Sunday Shoutouts 2: Return of the Shoutouts!

It's been a while since I've done a Sunday Shoutout, so here are a few of the things I've seen and appreciated recently!

First, the premier for Season 6 Mad Men was announced! Woot!

AMC will begin airing the next season of the best television show ever created on Sunday, April 7. Spring, here's one more reason you are my favorite season! I can't wait to catch up with Don, Peggy, Joan, sexy silver fox Roger Sterling and even creepy Pete!

KMS Free Shape Quick Blow Dry. Those of you with thick hair, heed this! My hairstylist recommended this to me. My individual hair strands are fine, but there's a lot of it on my head and it takes forever to dry of a mornin'. Standing there with your head bent forward waiting for your hair to dry? Ain't nobody got time for that!

But the Quick Blow Dry helps hair dry faster while adding heat protection and shine to your hair. Truly, I love it! It did speed up my dry time significantly (now I can actually get it all dry instead of arriving at work with still damp hair because this non-morning person did not get up early enough to dry her entire head of hair)! And my hair is noticeably softer. Thanks for the tip, Rachel! I give this product two enthusiastic thumbs up!

Ipsy.com! Have you heard of this site? Well, maybe I should be thanking the uber-beautiful and trendy and sweet Kandee Johnson for turning me onto it! Makeup lovers, remember this website, because it promises to be awesome. For the low, low price of $10 a month you can get a monthly glam bag mailed to you filled with all kinds of beauty goodies – and these are not lame samples, these are high quality, name brand items!

This month's bag contains a sample size of Big Sexy Hair Volumizing Spray, Pacifica's Tuscan Orange Body Butter, a FULL SIZE Nailtini nail color, Josie Maran Argan Oil and a Soho makeup brush! If you're counting, that's worth way more than $10, so in the wise words of philosopher Charlie Sheen, WINNING!

The CW's The Carrie Diaries. Based on Candace Bushnell's prequel to her other novel, Sex and the City, The Carrie Diaries should not be compared to the HBO show (also known as a half hour of perfection) or really, to the Carrie Diaries book. Many changes have been made, but the feeling and heart of the show feels true to me, so I'm game!

The show centers around Carrie Bradshaw, a senior in high school trying to regroup after the death of her mother. She lives in small  town Connecticut, but dreams of life in the big city - Manhattan! In the pilot, Carrie begins an internship at a law firm, hoping to distract herself from life without Mom. When she snags her hose when falling on the sidewalk (a classic HBO Carrie Bradshaw moment!), she's forced to go buy more at Century 21, where she bumps into an edgy reporter from Interview magazine! Now she's swept up into the glamorous New York lifestyle!

The series takes place in the 80s so the soundtrack is kickin'! And the costumes are totes 80s, so I love them! Of course, as with the original Carrie Bradshaw series, each episode is narrated by our leading lady. But there's no Samantha. No Miranda or Charlotte. Not even a Big. At least not yet. But, fans of Sex and the City, I recommend you check out the Carrie Diaries. But I urge you, don't overanalyze! It's not meant to be a literal prequel to the HBO show. Just sit back and take it for what it is – a fun, fashion-filled romp, a fan letter to New York City through the eyes of one much younger, much more innocent Carrie Bradshaw. Enjoy!

Joy to the World! Joy to ME!

Or How the Junior League (and a few other things) Saved My Life

So, for the last two years, I've been a complete Scrooge over the holidays. I haven't put up a tree, I haven't really wanted to celebrate at all. 

Those that know me well – and have known me a while – can tell you that the last few years have been so difficult for me. I lost my dad and a close friend to cancer, fell hard for someone and lost him, then immediately lost a dear friend in a horrendous one-two punch. I've been sullen and depressed and I didn't even want to be around myself, let alone anyone else. I'd be lying if I said there weren't days I considered ending it all....

What a difference a year can make! 

In January, I took things into my own hands and decided I would make some friends. So, I joined the local chapter of the Junior League. I was worried it might be a group of stuffy, snobby well-to-do ladies (you know, like the girls in The Help), but I couldn't have been more wrong! The group is very diverse, with all ethnicities, income levels and ages. They are very active in the community, giving to agencies to improve child mental health, and I'm so proud to be a part of it. I've had the opportunity to make some new friendships for which I am so very grateful!

