVB rays with SPF 15

Garnier B.B. Cream is available at mass retailers (such as Target and Wal-Mart) for a suggested retail price of $12.99.




The texture of this B.B. cream is lovely- it's creamy, but not greasy. I find that it sinks right in to my skin. I use a damp foundation brush to apply it and top with a finishing powder to set.

I've noticed that a lot of B.B. creams only have one color option, but Garnier's version has two shades- Light/Medium and Medium/Deep.

I liked the product that BzzAgent sent me so much, that I purchased one to give away to a Sasha Says reader! Read on to find out how.






a Rafflecopter giveaway

Spring Color

Spring is here and I am ready for Indian Paintbrush! I love seeing it along the highway and it's just part of home. And the vibrant color reminds me of this year's Pantone Color of the Year, Tangerine Tango.

Sephora has a great collection in collaboration with Pantone, and I bet you are absolutely shocked that I ordered the nail polish set. Can you believe it?

It came yesterday and I am so ready to wear these beautiful shades.

Running Playlist for the Half

Yup, I a dork. Such a dork that I thought about making a shirt that says"Glee-fully Running the Half". You don't have to be my friend anymore if you don't want to. I know I'm not cool.

But I do love Glee. The music most of all. In my dreams, I'm a fabulous singer and performer and up there belting out tunes along with the cast. So that takes my mind off the running a bit.

And of course I had to add Call Me Maybe on the playlist. I made the mistake of playing it for WC and now it is playing nonstop so I'm not sure how much long I'm going to love it. But for now, it still makes me smile.

What do you listen to while you run?

And in this corner.... HD powder comparison

A few years ago, I tried MAKE UP FOR EVER's (MUFE) HD Microfinish Powder and fell in love with it. However, it's pretty pricy and I kept my eyes open for a cheaper alternative.

A I found it! e.l.f. has a much better priced alternative that is identical in my eyes.

on the left: MAKE UP FOR EVER's HD Microfinish Powder ($30 for .35 oz)

on the right: e.l.f. Studio High Definition Powder ($6 for 8 grams, or 0.28 oz)

Both are colorless, mattifying finishing powders that can be used on all skintones- don't let the white color scare you. It virtually disappears on your skin. I absolutely cannot tell the difference between the two products.

AND, I actually prefer the e.l.f. container- you can see that is it larger. I like to tap a bit of powder in the lid and dip my powder brush in the lid before I apply. The lid for the MUFE powder is so small, it's hard to tap the powder in the lid without loosing product to the counter and making a huge mess. The lid for the e.l.f. powder is much bigger and there's less chance of powder flying out.

Bottom line: I see no reason to purchase the MUFE powder over the e.l.f. powder. Buy the budget alternative and spend the extra $24 on something else!

e.l.f. often runs specials, and thru today, they are offering free shipping on orders over $13.50 if you use code FREESHIP, plus ebates offers 5.5% cash back if you start your shopping there. I recommend checking out their studio brushes (you NEED a contour brush for your crease) or Warm Bronzer ($3!) if you are looking for other items to purchase.

Q-tips

I am a long-time Q-tips user. One of the first things I do when I get out of the shower is use one to dry off all the crevices of my ears. I know it's a sensory thing- I just can stand my ears to feel wet!

But there are many many other uses for Q-tips, especially the Precision Tips Q-tips. I have found quite a few uses for them in my beauty routine.

This pic shows a Precision Tip Q-tip on the left, and a regular Q-tip on the right.

One of my favorite uses is to use Precision Tips Q-tips to apply my eyeshadow as an eyeliner. In this pic, I have gently rubbed the Q-tip against Stila Barefoot Contessa, one of my favorite crease shades. Using the Q-tip allows me to quickly and easily have coordinating eye liner.

I know you don't want to see pictures of my wrinkly under-eye, so here's what my lower eye liner looks like when I apply it using this method.

A few other ways I like to use Precision Tips Q-tips:

• Mascara Error Corrector: If I get a smudge of mascara on my eyelid or below my eyes when I am applying it, I wait until it is dried, then quickly roll a Q-tip over the smudge to remove it without damaging my makeup underneath.


• To Clean My Sonicare Toothbrush: Precision Tips Q-tips are perfect to clean out the inside crevices of my toothbrush.

And some ideas that Q-tips provided to me that I have found quite useful:

• Help Treat Blemishes: To help quickly heal blemishes, apply a small dollop of an acne spot treatment with salicylic acid to the end of a Q-tips® Precision Tips™ cotton swab. They will help you treat blemishes without adding additional oils from your fingers.


