Skincare Share

I feel weird giving out skincare advice, but I've had people ask what I use on my own skin.  So I thought a blog post would be nice.  :)

Now I see my face every day (up close), and I can tell you it's not perfect.  But I do know there are days when my skin seems to glow and my complexion seems so smooth, and I can only attribute it to a few little treasures.

I don't use powder or foundation -- never really have.  My prom, wedding, and maybe weddings I've been in, but only on very special occasions like that.  Why?  No real reason. I just had no interest in wearing it in high school and as an adult I've never learned to apply it.  So I'm a 28 year-old woman who's has probably worn powder/foundation five times in her life.  Weird?  Probably. 

So what do I use?  I use Aveeno products to wash.

Aveeno Clear Complexion Foaming Cleanser. This is a gentle, foaming cleanser that prevents/clears up blemishes.  Besides when my skin was irritated during my thyroid condition back in 2007, I've never really had a problem with blemishes.  What I like about this cleanser is that it has soy in it, which evens out your skin tone.

Aveeno Positively Ageless Daily Exfoliating Cleanser.  I wash with this a few times a week.  I think any kind of exfoliation can be tough on your face (even when it claims to be "gentle"), so I choose not to use this daily as it suggests.  But this product is great for removing that dull skin we all tend to get.  And, yep, it's an anti-aging product.  No, I'm not too young to use this and chances are, you aren't either.  The sun (and even our diet sometimes) is tough on our skin, and you've got to fight those added aging agents off.

What I truly believe makes my skin look the way it does is the moisturizer I use:  Neutrogena Visibly Even Daily Moisturizer with SPF 30.  I remember I tried this product a few years ago because Gabrielle Union was it's spokesperson.  I love her and I love her skin and I totally fell for the celebrity-marketing-a-product thing.  Not expecting any significant results, I was surprised to see the difference in my skin.  This was probably back in 2004.  This moisturizer claims to bring out the radiance in your skin, and it's no lie.  It has soy in it which evens out discoloration/blotchiness.  And then the SPF -- gotta have it.  The sun is not your skin's friend.

And then to moisturize at night, I'm not really loyal to one brand.  The Visibly Even line actually has a night-time moisturizer, but I don't buy it (which may mean there was something I didn't like about it).  My current favorite is one from Garnier Nutritioniste.  I can't remember the name of it -- I just know it's in a green glass container.

When I travel, I try to keep it simple.  I leave my cleansers at home and take only one moisturizer.  I'll use my toddler's Dove soap to wash my face (only the Sensitive Skin kind -- the other kinds can be a little harsh ) and moisturize with my Visibly Even day and night.  At least short term, I know this little routine is gentle on your face.

So these are the things I use.  Now, my skin isn't perfect, and I have days where I wish I had something in my drawer to cover up some discoloration, dullness, or blemish.  But most days a little eyeliner, mascara, and lip gloss completes this low-maintenance look for me.

Images:  Aveeno.com, Neutrogena.com

Work or Stay Home -- The "Debate"

My opinion on this debate is that I don't get the "debate" part.  I honestly can't see why women judge other women because they've chosen to stay home or work. There are women who think that stay-at-home moms are incompetent and stay home because they have no choice. They think they have no real skills or that their career doesn't pay enough to even work.  And then there are women who think working moms are horrible parents who leave their children in the care of others just so they can make a buck.  Or that they HAVE to leave their children in the care of others to make a buck to make ends meet.  While some of this may be true of some women (and who are we to judge them for that?), the bottom line is most women choose what works best for them and their family.

Let's use me as an example.  I work.  Full time.  Out of the home.  I'm a high school teacher.  I do something I love every day in addition to the amazing life of parenthood.  I remember when I first had my daughter, I mentioned that I "had" to go back to work.  While I have no idea how I went back to work after six weeks (and probably won't ever do that again so soon! -- I was obviously crazy), my statement was a bit misleading.  I didn't have to return to the work life.  Granted our way of life would definitely change if I were to choose to be a stay-at-home mom, but I went back to work because I love what I do (if you follow my family blog, then you know how I feel about my career).  I love the feeling my work gives me.  I love the structure of schedules and procedures and the ability to create and share an atmosphere of my own in the walls of my classroom.  I love that God has placed me in a career where I feel like I have 125 more "children."  While for some, the thought of having 125 kids isn't all that pleasant, for me, it's wonderful.  Always easy?  Of course not.  Always a learning experience?  Absolutely.  I get to love and teach and help mold these kids every day who all have different personalities and make me smile and even teach me little things about life.  And then my co-workers?  I'm surrounded by hard-working, dedicated, good-hearted people.  My career just happens to give me holiday breaks, summers off, and even a spring break to spend more time with my loved ones.  I feel like I've been blessed with the very best job for me.  In addition, it has taught me so much about parenting.  Every day I see the impact of patience and understanding...and even the importance of routines and expectations.  I'm a better parent to my daughter because of what I do.  And as far as the time I'm away from her, it makes our time together even more special. I love it.

