Decorating

A few weeks ago my sister-in-law told me about these darling wall frames at Hobby Lobby and I dashed in to check them out. Hobby Lobby is so great about having lots of things on sale each week and it just so happened that the week I went in, these were 50% off. That made the 5X7s $7.50 each and the 8X10s $10 each- what a bargain! (I found them on an end-cap in the framing department.)

I usually purchase digital copies of pics when we have them done professionally.... it's so nice to be able to re-print because you never know when you might want more copies. So I ordered print for these frames from www.mpix.com and like usual, I am thrilled with their quality and shipping. The print on Kodak Endura professional paper and always package the prints so they won't get damaged in transit.

So now all I have to do is get these on the wall.... I messed around with the grouping and I think this is my final decision. What do you think?

Nothing to disclose here- I paid out of pocket for the frames and prints and Mpix and Hobby Lobby don't know me at all.

Brainwashing

P broke my heart the other night when he told me he didn't want to play fall baseball this year. Baseball is absolutely my favorite sport and I treasure all the time we spend at the ball fields each season.

He assured me it wasn't that he didn't like baseball, and definitely wants to play next spring, but he just finished the spring season a few weeks ago, and says he would like a break. He's excited for soccer this fall after getting back into this spring and really enjoying it.

Ok. I get it. I'm not going to be that parent who signs their kids up for things they don't want to do.

But I've assembled quite a library of baseball movies in our collection that we'll be watching as a family periodically so he doesn't forget the baseball is the greatest sport ever.

So here's a list of the movies you might see if you joined us at our house for Friday Night Movie Nights.

1.The Sandlot - "You're killing me Smalls!" Love this movie! Mr. Sasha and I went to see it in the theater when it came out in 1993 when we first started dating. I could watch this over and over and never get tired of it.

2. The Sandlot 2 -I recently ordered The Sandlot 2 even though the reviews on Amazon weren't great. It's basically a remake of the first Sandlot, not a sequel. But my kids loved it just the same.

3. The Sandlot: Heading Home -Now this is a sequel! Although some of the elements of the story are taken from the original, this is a new story and even features grown-up Benny and Squints, and Squints is even played by the original actor.

4. The Bad News Bears -Such a classic, and even though there is some inappropriate language in this movie, we've enjoyed this so much as a family. (And we used it as an opportunity to teach that just because we hear someone else say something, it doesn't mean it's OK for us to do the same.)

5. Rookie of the Year -P especially loves this story of a 12-year-old who discovers an injury left him with the amazing ability to throw at an amazing speed and joins a major league team.

6. Little Big League - A young boy inherits a major league team and appoints himself as manager. I think I ordered this one with my Disney Rewards points, so you might check there because Amazon's $20 price is pretty high.

7. The Perfect Game - This is about a group of boys from a rural poor area of Monterey, Mexico who had a dream of playing Little League Baseball in America in the 50s. Extremely family-appropriate.

8. The Rookie -We haven't actually watched this one yet, but we're home today with stomach viruses, so maybe today will be the day! I think I ordered this one with my Disney Rewards Points. I am going to admit that I have a crush on Dennis Quaid and had to have it when I saw he was in a baseball movie!

Do you know of any other family-friendly baseball movies I need to pick up to continue my brainwashing sessions with P?

Disclosure: This post contains Amazon referral links.

Summer Reading Program at Barnes & Noble

On Saturday the kids and I went to Barnes & Noble to turn in their Summer Reading Program log so they could pick out their free book. It's a great program- you download the log, write down 8 books as they read them, and when you turn it in, your child gets to pick out a free book from a selection chosen by Barnes & Noble just for the reading program.

P chose a book on the Titanic. His 2nd grade class did a unit on the Titanic and he is so interested in it. (And also told me he'll never ride on a big ship, which is fine by claustrophobic me.)

WC, who was unwilling to pose for a picture, chose Fancy Nancy: Fancy Day in Room 1-A, which was the only FN book we didn't have at home. Fancy Nancy never fails to delight me- I absolutely love FA books!

If you haven't taken advantage of this program yet, there is still time- the program doesn't end until September 4th, 2012.

Celebrating Southern: Food (namely dessert!)

Today's I'm linking up with Leslie from A Blonde Ambition to tell you what I think makes a Southern girl. I think it's pretty important around these parts to have an excellent Southern dessert in your repertoire.

Neiman Marcus Bars

Absolutely, hands-down the best thing I have ever tasted. I am somewhat famous for this dessert with friends and family, and am asked to make it often for gatherings. We've talked about this recipe before here at Sasha Says, and it seems in other parts of the country it has some other names: Chesscake, Butter Puffs and of course Paula Deen calls it Gooey Butter Cake.

