Block Party 2012

Last night I fell asleep with the biggest smile on my face. Saturday was our annual Block Party and I thanked God for blessing our family with a wonderful home to live in- and for providing us with wonderful neighbors who have created an amazing community for us to raise our family in. Folks, it just doesn't get any better than this.

If you don't know your neighbors, let me encourage you to knock on their door and invite them to join you outside for a cookout. You might just make some life-long friends like we have! Whether it be for a cup of sugar, signing for packages, or watching your kids in a pinch, I count on my neighbors for so much, and am always glad to return the favor. I can't imagine living anywhere else!

Time Is Not Mine

I am not in control.  The clock, the calendar- they are not mine. I don't get to choose when things happen.

WC has never followed any sort of traditional schedule. The only thing that's been certain with her is that things will be flat unpredictable.

Over the past few years, I have gotten used to playing Musical Beds, never waking up in the bed I feel asleep in. WC's SPD causes her to seek out input while she sleeps, and Little Feet Pushing Into Someone's Back (her) plus Light Sleeper Syndrome (me) do not mesh well.

So when WC would make her appearance in our bed in the middle of the night, I'd quietly move to the solace of her bed, letting her jab her little feet into Mr. Sasha, who could blissfully sleep through a tornado. In her bed, all by myself, I could nestle in under her weighted blanket and get back to sleep for a few hours.

But the dog often heard People Moving Around and would decide she needed to go out. And for some reason, in the middle of the night she forgets how to use her doggie door and is certain that she needs me to actually open the door for her. So there's more getting up, and walking around, and sometimes the getting back to sleep part of my plan would take a bit.

And please don't think we hadn't tried to get her to stay in her bed. On the contrary! There were nights we carried her back to her bed seventy-eleven times, only to have her re-appear minutes later. Or insist that you need to stay with her. So she could push her feet into your back, obv. It was a battle that we weren't going to win, and we made peace with it.

But one night last month, I awoke to my alarm to realize I was in my own bed! And so we had a little party that morning, celebrating and high-five-ing each other, and hugging WC and telling her what a wonderful, big-girl thing she did- sleeping in her own bed all night!

But was it a fluke? Or was she finally ready? That very day I printed out a reward chart and put it on the fridge. I asked her to select a beautiful marker and color in her very first box, and promised that once 10 boxes were colored in, there would be a PRIZE.

Now, you may note she started in the lower left hand corner, which was not what I planned, but fine. We just went with it. And she continued to the right, and once that row was full, she moved to the next row. Oh, there were mornings that box-coloring-in did not happen, but there were more morning that it did. I think those first 10 took about 2 1/2 weeks. But it was progress.

And so now she's gotten her first reward, a variety of craft supplies, and we are working on her second. And I am getting more sleep.

And my mantra from the fast few years, This Too Shall Pass, rings oh-so-true. Maybe not on my schedule, but that's OK.

What I Am Into: April 2012

My beautiful in-real-life friend (and published author!) Megan at Sorta Crunchy often does a fabulous What Are You Into post and I am joining in for April. Lamenting that Spring, at least here, is almost over! Super-hot summer, here we come!

On My Nightstand: I am a reading machine! In April I finished the second and third books in the Hunger Games trilogy and now I am absolutely dying to see the movie. I credit my Kindle with getting me back on board with reading books for pleasure.

Want To Read: My Sunday school class is doing The Good and Beautiful God and it is fabulous.

T.V. Show Worth Watching: Scandal! It's a fast-paced, quick-witted legal drama, and the Mr. and I are hooked! I love finding shows we can watch together. Cause he's just not gonna watch Dance Moms Miami or Smash, and I'm OK with that.

Movie I've Seen (in our out of the theater): Zilch. But really, I've got to see Hunger Games. Who's going with me?

In My Kitchen:  Gnats! And I can't get rid of them! Help!


In My Ears: I still have Cheers (Drink To That) from Smash on replay. Loving Megan Hilty.


