Current Happies: June 2014

Another month has passed & with that has come another set of favorites:  


1) Parenthood

I've been completely obsessed with this show this month.  I was looking for a new tv series to watch on my Amazon Prime account since my current shows are on break for the season.  Nothing was really striking my fancy while browsing the free streaming shows.  Then I came across this series from NBC.  To be honest, I added the first 4 seasons to my watchlist but didn't really expect to ever get to them.  One night I was bored & decided to give it a shot, not expecting to be wowed.  I watched the first episode & thought it was pretty cute & decided to go for another.  After that it was game on.  I finished five seasons in a month!  Absurd...  I can't wait for September when the new season premieres, but I'm sure it will be bittersweet because it's set to be the sixth & finale season.  Brad says I become obsessed with tv shows because I get so wrapped up in them.  I just find that I become so attached to characters in shows & books that I mourn the loss of them when it's over.  I just love when you can feel an emotional attachment to the story lines. 

One thing's for certain- I feel an emotional attachment to this show.  Brad scoffs but I have cried at every. single. episode. because they're JUST SO GOOD.  I've found myself counting down the hours at work so I can get home & conclude another plot twist.  Not to mention I can get on board with any show that has Bob Dylan singing their theme song.  There are so many great actors in the show & the soundtrack is phenomenal.  If you're looking for a new show to try out- I definitely recommend this one.

2) First Aid Beauty Anti-redness Serum

I've heard several good things about FAB & decided to give them a try.  Thanks to my fair complexion & crappy genetics, I have a lot of hyper pigmentation in my skin.  Whenever I get a spot, the redness lasts forever.  As a result, this product really struck an interest in me.  I was hesitant to purchase anything from the line because it is a bit more expensive than my typical drug store skin care products.  I found several great deals on Amazon though so I was able to keep my spending pretty minimal.  My skin is extremely reactive & whenever I throw a new product into the mix it generally goes haywire & break outs are rampant.  I was completely thrilled however when this product failed to aggravate my skin.  I have also noticed a significant reduction in hyper pigmentation.  I also love the convenient pump on this product.  My only complaint is that its hard to tell when you're getting low on the product since it is not packaged in a translucent bottle.  I fully plan to repurchase this little miracle worker!

3) Vitamix

I know, I know, I know... I've jumped on the bandwagon & purchased one of these over-hyped high performance blenders.  But I mean- have you seen the infomercial?!?!?!  You can make your own ice cream in 5 minutes- raw ingredients... frozen solid... Homemade soup in less than 10 minutes- raw ingredients... literally steaming hot...  I mean- wow!  Ok, I know I am drinking the kool-aid here - but Brad & I watched the dvd (yes, we're those people...) that came with my Vitamix & my jaw immediately hit the ground at what all you can prepare with this little wonder!  Granted, I've only used mine to make green smoothies at this point but knowing I have options to make meals is great!!!  Let's be honest- I may never prepare pâté in it but this bad boy is pretty freaking cool.  I knew I had to bite the bullet & opt for one of these investment pieces after I had yet another moderate level blender die off.  After a lot of overwhelming research, I decided on the 5200 variable speed series.  One thing I strongly recommend about these pieces is purchasing a certified refurbished model.  I purchased mine directly from the Vitamix website & it came with a 5 year warranty, dvd, & cookbook.  The company states you're basically purchasing a new blender when you order a refurbished because the motor, blades, etc are all replaced.  Basically you're buying a used base (that's been thoroughly cleaned & touched up) but the guts i.e. the important parts are all in excellent working condition.  They have several colors & I went with the cobalt blue.  The best part about purchasing refurbished?  It knocks off about $400 from the price tag.  Depending on the model you want- most can be upwards of $700.  I got my 5200 for less than $300!  I've just really been salivating over this little gem this month.  Stay tuned for lots of recipes!

4) winged eyeliner

The summer heat & humidity is in full swing here in central Alabama & my makeup has taken on its summer wardrobe.  Working outdoors really takes a toll on you when your face is running down onto your shirt...  As such, I've been keeping it pretty minimal with tinted moisturizer, tinted lip balms, & neutral eye shadows.  My one splurge has been winged eyeliner.  Most days I don't have a 'go-to' look.  I change up my makeup daily.  This month has been an exception though.  I've been sticking with tinted moisturizer, a hint of blush & bronzer, & a bare essential eye look.  The only eye shadow I've been applying has been a touch of bronzer to accentuate the crease.  I started using browns or blacks in my water line a couple of years ago & honestly, it's become my security blanket.  I just feel naked or unfinished if I don't smack on some liner in there.  Shockingly, I've not been doing that this month.  I've been applying a black winged liner on my top lash line & leaving that be.  I throw on a touch of mascara & I'm done.  I used to apply a wing often but haven't really been feeling it for the past several months.  This month though, I've been loving it as my one special feature while keeping the rest of the face at that 'no-makeup' makeup look. 

5) Pandora

Now I know a lot of people are fans of Spotify but I've used Pandora since college & maybe it's nostalgia but I really enjoy it.  I've been trying to limit my spending recently but I'm always desperate for new tunes.  Pandora is my go to for discovering new artists.  I created my own public "Hodge Podge" radio station.  My eclectic musical taste ranges from Broadway to 90's pop to bluegrass to old school rap.  Pandora allows you to add any genre to one single station or you can create various favorite stations & shuffle between them.  It will then play similar artists to ones you've "liked".  I've started streaming from the site while I'm driving around town at work or at home cleaning.  There's no greater thing than free new music! 

6) Erick Baker

 

Thanks to Pandora, I also discovered this incredible singer/songwriter this month.  I know I said I've been limiting my itunes spending & I've done really well the past couple of months.  That is until I heard Erick Baker's melodic voice.  I'm pretty much a sucker for any acoustic tunes & after hearing several of his songs I was hooked.  He has an incredibly beautiful voice & every song sucks you in.  I've downloaded a few of his albums & have put them on repeat.  His music is similar to Joshua Radin, Will Hoge, & Mat Kearney.  Plus he's a good ole southern boy straight outta Tennessee so go give him a listen!