• Use Every Last Bit: Q-tips® Precision Tips™ cotton swabs are the perfect size to get the last bit of foundation out of your makeup bottle and off of the rim. The cotton tip also allows for easy transfer of the foundation.


• Keep Your Perfect Pout in Place: Keep lip color from bleeding by using Q-tips® Precision Tips™ cotton swabs to apply loose translucent powder along the outer edge of your lips.

You can visit the Q-tips Facebook page (Facebook.com/Qtips) and find a coupon for $1.00 off any purchase of two boxes of Q-tips® Cotton Swabs or Q-tips® Precision Tips™ Cotton Swabs, 170 count or larger. You can also follow Q-tips® Cotton Swabs on Twitter at @Qtips.

Disclosure: I was provided with Q-tips® Precision Tips™ cotton swabs, a $25 American Express gift card and information about the product by Rocket XL. All opinions are 100% my own.

Running Gear

Next weekend I'm planning to make the number of half marys I've completed surpass the number of half marys I've backed out of at the last minute.

Last night my friend Amanda and I were discussing making a checklist of crap we need to remember to take with us. See, you'd think running would be a tie-your-shoes-on-and-go sport, but no. And maybe it is for fab seasoned runners like Skinny Runner. But us wannabes need lots of support gear.

So here's my list of "stuff" I'll be taking with me to Dallas.

1. My trusty Garmin 205. Sure, there are a lot of newer versions out, but this one suits me just fine. (Now watch it kick the bucket.)

2. My Road ID. Gotta make sure the paramedics know what I'm allergic to if and when they have to come to my rescue.

3. My ipod. Also an older version. I'll have my Glee running playlist on there, as well as a Sophie Kinsella audiobook. Lately I've been doing half music, half book on my long runs and it seems to work well.

4. My JVC HA-FX34P Marshmallow In-Ear Headphones. I've tried quite a few sets of headphones, and found these to be the most comfortable and they don't bother me at all on long runs.

5. My iFitness Hydration Belt. It's comes with two 6 ounce bottles, and I've added two 8 ounces bottles on the back. Mr. Sasha says I look like a tacky tourist with a fanny pack on, but who's laughing when I finish my race TOTALLY HYDRATED?????? And organized to boot!

6. My Honey Stinger Organic Energy Chews in Pomegranate Passion. Love these because they don't stick to your teeth and are actually delicious if you consider Gummy Candy a food group like I do.

Do you have any must-have items for running?

Disclosure: This post contains Amazon referral links. If you happen to purchase through a link to Amazon, I'll make a few pennies (really) that I'll just roll into purchasing more Honey Stingers.

And in this corner.... Clarisonic Mia vs. Olay Pro-X

I've been using a Clarisonic Mia on and off for a few years and really like it. I recently heard that Olay's Pro-X Advanced Cleansing System was a good budget alternative, so I ordered one and put it to the test to do a comparison.


On the left: Clarisonic Mia Skin Cleansing System ($99 at Sephora.com. In my state, sales tax is about 8%, so the total price is about $108.)

On the right: Olay Professional Pro-X Advanced Cleansing System(about $30 at Walmart, but can frequently be purchased from Amazon for cheaper: right now it's just $24 and eligible for Prime with no tax or shipping.)






Similarities:

1. Both claim to cleans skin/remove makeup 6 times better to basic cleansing. Both come with a small tube of cleanser.


2. Both claim to allow skincare products applied after use to absorb better.


3. Both are water-resistant and can be used in the shower.

Differences:

1. Olay's Pro-X has a smaller head and does not come with a brush cover.


2. Olay's Pro-X uses traditional AA batteries while the Clarisonic has an internal rechargeable battery. The Pro-X battery cover can be difficult to remove, but after reading reviews at Amazon, I didn't have a problem.


3. Olay's Pro-X simply spins the brush around in a circle at two choices of speed, while the Clarisonic uses sonic frequency to move the brush back and forth at more than 300 times per second, but at only one speed.


4. The Clarisonic has an auto-shutoff after one minute of use, while the Olay Pro-X does not.


5. There are five brush options for the Clarisonic such as Delicate and Deep, and they retail for about $40 for two. Only one type of Pro-X replacement brush is available, and it retails for $8.50 for two.

Bottom line: To me, there is not enough difference in cleansing to justify the price difference of $100. In fact, I believe the smaller brush head of the Olay Pro-X made it easier to use on small areas like my nose. If I were purchasing just one, I'd recommend the Olay Pro-X.