Three Newest Blog Reads:

• Young House Love- Oh how I wish I was creative as they are! Plus, they posted O.P.P. yesterday. 'Nuff said.
• MWOP- not new, but I see so many people with MckMama on their blogroll.... and guys, she's a scammer! Can't we all agree to stop reading her lies and giving her clicks? Start here.
• Blogging With Amy- Amy posts fabulous tips, tools & tutorials about blogging.

What I'm Looking Forward to Next (This!) Month: Baseball! P's team won their first game last night and I was so glad to be back at the ball fields. Home.

I love what Megan said at the end of her post, and I'll ditto it: NOW then. Your turn! What are YOU into this month? Fill up the comment space or borrow this for inspiration on your own blog.

Disclosure: This post contains Amazon referral links.

Recommendation and GDA: Revon Lip Butter

A few weeks ago my friend Carrie asked me for a drugstore lip gloss recommendation, and I admit to being a bit at a loss. I just don't wear a lot of lip glosses, and when I do, it's just to top a lip stain. My favorite gloss for that purpose is Buxom Dominique, and it's pretty pricey and definitely doesn't quality as drugstore.

So I've been meaning to do a post and tell her about Revlon's Lip Butter, which I think is enough of a hybrid product that lipstick and lip gloss lovers alike can love it, although it wears so much better for me than any lip gloss ever has.

Although they come in lipstick form, they are so buttery and sheer that they are almost gloss-like. I currently own four, but note that I've chosen the darkest pigmented shades- there are definitely quite a few lighter options, and I think you'll find good swatches did Scrangie did here.

Here are swatches of three of the shades I have with me today- Lollipop, Cherry Tart, and Sugar Plum.

Good Deal Alert:

Through Sunday, CVS is offering $4 in Extra Care Bucks if you spend $10 on Revlon products.

Here was my purchase yesterday:

2 Lip Butter for $12.00
I used 2 coupon for $1 off a Revlon color cosmetic (found in the 4/1 Smart Source insert)

So I paid $10 and got back $4 in ECB, for a net purchase price of $6 for 2

Some colors to check out (see Scrangie's swatches): Sugar Frosting, Peach Parfait, Cotton Candy, Berry Smoothie, Cupcake, and Creme Brulee.

A Very Young Dancer

Is there a book that brings back a rush of childhood memories for you?

For me, it's the book A Very Young Dancer. I can distinctly remember the spot it occupied on the shelf of my elementary school library. I imagine I checked it out no less than 50 times during my tenure at Hayes Elementary. My aunt owned a dance studio, so of course I was there for three classes a week, and I even got to have a part in a local production of The Nutcracker, albeit the small part of a soldier. So I thought Stephanie was pretty cool.

I found an old copy on ebay to purchase and got it out last night to read to WC. She was enthralled and several times I had to say "Just wait... let's see what they say on the next page....." since she asked a million questions.

So I'm reaching back in my memory and trying to remember books that we girls of the 70s might have read and hope to build a small "vintage" library for WC and I to share. Any ideas for me?

Disclosure: This post contains a link to Amazon, but it is NOT a referral link.

Old School Style

I am so over technology. I mean, we all love it when it works, but when it doesn't..... we miss hair appointments. Multiple times. #cannothappen

I've had multiple phone/Outlook calendar syncing issues and spent way too much time trying to solve them and I am happy to say I'm giving up. I ordered an Erin Condren Life Planner and am loving going Old School. If you order right now, they are only including April-December of 2012 for $30 (that's 40% off the regular price of $50).  Note: Erin has no clue who I am- I ordered and paid myself after seeing another blogger talk about hers. I did use a discount code from www.retailmenot.com though (of course!).

And my newest drink concoction is mixing Pomegranate CranEnergy half and half with Diet 7up. It's quite tasty and refreshing.

What are you drinking right now?

Warrior Dash- How To Have a Fabulous Time

On Saturday I did the Warrior Dash with my college besties and it was SO MUCH FUN! Even though I went around quite a few of the obstacles due to my nagging leg issue, I still had a fabulous time and got oh-so-muddy. If you have a chance to participate in one, I urge you to gather up some friends and go for it!