Am I saying that I'll never stay home?  Of course not.  I don't know what the rest of God's plans are for me. I just know that right now he's given me this life.   I'm getting up every day to go do something that brings me so much satisfaction and then coming home every day to a family I love more than life itself. 

Now while all that I just said may sound like a big commercial for working moms or teacher moms or whatever some may choose to pull out of that, it was really an advocate for one thing:  happiness.  If staying at home with your little ones gives you this amazing joy, then DO IT.  And don't apologize for it.  There's one thing I'm sure of, and it's what your child will want from birth to when they're an adult:  A HAPPY MOM.  And you have the power to give that to them. 

REAL FRUIT Roll-Ups!

Remember Fruit Roll-Ups?  Well, there's now a healthier version that's a favorite in my house.  Because it's made with REAL fruit and fruit juice, it packs a whole serving of fruit.  This was important to me because M sometimes decides she isn't fan of fresh fruit or the diced kind that comes in the little toddler containers, so I'm always looking for ways to get her fruit servings.  She likes freeze-dried fruit and now these!


I was never a fan of Fruit Roll-Ups, so I don't know how it compares to the regular version in taste and texture.  But DK likes them and didn't mention a huge difference.  For M, I usually break it into smaller pieces and roll them up to little balls -- sorta making a Fruit Roll-Up finger snacks.  Of course I would never recommend these in the place of fresh fruit, but when your child is like mine and will only sometimes eat fresh fruit, this is a great alternative.  Glad they exist!

Image:  Amazon.com

One Way to Introduce the Meaning of Christmas to Your Toddler

I love the Christmas season and I hope M will grow to love it, too.  More than anything, though, I want her to know and appreciate the reason for the season.  And for a while, I've been looking for a way to introduce that to her.  She's just two, so I thought including her favorite thing (books) would be a great way to do it.

I searched for a Christmas book that was toddler-friendly (rhyming words, good pictures, etc.).  Most of the  books I found were funny and interesting and had rhyming words and all that stuff I know M would like.  Yet many focused on a Christmas tree...or a snowman... or a reindeer... or Santa...

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not against Santa or snowmen or any that stuff (in fact, they're all in my house during Christmas) but they don't convey what I want her to know and understand.  No, I don't expect my two-year-old to fully understand the meaning of Christmas, but I do want her to know that it isn't Christmas because of Santa or Rudolph or the Jingle Bells song (she loves this song, by the way).  

So I searched online and ran across this little treasure:

Author:  David Meade;  Illustrator:  Chris Sharp
JOY TO THE WORLD celebrates the birth of Jesus and introduces little ones to his universal message of loving, giving, and caring. This interactive book features a glow light and an instrumental rendition of the carol, which makes it easy for you and your child to sing along. Simply open the cover to hear the joyous sounds and take part in the deeper gifts that Christmas brings.

Board Book with lights and sound chip, 6" x 7", 16 pages – Ages 2 to 6

When I got this book, I knew M would like it.  The words in the book are written in rhythm with the lyrics to "Joy to the World."  They're very kid-friendly and talk about the birth of Jesus, love, family, and thinking of others.  You can either read them or sing them to the tune of the sound chip embedded in the book.  I sing them (with my awful voice) and M loves it.

Just this morning, she wanted me to read/sing it over and over (and over and over).  It's so funny because when she reads it, she starts it off with "Joy to the World," then breaks out with "The babies on the bus go wah, wah, wah!" from the the Wheels on the Bus song.  Where does she get that?  She sees Baby Jesus in the book.  And all babies go wah, wah, wah, right?! :)  Haha!

So, anyway, if you have a toddler and want a fun little way to talk about the meaning of Christmas, consider this little treasure.  We're having a ball with it.

Image and Synopsis:  BN.com