Neiman Marcus Bars

• 1 box Duncan Hines Deluxe yellow cake mix
• 1 stick butter (I use Parkay)
• 3 eggs
• 8 oz block of cream cheese (I use Philly 1/3 less fat)
• 1 box (16 oz) powdered sugar
• glass pan (this is very important- must be a glass pan)

Combine: 1 egg beaten, 1 stick melted butter, and cake mix. Pat stiff dough in 9X13 pan that has been sprayed w/ Pam.

Combine: cream cheese, 2 eggs, and entire box of powdered sugar. Pour this over dough.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes, until top is golden brown. I let them cool and then store them in the fridge.

For a pineapple version, I use a Pineapple Supreme cake mix, and add a drained 20 oz can of crushed pineapple to the topping along with an extra egg.

Do you have a dessert your are known for?

Celebrating Southern: Nails!

Today's I'm linking up with Leslie from A Blonde Ambition to tell you what I think makes a southern girl.

Nail polish!

I don't think I've ever seen my mom's nails without polish on them. Granted, it's been the same shade for as long as I can remember (Revlon Geranium followed by Mango Mango, and when both were discontinued, she found a dupe by Petites at Walmart), but they are ALWAYS painted and chic.

And if you know me, you know mine are always painted too. Well, except during VBS.... last week it killed me that I didn't have time to do my every-other-night manis since we were getting home so late from church every night.

If keeping your nails painted sounds like too much time and effort, let me share my nail routine with you.

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!

Friday Favorites

Today I'm linking up with The Bargain Blonde for Friday Favorites. I'm going to another Favorite Things party this weekend and am trying to decide what to take so I've already got favorites on the brain today!
Favorite Nail Polish of the Summeryou knew I'd name a nail polish, right? :-)

China Glaze Surfin' For Boys

from the Summer Neons collection
(photo by me)

I am currently sporting this on my toes and loving it. If you've ever tried neon polish, you know it's pretty hard to work with. But China Glaze really hit it out of the park with their Summer Neons collection- these apply like a dream and are gorgeous.

Favorite Alcoholic Beverage of the Summer

photo via DailyBeer Review.com

I discovered Wild Black Blackberry Lager in NM on vacation and I'm in LOVE. Head over heels- so so good. I also love Wild Black's cousin Wild Blue, and google just told me that there's a sister.... Wild Red (raspberry)! Gotta find that one too.

Favorite TV Show of the Summer

Yay for Big Brother! I always look forward to this show in the summer. I did watch the premier and I'm not sure I have a favorite yet. If we do an office pool, you know I'm sure to draw Wil based on my track record of randomly drawing the flamboyant ones. (Not that there's anything wrong with that!)

Favorite New Beauty Product

NYC Grand Central Station Top Coat ($2 at CVS)
(photo by me)

I'm usually shouting my love for Seche Vite from the rooftops.... but for $2, this just can't be beat. I've been using it for over a month and still love it. Since I change my mani every other day or so, a low-priced topcoat is much more economical.

Do you have any new favorites I need to know about?

Red River, NM Day 2

Our 2nd day in Red River was busy busy busy. Such a fun day!

We started out with a little breakfast outside our cabin on the river.

Next, we went into town and rode the ski lifts up the mountain and did some hiking.

The kids had seen a fun looking place on the main road in town- they had a climbing wall, little cars to rent, a  mechanical bull, and indoor bumper cards.

Mr. Sasha took P for the first ride- they had a ball.

And he took WC next, but look! She fell asleep on the ride! I tell you, we have Carcolepcy! Everyone was cracking up when they pulled in.

However, she rallied pretty quickly and did the climbing wall and loved it. She did so well on the easy side they let her have a free turn on the harder side. And she did that one fast too!

After that the kids did the bumper cars. So cute!

We closed out our day by eating at Texas Reds Steakhouse. I had a grilled chicken breast stuffed with mozzarella cheese and green chilies.... it was fabulous!

Red River, New Mexico vacation

After we had 67 days over 100 degrees in a row last summer, we were pretty sure we'd need to get away to a nice cool place in 2012.

Mr. Sasha is our vacation planner, and he choose Red River, New Mexico. I can't explain it, but I cannot  plan or even think about trips. Just tell me when we are leaving, and what type of clothes I'll need..... that's all I need to know. I totally zone out when someone mentions flights, miles, hotels, etc.

We originally planned to leave on Wednesday, June 27, but we did have to put leaving off by a day since P's team was still in the baseball championship tourney (Yay for our Cubs getting 2nd place!), but we decided that wasn't a big deal.