Here's a few tips for you:

1. Clothing: Anything you wear that is not black or navy WILL GET RUINED. Just plan on throwing away your undies and socks. They have a pile at the end for you to donate your muddy shoes in, so wear a pair you are ready to part with.
2. That being said, wear a pair of shoes with some traction. I picked up a pair of $10 tennies at the Walmartz just for the Dash, which was great in theory, but they didn't have any traction and I had a bit of a hard time navigating the mud. Next time, I'll either wear an old pair of my own running shoes, or will try to find a pair of old running shoes at Goodwill or the Salvation Army. Cheap shoes = falling on your ass more than necessary.
3. Be ready to get muddy. Especially at the end, there's just no way around it. You'll have to belly-crawl through a mud pit because there is barbed wire above you. They also encourage everyone to kick over the loud speaker, thereby dousing everyone behind them in the mud pit. You will get mud in your ears, mouth, and everywhere else you can imagine.
4. We wore bandanas to keep our hair back and I think it worked really well. Also, since I wear contacts, I was worried about mud splashing in my eyes, so I wore big sunglasses and they really helped.
5. Gear check: Go ahead and plan on utilizing the gear check. I never do at regular races, but they've got this down to a science and it's quite easy and convenient. They even provide bags for you.
6. Here's what you need to pack in your gear check bag: An old towel, complete change of clothes (nothing you care about) including flip flops, a travel pack of baby wipes and hand sanitizer. You'll also want to apply more sunscreen after the Dash.
7. Wear more sunscreen than you think you need.
8. You'll get a beer at the end when you turn in your chips, and additional beers are $6 (they use a ticket system). They also have a food tent and have BBQ sandwiches for $6 and hot dogs for a bit less ($4 maybe?). I took $20 and purchased two beers and a BBQ sandwich and passed my extra two tickets on to a friend.
9. They had a great band playing and we ended up hanging out for about 3 hours on the grass after the Dash and had the best time. Plan on hanging around and enjoying the festivities. It's a super-fun atmosphere.
10. If you plan on attending to support friends, but not running the dash, wear clothes you don't care about- my running friends bear-hugged our non-running friends when we were done and they got almost as muddy as we did!
11. Go in it with a great attitude ready to have fun!

Have you done a Warrior Dash or another mud run?

Music

A must-read for me these days is Momastery. (Isn't everybody reading Glennon?) Today's post is especially fabulous, and timely, as it turns out, because I've got a lot on my mind these days, and do often need to be reminded that everything's going to be all right.

It IS going to be okay. I know it. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow. But someday it is all going to be all right. For today, we remember to breathe, we treat ourselves the way we want to be treated by others, we drink large glasses of water and we get outside for fresh air every two hours. These things will help until everything is okay.

What else helps? Share your secrets.  --from Glennon's 4-18-12 post

For me? It's music. Oh how it can change my mood! And maybe this is not an appropriate choice for an answer to a question asked by a recovered alcoholic, but today I'm listening to Cheers (Drink to That) from a recent epi of Smash. and Call Me Maybe.

See, when *I* listen to it, it's not about the alcohol or getting drunk or looking for a honey (mwah), it's about remembering to celebrate, to let go a bit, and that spending time with friends can re-set your meter.

Because when you are down in the dumps, making social plans to be with friends can seem so overwhelming and selfish and something you just can't, but the results are there. You just have to take that step, realize the value, and get out there. No more wallowing in self-pity.

So what helps you?

Start Spreading the News

I am finally getting back in the swing of a normal routine after a fabulous, but quick, trip to NYC with the Mr. last week.

We were lucky enough to attend a taping of David Letterman! So cool.

We saw Mamma Mia (fun! the audience was singing along)

and the Yankees opening home game

and saw an afternoon show of Sister Act as well.

Mr. Sasha also bought me a ticket to IMATS for Saturday, and it was a fabulous experience. More on that later!

Sniff

Easter 2012

I just can't get over how big my kids are getting. P's feet are almost as big as mine, which I guess isn't saying much, and WC has moved out of toddler clothes and into the big girl section. I am at once so proud of them and so sad that they are growing so fast.

And look- a new blue striped shirt he can wear for the next school pic!