Disclosure: This post contains Amazon referral links.

Spring = Baseball!

Y'all I am ready for some baseball! (Had to throw in this pic of my favorite Cubbie, picture taken by moi, thankyouverymuch.)



This morning I got an email from Old Navy about their new MLB line, and it is so cute and affordable. Just placed an order for some Cubs shirts to support P's team, going thru ebates of course for 2% back, and using code TUESDAYS for 10% on Tuesdays (duh) when you use your Old Navy or Gap card. I threw in some Yankee garb too, since they are my personal fave.

Hurry up baseball season!

Disclosure: This post contains an ebates referral link.

Confessional Friday 3-9-12

Today I'm linking up with Leslie at A Blonde Ambition for Confessional Friday.

I confess.... that although I don't watch any of the Real Housewife shows, I am watching (and enjoying!) two other reality shows.

Swamp People

and

Mudcats

These two shows are a hoot. And folks, I don't even need the subtitles they put on the screen. I can understand every.single.word. Bad? Good? Don't know.

And I figure if we watch Mudcats long enough, we're bound to see someone we know.

There's a 17 year-old teenybopper inside of me

Oh how I love me some Selena Gomez. She is just adorable. And I have listened to this no less than 10 times since I read April's post about it yesterday. It takes me right back to high school and I can actually visualize myself driving around the school parking lot in my little Fiat with my friends giggling and discussing cute boys. So yeah, I'm 17 when I listen to this song.

(And to be clear, I do know Selena's not singing this song.... but how cute are she and the Biebs and all their buddies???)

Q&A Monday

1. If you were in a pageant and had to perform a talent, what would it be?

Tap, totally!

2. What is your biggest beauty-related regret? (mall bangs, biker shorts, bronzer overload, etc)

This hair. 'Nuff said.

3. Do you have a celebrity look-alike?

I don't think so! Once someone at a restaurant asked me if I was on a soap opera, but wasn't sure who it was she thought I looked like. What do you think?

4. What is your natural hair color?

Who knows! It's been awhile since I've seen it. I suspect dark brown with some grey mixed in.

5. Ever met a celebrity?

During the 2006-2007 television season, the was a fabulous show on called The Class and Mr. Sasha and I loved it! (And of course it was cancelled). After it was cancelled, we were in NYC just minding our own business, crossing the street, and passed Jesse Tyler Ferguson, who played Richie (pre-Modern Family family). I whispered "Look! There's Richie!" to the hubby and Jesse totally heard me because he turned back around, and tipped his head back as if to say, "Yup, that's me!"

6. Fave/least fave housewife from any of the Real Housewives shows on BRAVO?

I haven't ever watched any of those shows, but I don't think I'm being high-and-mighty. I watch Dance Moms and admit it freely!

7. Workout regimen?

I'm currently doing ChaLean Extreme and training for my third half mary, which will take place at the end of March.

8. Dream gift?

In high school, I drove a Fiat Spider for a bit, and I loved loved loved how cute it was. Of course, a 2 seater was no fun when you wanted to haul 6 of your friends around, so it didn't last long. I would absolutely love to have one now, just as a "fun" car.

9. Are you a good/bad cook?

I'm a great recipe-follower, if there are not too many steps!

10. What is your favorite food? Biscoff cookies. Swoon.

Confessional Friday 3-2-12

I don't believe Leslie at A Blonde Ambition is doing Confessional Friday today, but I am!

1. I confess that I totally short-cutted dinner last night, and it was fabulous! I tried the new Kraft Fresh Take Cheese & Breadcrumb Mix in Southwest Three Cheese. There's even a coupon for $1 off on their website and I believe Target may have it on sale for about $2.50 this week.

2. I confess that I have added a new pic to my Laminated List pinboard..... Tim Riggins with short hair! Hubba hubba.




3. I confess to throwing away a new tube of mascara this week- NXY Fly With Me. It made my lashes sticky and when I blinked my eyes, the top and bottom would stick together. Not a good look! This one came in my Allure Beauty Box, so I didn't technically pay for it specifically, so I didn't feel too bad about trashing it. I liked their Doll Eye mascara, so I'm disappointed I didn't like this one.

What do you confess this week?

February in Review

My friend Megan at Sorta Crunchy often does a month in review post and I'd thought I'd join in.

On My Nightstand: Y'all..... I have finished two books so far in 2012!!!!! Absolutely loving my Kindle and being able to whip it out in the car pickup line after school.