I've also gone back to school. The reasons for going back were numerous, but mostly it was to keep my brain stimulated and to keep me interested in something besides just sitting around watching TV (don't worry, TV fans, I'm still a couch potato, just not as bad as before!). It's sometimes stressful, but I am so glad to have the opportunity to continue my education and to keep learning and growing. 

Now I've gone from sitting home alone feeling sorry for myself to running around wishing I had time to sit down! It seems like there's always something going on.

BUT I'M HAPPY! :-)

I didn't even realize the change was occurring until this past month. And now with Christmas approaching? Forget about it! I can't stop smiling. I can't stop humming Christmas carols! I can't stop buying decorations! Last night, I ran into Hobby Lobby to get some magnets for a craft project, and I left with a mini-tree for my desk, yet another stocking and a little sprig of holly to place in the bud vase of my car! 

I'm in a completely different frame of mind this December than months before and I wish to thank everyone who helped me get here, but there just isn't enough time or web space! But I'm especially grateful to my mom, my brother, my sister-in-law and their beautiful family, the girls in the Junior League and my dear friend Rachael, who always manages to make me feel sane even when I feel everything around me is insane!

This holiday season, take time to appreciate those that are there for you when times are tough. For all those who have loved me, know you are appreciated and loved in return. Merry Christmas, everyone!

Sunday Shoutouts

Happy Sunday all! I hope everybody is having a wonderful weekend! 

I am straight chillin' in the house today as I got a little too much sun at yesterday's Ribbon Walk and Ride for Cancer, but what a great experience it was! Check out my awesome team:

We dressed all 80's style because we were the Valley Girls (we work at Cape Fear Valley, get it?), but now I have some very strange tan lines due to all the layered tank tops and bracelets... C'est la vie!

Anyway, that's my first shootout! The event was awesome -- kudos to my co-workers, Tara Hinton and Jason Brady, and everyone else who had a hand in putting it together. Great job, y'all! Another thanks to everyone who came out. I was walking for my dad, who we lost to liver cancer, and my friend, Angel, who lost his battle with stomach cancer earlier this year. It really touched my heart to see all the survivors out there walking in the heat. And everyone walking in support of survivors and victims! It was so inspiring.

I've got some products I want to give a shout out to. 

First, and people are probably getting sick of hearing me talk about it, but I have to rave about Ulta brand nail polish again! I usually only buy pretty pricey nail polish brands because my nails are weak. They bend a lot and my nail polish just chips right off. Like right off. Like 12 hours later with the cheap stuff. 

I've had some good success with some nicer brands like OPI and Butter London. But even those don't last more than 2 days before they start to chip. But Ulta put their polish on sale for $2 this month (what a steal!) and I needed some hot pink for my Valley Girl costume, right? RIGHT! 

So I tried it and I am in love! The first color I tried, I had it on for 6 days and not one chip! I only had to take it off so I could apply my pink for today's walk. And speaking of pink, take a look at this polish! I just love it. So bright and smooth. Did I mention this was only ONE COAT?!?!? Ulta nail polish girls, go getcha some!

While I was at Ulta I asked the sales girl about lip gloss, yet another makeup product I can't manage to keep on my body for any length of time. Apparently, I suck my lip in when I think. As a writer, I think a lot. So I chew off my lip gloss within an hour of putting it on. Every time. If I get the really thick kind it'll last a little longer, but it is always really sticky and my hair sticks to it. Ew. Eating hair all day sucks.

Sales girl recommended Smashbox to me. Apparently they have a line of lip gloss called Limitless wear. It's not limitless, no, but it did manage to stay on my lips through four hours of thinking, lip biting AND diet coke sipping. That is a pretty glowing recommendation, if you ask me. Smashbox, kids, tell your friends. Check it out here!

Tisha UnArmed.
As you can see by her T-shirt, she has quite the sense of humor!

My last shout out? Have you all ever heard of Tisha UnArmed? This is a girl who was born with no arms and one leg shorter than the other. Does she let that slow her down? Hell to the no! What an inspiration! Tisha drives, she dresses herself, showers herself, she even eats sushi! Check out her YouTube channel and you will never complain about your easy life again. OK, you might. I probably still will. But I'll feel REALLY BAD about it!

Have a good Sunday, y'all!