Although it was about a 9 hour drive, the fact that we left by 9 and there was a 1 hour time change got us there in time to enjoy the river behind our cabin for a bit before heading to town for dinner Thursday night. It was in the high 60s when we got there and we were in heaven.

See the little chipmunk on the rock? I wanted to take one home, they are SO CUTE!

We ate dinner at Sundance Mexican Restaurant that night and it was fabulous. I had the Chicken Breast Roll-up with green chile and jack cheese. Yum! Their sopapillas were a bit different than what we were used to- they were more like a yeast roll, and didn't have cinnamon on them. Still good, just different.

After dinner we headed back to our cabin to get unpacked and get a good night's sleep. Our cabin was not air-conditioned, which freaked me out a bit, but we were able to leave the second story balcony door open and it would get quite cool inside during the night- it was heavenly!

Happy 4th of July!

Sasha's 4th of July manicure featuring nails inc.

red = st. james (classic blue red)

blue = baker street (cobalt blue)

I'm not talented enough to do nail art, but I figured I could definitely manage the accent nail trend! Have you tried this trend?

nails inc shades are available at Sephora and retail for $9.50.

Disclosure: The shades featured in this post were provided for review purposes.

The Color Run

This weekend I participated in The Color Run in Tulsa, and it was an absolute BLAST! If they happen to come to your area, I would totally recommend doing it. And note- you DO NOT have to be a runner.... this is not a timed event- there are no chips, no official time, and a LOT of walkers. Our group actually walked most of it, but did do some jogging from time to time.

Here we are before, all nice and clean and WHITE! (I picked up my white T at Walmart and a few of the girls just wore mens white tank tops.)

And after- oh so colorful! 

After a much-needed shower, we headed to Dilly Deli and celebrated with lunch. This cinnamon roll was our appetizer..... yum!

That evening we ate at Los Cabos on their patio and it was WONDERFUL. I had the Green Chili Burrito and it was heaven.

It was a great Girls Weekend, and we've decided we need monthly Craft Nights to have a reason to make sure we get together again.

Some tips for the color run:

• If you happen to live in a state with hot weather on the day of the run, know that sweating will cause the color to stain your skin. The underside of my upper left arm is still a bit blue!
• Plan on waiting for a while at the starting line. I'm not sure whether I think it would be good to get there super-early or on-time like we did- I think we would have been waiting an hour either way.
• There's only one water stop at the halfway point, so if you think you will need more water than that, take a bottle with you.
• Wear sunglasses to keep the powder out of your eyes. We also saw some people with bandanas they would pull up around their nose/mouth at the color stations. If you think it will bother you, I think a bandana is a great idea.
• We wore hats, and I think it was a fabulous idea (Thanks D!) and kept our hair from getting too much color in it. My friend A read that it may stain bleached hair, so keep that in mind if you highlight.
• The only thing I had to throw away was my shirt.... we wore black shorts and sports bras so they wouldn't get stained. My socks have a bit of orange on them, but I won't mind using them for running.
• And shoes..... although I'd suggest wearing some you don't mind getting stained, all the color actually came out of mine.
• Blue seems to stain the worst, so you might avoid blue if you are worried about staining. They do the color-throwing/spraying at the edges of each color station, so you can stay in the middle as you go through it if you don't want to get hit with it.
• Take baggies to put your phones in and a trash bag to put your race clothes in if you are out-of-town.

Overall, we had a GREAT time! Have you done a color run?

Confessional Friday 6-22-12

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

1. I confess that I sometimes watch Good Luck Charlie.... after the kids have gone to bed.

2. I confess that I have so many new shades of nail polish, I want to re-paint them every night.

3. I confess that I have had a Sonic Diet Limeade with Strawberry almost every day this week. Getting ready to head that way for today's.

4. I confess that I am obsessed with The Hunger Games... so much that now that I've read all three books, I've moved on to the audiobooks and am listening to them every chance I get. What's that honey? Didn't hear you, I'm listening to my iPod as I walk around the house......

5. I confess that I did not watch a single NBA game all season, even though my facebook has been taken over by basketball fans. We're knee-deep in P's end of season baseball tournament this week, so that my current obsession.

6. I confess to cutting my getting-ready routine short this summer.... and letting my hair air-dry rather than straighten and curl it. It is saving me so much time and giving me the chance to go to Boot Camp 2 mornings a week, which I LOVE!

Hope you have a wonderful weekend! I am off for a much-needed girls weekend!

Le Sickie

Poor Bella has been feeling like this. Mr. Sasha was calling her "Snots" and it turned out she had The Kennel Cough.

So of course meds were required, and I'm by nature a cat person and in my experience giving meds to cats is sort of like a greased pig contest- lots of  "Almost!". But not quite.