However, hard copies of some things are nice to have. Our Sunday school class is doing Adam Hamilton's Final Words: From the Cross for Lent and I am reading the book that goes along with the study. Sunday's lesson on forgiveness was amazing.

TV Show Worth Watching:

Smash! Granted, I am chronically behind in my TV watching, but after seeing just the first two episodes, I'm hooked.

*small voice* I am also watching Dance Moms pretty religiously. And am not behind on that one. ahem

Movie I've Seen (in or out of the theater): None, as per usual. But now that I've read The Help, I need to see the movie. If you are local and have it, may I borrow it please?


In My Kitchen: Lots and lots of Pinterest finds! We are all about the crock pot right now, and I've created a pinboard of recipes that are Sasha Family Approved- meaning we have tried them and they were big hits, even with the littles.

In My Ears: Audiobooks, audiobooks, and more audiobooks. I just finished listening to John Grishman's The Litigators (FABULOUS) and am about half-way through Grishman's The Brethren. Waiting in the wings is Sophie Kinsella's newest, I've Got Your Number.

Three Newest Blog Reads:

The Dishy Decorator- such a cutie! I think I read almost a whole year of her blog yesterday! Love it.

Momastery- I was late to the ballgame, but oh, how I love her writing. And this post, where she misplaces her van, sounds just like something I would do.

Lysa TerKeurst- if you happen to have an oh-so-spirited daughter like I do, you simply must read her post titled "I don't want to raise a good child." Life-changing for me, that post.

What I'm Looking Forward to Next Month: Spring! And my third half marathon.

Confessional Friday

Today I'm linking up with Leslie at A Blonde Ambition for Confessional Friday.

1. I confess that I fell (hard) off the Jumping Jack Challenge bandwagon last fall. But guess what? I'm back on it! I have already completed days 1-4 and girls, it's a super-easy way to add some cardio in your day. Days 1-6 have you doing 300 per day, and if you break it up in increments of 50, it's easy to fit in. I've been doing my 300 while giving the kids their baths and getting them ready for bed. They think it's hilarious that I stop scrubbing their feet and starting jumping away.

2. I confess that I haven't watched a single episode of The Voice yet! I am so sad about that! We had some DirecTV drama (self-imposed and related to our new patio cover) that led to me not being able to record shows for a few weeks, and we all know the Sashas never watch live TV. And now that I'm behind... well, it's hard to jump in.

3. I confess that there were a few days over the past week that my nails were unpainted (the horror!). But I've gotten several new shades in from Barielle, as well as some from the OPI Holland collection, and I feel like doing a mani change every day because I have so many new shades I want to try!

Hope you have a wonderful weekend! I am definitely looking forward to not setting an alarm tomorrow!

Ha!

On Monday the kids were out of school, so in the afternoon the whole fam headed up to the local science museum and had a ball.

In the pic above, WC is munching on a cheese ball dipped in liquid nitrogen (I think?) and look how she looks like a bull! It was hilarious!

Sleep Woes

Last week I ordered a Fitbit Ultra Wireless Activity Plus Sleep Tracker from Amazon and was super excited to get it to amp up my quest for fitness. I've been enjoying ChaLean and doing my half-mary prep, but we all know I eat too many sweets, so I'm not seeing the results I'd like to see.

And I thought the sleep tracker would be cool.... I suspected I wasn't sleeping well, what with a 6 year old with severe sleep issues due to SPD and a cute little dog that doesn't seem to think she can jump off the bed herself when she needs to go out.

So when my Fitbit came Saturday I was so excited to put it on and get started. It comes with a wrist band that you put the Fitbit in to wear overnight.

The first morning when I synced and checked the sleep results, I thought.... hmmm... must not have done it right. Surely I didn't wake that many times. Let's try again Sunday night.

Same thing.

And here's last night's data.




See the red? That's when I was awake! See that 23? That's how many times I woke up during the night! I can account for that larger block of time around 1:45.... WC came in to get in our bed and I moved to her bed, and of course, Bella needed to go out once she heard us moving around. But the rest of the red? Holy cow! No wonder I am a walking zombie!

Honestly, I have felt tired as long as I can remember. In college, I remember falling asleep in class all the time, but I attributed it to late nights out. And once I had kids, I attributed it to that. And after my liver infection a few years ago, I've attributed my tiredness to B12 deficiency anemia.

But maybe, just maybe, I am not sleeping worth a crap.

Thoughts?