The Busy Mom's Mani

As a working mom of two, I understand how hard it can be to find the time to pamper yourself with things like manicures. But over the years, I've developed a method that allows me to do a home mani in a short amount of time right before I go to bed. The secret is the fast-dry topcoat- my nails are completely dry by the time I hit the sack, and I don't get sheet marks at all! Start to finish, a mani takes me less than 20 minutes. Who doesn't have 20 minutes to pamper themselves?

So without further ado, here are my favorite nail products, shown in order of use for the perfect salon-quality mani. For all products, I start with the pinkie of one hand and continue on to the other hand before I move to the next step. And there's no need to let the coats dry in between steps- just start with the same nail each step.

1. Sally Hanson Instant Cuticle Remover. I apply this all around my cuticles, wait a bit (you can wait longer that it says), then use the thumbnail of my opposite hand to push back/scrape the cuticles. I typically do this twice.

2. Wash your hands and dry them well.

3. Orly Bonder. Apply one coat. This rubberized basecoat overrides any oily residue on your nails and gives your polish something to stick to. Key to a long-lasting mani.

4. Sally Hanson Nailgrowth Miracle in the gold bottle. Love this as a basecoat. Watch for CVS/Walgreens to have their BOGO or BOGO half off on Sally Hanson products and stock up.

5. 2 coats of color. OPI polish is one of my favorite brands. Tip for newbies: Try a sheer or light color as you are practicing your painting skills. They are certainly more forgiving than a vampy dark shade!

6. Seche Vite top coat. I won't use any other top coat. This is a super-fast dry topcoat with a fab shine. Expensive, but worth it!

7. Creative Nail Design Cuticle Eraser. Keeping your cuticles neat and clean is one of the keys to making your manicure last longer. This product is fabulous and I massage this into my cuticles a few times a day to prevent hangnails and prevent cuticle buildup.



Did you know I love nail polish so much that I've got a separate blog just for my nail polish review and pictures? Visit me at http://www.manicuremommas.com/ if you like nail polish as much as I do!

March 2012 in Review: What I Am (Was?) Into

My beautiful in-real-life friend (and published author!) Megan at Sorta Crunchy often does a fabulous What Are You Into post and I feel compelled to join in, albeit a bit late for March.

On My Nightstand: Y'alll.... I'm finally reading The Hunger Games (free on my Kindle thru Amazon Prime). Ever late to the bandwagon, but at least I'm there. Absolutely loving it BTW.

Want To Read: Kelle Hampton's Bloom: Finding Beauty in the Unexpected. From what I understand, the content is new and not taken from her blog.

T.V. Show Worth Watching: Are you watching GCB? If not, you've got to! If not just to watch this guy:

His name is Eric Winter and I'm swooning. He's been added to My Laminated List.

Movie I've Seen (in our out of the theater): We've recently been frequenting the public library and checking out lots of books and movies. I grabbed The Parent Trap (the original) because I suspected the kids would love it since they are fans of the Lindsay Lohan remake. And score- it was a hit. Sad to take it back today.

In My Kitchen: We've used Kraft's Fresh Takes with chicken at least once a week for the last month and they are a big hit. Quick and easy and quite tasty! I've been using $1 off coupons and getting them at Walmart for just $1 since their price is $2.

In My Ears: Need you ask? Carly Rae Jepsen's Call Me Maybe. WC and I are big fans!



Three Newest Blog Reads:

• The Divine Mrs. Em- she designed my newest blog header (and installed it for me too!)
• Money Saving Mom- I'm trying to follow her 4 Weeks to a More Organized Home series. There are daily tasks and so far I've cleaned out WC's PJ drawer and passed on a large amount of clothes to a friend. Baby steps....
• Hip2Save- Not new, but I check this every day to make sure I don't miss any good deals.

What I'm Looking Forward to Next (This!) Month: A quick trip to NYC, baseball (!!) and sunshine! Be gone, seasonal affective disorder!

I love what Megan said at the end of her post, and I'll ditto it: NOW then. Your turn! What are YOU into this month? Fill up the comment space or borrow this for inspiration on your own blog.

Disclosure: This post contains Amazon referral links.

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.