NEW Stuff Coming

From Amazon for <$100

So I need a new blow dryer. My Conair dryer is nice and nifty, but I REALLY don't have the patience anymore. It takes too long. The salon I go to uses BaByliss dryers and irons. The process is SO fast. I'm in and out in under an hour if there's no one ahead of me. I leave with silky smooth and shiny tresses. Why? Because of the greatness that is BaByliss (and the skill of the stylist).

I know the technique. Now it's time to upgrade my tools. A while back, I did a post on my BaByliss flat iron (still awesome, BTW). Well I ordered a blow dryer by the same brand from Amazon and it will be here tomorrow. I will gladly post a product review at that time, but I'm confident it will receive 5 stars. My only sad spot is that it's not the matching dryer to my Swarovski crystal-embellished flat iron. I chose this one because it's a bit more powerful. I figure it's better to have stronger than prettier because 20min drying vs. 1hr is definitely FTW.

Money Disappears Quickly

So my little $5k of Wheel of Fortune money is all used up for grown up schiesse. Seriously. I bought a new laptop for myself because my eyesight is getting bad from using my iPhone, Aria and netbook. When it comes to screens, BIGGER is certainly better. I bought my husband a Bluetooth receiver/speaker thingy for his car so he doesn't get ticketed for cell phone use whilst driving. I also got him a grill set since he loves too cook our dinner on the grill almost every night. Side note: Veggie burgers taste best via grill, as does corn. I bought our mothers really pretty mama's day keepsake photo boxes filled with chocolate goodies. I got our son a ridiculous abundance of pull-ups, veggie squeezers, yogurt bites, summer clothes, surf clothes, and something else I can't remember.

I ordered this 36 watt UV lamp via Amazon.

Lastly, after much thought, I bought myself a UV gel dryer and basic supplies & colours so I won't have to go to the salon ever again. Bonus: friends want to pay me to do their nails already and this just solidifies things. I'm all about saving money.

After these purchases, the remaining money goes to nothing but bills and home-improvement. Our trees really need to be pruned, chopped and generally cared for so we have to hire someone. There are some small electrical projects we have to hire out as well. We will have to wait on upgrading the kitchen appliances, but that's not a huge deal.
I will say this: I wish I won $50k,  but $5k is better than nothing!

Domestic Goddess?

In other news, My garden is awesome and I love all the spring colors in our yard and lawn. These are some pretties along the driveway by the garage. I'd love to take credit for them, but this is the work of Ms. Marie Serpico. May she rest in peace, surrounded by flowers. The woman knew how to work a garden. We've got rhododendron, forsythia, tulips, hostas, lily of the valley, and a bunch of stuff I can't name. There are quite a few plants and flowers that I didn't have to plant. For that I thank her. 

On the other hand, Mothers' Day is Sunday and I'll be planting some things to bloom in late summer and autumn. Unfortunately the veggies will have to wait, as will my lavender and sage garden. We have to rip out an assload of ivy. That's one thing I could kick her for. It'll take over the yard if we don't do something soon. ~_~ That would suck.

Low-Key Nail Art

My friend Meghan came to visit and I thought it'd be fun to paint her long skinny fingernails. I used OPI "Friar Friar Pants on Fire" (2 coats) with the standard black Konad polish and Plate #?. The clear rhinestones were a fun addition for texture. We've decided we need to have a picnic and paint each other's nails.  It should be a fun adventure. That's how we roll.

Soooo Yeah.

My nails are definitely too short to be considered "gyaru neiru" but I'm gonna go ahead and say, "So What?!" a la Tyra Banks. I'm typing almost non-stop for 8hrs per day and I've decided my old long nail look had to go. So I'm all about short gel manicures. This particular set is SUPER sparkly. I'll have to use my real camera to do it justice.

Since I still have all my nail art and Konad supplies, I'll have to add my own flair to this nail set. I like the idea of adding some star-shaped rhinestones and pearls to it. I just have to squeeze it in before midnight. (That's my new bedtime lol. No more Insomnia Avy) I think the next step is to invest in a UV dryer and some gel polish. The investment is worth it. I get to change my nails as often as I like without budget-busting. I'm sure it's the smarter option. Plus: New Skill!!! Because believe me when I say I suck at shaping acrylic-- even for just a refill. Time to look around Amazon and eBay.

Mein Körper ist Wütend

Oh so get this: now that I log every single thing I eat and exercise even more, my body is rebelling. It's like, "Bitch you're fat., Stop tryin to overwork me like you're still Xena-sized." Srsly?! I actually gained weight. My friend Igor thinks it's because I am gaining more muscle weight and not burning enough fat. That could be true since I do more weight & resistance training (Planet Fitness and Bowflex).

I suppose the suppose now would be to do 30min of hard cardio every day-- except Tuesday and Saturday, which are belly dancing days. Sunday shall be sleepy day. It is written! I'll still weights (Mon., Wed., Friday), but I'll have to con David into going to the gym with me as my guest on those days instead of bowflexing.

A plan. I has one. Woo hoo.