My Front Porch: friends

Thursday, December 14, 2017

Let's talk self care

When someone talks to you about practicing self care, what do you think of?

Taking a walk?

Drawing a bath?

Taking a nap? ( this may or may not be my favorite one 😉)

As good as these all sound, I won't be talking about any of them.

Let's go back in time all the way to March 2017. I was working for a pretty cool company based here in Utah. We were celebrating 10 years of business!! And, in true Cents of Style form, it was a HUGE party. We had food, dancing, photo booth, ice cream and an all around good time!

Before the party started as all the employees were setting up, Jen Springer - the cutest makeup artist-was prepping our fearless leader. I started asking about her about applying false lashes. I was not new to this as I had been applying them to my daughter for the past three years for competition dance. I was asking for me. I had been toying with the idea of wearing them myself, but I felt that I would look like a clown or that I was trying too hard if I did.

She gave me a few tips and I felt that I could do it. Jump ahead a few weeks when, with my company, we hosted a dance party for SNAP Conference. When Jen walked in, I called her to me and showed her my lash applying efforts - which took forever by the way. She was so excited that I managed to put them on. And, they didn't fall off all night!

You may be asking yourselves why you even need to know all this. Well, up until this time, I would rarely wear makeup. I usually only wore it when I went to church and on a date with the hubby. On very rare occasions, I would put it on as I ran errands. I have been trying to think about ways to take better care of myself. Of finding things that make me feel the way my husband feels about me. The easiest (and, let's be honest) cheapest way to do this, was with makeup. My hubby loves when I take a few extra minutes to apply a bit of makeup.

I can now say that ever since March 2017, I have only missed a few days of putting on makeup. It was only when it got so hot at work (warehouse in the summertime), when I was sick, or when my depression would throw me into a tail-spin.

For me, taking care of myself involves wearing makeup and putting on those false lashes when I am wanting to feel a little bit extra.

What are some things you do in your self care routine?

Friday, July 1, 2011

GNOWMVR!!!

{which stands for Girls Night out with Mandi from Vintage Revivals}

Remember when I entered this contest?

I didn't win, but someone who lives by me did!! Her name is Jessica and this is her blog and to see the reveal go here. While Mandi was up, she hosted a girl's night out. I almost didn't go. I am not one to just show up by myself to places where I don't know anyone. If I do go anywhere like this, I take my mom. Cuz, hey, at least I know one person right? I told myself everyday for a week that I was going. And, if I felt uncomfortable at all I could leave at any time-I did drive myself there after all. We were all to bring treats to share. So, I made mini cheesecakes. {recipe to come}

I did come home with a few but that is only because there were so much yummy goodness there. Like

homemade goodie boxes filled with chocolate candy from Natalie.

Or these

Pink Lemonade cupcakes from Amy. It turns out that I have known Amy since we were 15 when we danced on the same team. That right there made me so happy that I went-even by myself. See the cute pin she's wearing? Michelle made them for all the bloggers there-and I got one!!! It's so cute. It's her business card made from pages from a book and her info is on the back.

Here are some more pics of our fun {and long} evening.

Mandi had a drawing for some paint, brushes and this awesome frame. The gal in the middle won-I just didn't get to meet her, so I don't know her name. A few of us ended up talking until past 11pm. It was fun, I'm glad I went. Here's the group shot.