Have you tried to give a pill to a cat? They eat so damn daintily, that just when you think you've got it perfectly hidden in some sort of food and you're golden, you come back in the room to find they've eaten all the surrounding food and left you a tiny little present in their food bowl- the untouched pill.

But my vet told me about Greenies, the pill pocket that masquerades itself as a treat. Best invention ever. 9 pills down, 1 to go.

Disclosure: Note that I did pay for the dog and her meds and the weekend boarding that got her the damn Kennel Cough, as well as the Greenies. Got them at PetsMart.

Gushing Love for Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain

Pardon me while I simply GUSH. Revlon's new Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain is hands down the best lippie I've ever tried.

Here's why I love them and haven't worn any other lip products since I purchased these about two weeks ago:

• They don't bleed! Amazing for such a highly-pigmented glossy formula.
• When the gloss wears off, you are left with a stain that actually lasts.
• They feel amazing and are very moisturizing.
• They twist up and don't require sharpening.
• The price- at about $9 they are a great deal to start, but during the month of June Walgreens has them BOGO half off which makes them about $6.75 each- AMAZING deal.

Swatches

005 Crush on top

030 Smitten on bottom

Crush

Smitten

In April I raved about Revlon Lip Butters, but the Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains have taken over the top spot on my Lippie Love List.

I need to also mention that I have seen people compare these to Tarte's LipSurgence Natural Lip Stain, and folks, these are so so so much better than those $24 puppies! I've tried two shades of the Tarte product, and both bled into the fine lines around my lips, and left behind no stain when the gloss wore off.

Let me know if you pick up a Balm Stain and what shade you get!

Neutrogena Cosmetics Review

Last month Bzz Agent sent me some fabulous Neutrogena Cosmetics products to try. Although I have tried some of their products before, and love their sunscreen, I had not tried the Neutrogena Nourishing Eyeliner or the Neutrogena Revitalizing Lip Balm. (And don't we all want to look like Jennifer Garner?)

Eyeliner in Cosmic Black

Lip Balm in Sunny Berry, Petal Glow, and Healthy Blush

     Neutrogena^® Nourishing Eyeliner

• Built-in sharpener and smudger create your perfect look, from precise definition to smoky effect
• Glides on smooth and wears all day; won't smudge or fade
• Dermatologist & ophthalmologist tested
• 4 shades: Cosmic Black, Brushed Pewter, Spiced Chocolate, Twilight Blue
• Retail price $7.99

Neutrogena^® Revitalizing Lip Balm

• Sheer, silky formula gives a hint of color
• Exclusive ion2complex™ instantly moisturizes lips
• SPF 20
• 6 shades: Sheer Shimmer, Healthy Blush, Sunny Berry, Petal Glow, Soft Caramel, Fresh Plum
• Retail price $8.99

The eyeliner is so so so smooth and easy to apply and lasted all day. And I LOVED the lip balm- these are great for when you want to apply a sheer wash of color and moisturize so well.

Both products get a thumbs up from me! Follow this link for a $2 coupon.

Disclosure: Products reviewed were provided by Bzz Agent.

What a difference a year makes!

2011 baseball pic

                                                                                       

2012 baseball pic

I can't believe how much P has grown over the last year and it's really evident when I see these two pic together. 

I had a lot of fun taking the team pics again this year- I LOVE saving the parents money! I print our pictures at www.mpix.com and just charge the actual costs... no markup at all.

If you haven't tried Mpix, I definitely recommend using it to print your "special" pictures. They print on Kodak Endura professional paper, and their wallets are perfection. You absolutely can't beat the prices, and they package amazingly well, with all your prints on cardboard shrink-wrapped so they won't be bent in transit.

And Mpix doesn't know me at all... I'm just passing on info about my favorite photo lab to you!

I'm Watching

Whether or not you are a fan of the Bachelor franchise, you'll get a kick out of the online show Burning Love. There have been three episodes aired so far, and at around 8 minutes each, they are a must see. (If not just because Veronica Mars stars and the elimination ceremony features the repeated question "Will you accept my hose?")

Live on the Yahoo! Comedy Channel now, Burning Love follows fireman Mark Orlando (Ken Marino) as he searches for the perfect woman. The scripted comedy series features an impressive line up of comedic actors from film and television including Ken Marino, Malin Akerman, Kristen Bell, Michael Ian Black, Adam Scott and more.

Burning Love gives viewers a front row seat to the champagne toasts, candles, heartbreak, bubble baths, chocolate, choreography, hair extensions, roller skating, betrayal, spray-tans, and rainbows in the most romantic, comedic web series ever made.


And now turning out attention to real reality TV, Dance Moms starts back tonight! Oh how I love Abby Lee Miller!

What are you watching that I need to Tivo?