Aveeno Junkie

As I was showering this morning, I noticed something odd. I washed my hair with Aveeno moisturizing shampoo and conditioner, and then washed my body with Aveeno body wash, washed my face with Aveeno face wash, and then I shaved my legs, with Aveeno shave gel. After I got out of the shower and put on my Aveeno face lotion! And when I went to bathe the small ones, yep... Aveeno baby wash. Dude.

Um, when did I become a brand whore? When seriously, I turned 30 and my skin turned sensitive and old apparently, and Aveeno is the only product in the world that doesn't cost a katrillion dollars and is AMAZING. Seriously. So far, I love all of it. Ever since I started using their new shampoo, my hair is stronger, shinier and it's GROWING finally! And my face started breaking out recently, because I don't know... adult acne is kicking in? So I started using the face wash and it is wonderful! I've used the face lotion for 10 years now probably, and just recently switched to the sensitive skin kind because again, weird old face now. I know I'm totally going on a ridiculous rant about a brand, but TRY IT! You'll like it! I promise!

I could be the National spokesperson for Aveeno with the amount of products I've been using from them! I'm counting at least 2 hands and one foot of Aveeno stuff that I have. CRAZY. Ridiculous. Pretty amazing.

Now if they'd only start selling make up...

HRH formerly known as...

Don't call me Audra anymore. Call me HRH. As in Her Royal Highness. Whhhaaat? Something wrong? I think it's awesome. And jeez, a girl can dream! Can't I?

This past week there was a wedding. Not just any wedding, but the wedding. THE Wedding. Of Prince William to Kate Middleton. And now that they are married, she's referred to as HRH. That is pretty frickin awesome. I want it. I'm stealing it. That's my new name and I'm sticking to it. For now.

The wedding was sooo amazing. And quick. My kind of wedding. Little ceremony, LOOOONG party. What blew me away and is still blowing me a way, is that wedding gown. Oh my gosh. That gown. It was perfect. In one fell swoop, Kate has changed the entire wedding industry. And I couldn't be happier. Bringing it back to modern, sleek, traditional. Clean. I love it. And oh my gosh, that dress designer Sara Burton of Alexander McQueen. She just made her mark on the world forever. That woman needs some serious kudos. I don't think anyone expected a dress like that. Oh and the lace, the lace. The long sleeves. And the sweetheart neck. Oh man. Breathtaking. I could go on and on. But here's some pictures, so I can shut up.



Tiny pictures. Sorry. But you get the idea.

So anyway... because I'm all over the place. I'm back on my wedding planning stint. Will and Kate inspired me to get off my butt and do something about it. Gracias Will and Kate. Signed, HRH

Just call me Martha...

I have seriously been a baking fool this month. I think it's because we have been stuck inside since it's rained 22 out of the 27 days of March. BOO! Usually I love the rain, but I swear to God it has rained and rained, and RAINED since we moved in back in October. Talk about a drag. I am so sick of this rain! So baking. Wonderful baking. Sort of a fun task to do since the weather sucks and it's cold. Nothing like trying to proof dough in the cold wet weather. But, alas I will say, I have mastered this yeast nemesis of mine, and made it my B&$%#!

I have always been intimidated by bread and rolls, and pretty much anything that requires yeast. It has never been my friend in the past. Apparently I've found some sort of patience, because really the only thing required for yeast, is that. Patience. Seriously. That's the BIG secret. It's always been a requirement of mine to be able to mix some stuff together, bake it, and eat it. But yeast is a whole different ball game. It requires sitting, and rising, and sitting some more, and the right temperature, and blah blah. AND then after it sits, and rises, you have to usually do something to it, and then let it sit and rise AGAIN! Jeez! So my 20 minute prep, 20 minute bake, 20 second eat, is out the window. It's more like 3 hours. But it has been passing the time for me and I'm in love. I don't think I'll ever buy whole wheat bread again. Because I am a skilled bread maker! AND I made The Pioneer Woman's cinnamon rolls from heaven, so I'll also never have to buy those cinnamon rolls out of the tube again!

Plus the kids love it, and they like to help when my OCD lets them. I'm going to need a heavy duty mixer though, because yesterday the KitchenAid started smoking during the kneading. A key indication that I have baked way too much this month. I guess I'll just knead by hand now. Good muscle toning. I bought a couple more cook books off Amazon to try out my yeast skills. I am salivating waiting for them to show up in the mail!

I am proud of myself. Not to toot my own horn, but I'm getting good at this baking thing! Woot! And I'm getting out of my funk, which is excellent for my health. I feel great!!!

Normal. Somewhat

Things I would really like to be again. Normal! Or, somewhat. Whatever I was BEFORE I got sick and then sick again, and now sick AGAIN! Seriously. I understand buying a home is supposed to be one of the most stressful times in one's life, but hello. Bought the house. Lived here for 4 months. Can we get on with it? Between me and the kids and the husband, one of us has been some kind of sick since January. And right before we bought the house, I was sick enough to warrant a trip to the urgent care clinic. Then there was the New Years fiasco and a trip to the ER. Then the kids got sick. Then we all got lice, then the little ones got sick. Do you get my drift here?

I am on day 7 of being sick again. And it's not like a cold, cough cough sick. It's like a lying on my death bed sick. Like, blood test, pee test and yes, stool test sick. O.M.G. Honestly. I have never in my life been this sick before for so long. Even the nurse at the doctor's office said "You again," upon my arrival there today to pick up my lab paperwork. YES I AM SICK OF YOU TOO LADY! I am sick of giving you $10 dollars every time I come in too! Thank God these women and my doctor are so nice or I'd be a very unhappy person right now.

I really really just want to be normal again. And I want my kids to be normal. And I want it to stop raining. And I WANT TO STOP COMPLAINING!

And I'd also like to be able to swim in our new pool. Thank you and good bye.

Lots and lots and noooo money

Sucks. I think all this DIY watching is making me obsessed with remodeling this house. I know, I know. We've only been here for 4 months but I'm dying over here. Or really, dying to get the nasty smell of smoke that occasionally wafers through the house. And I keep thinking that's the reason that we all keep getting sick. I know it's stupid, and it's probably not the reason but seriously between me and the kids, one of us has been sick since January. I blame the nasty smoke lingering in the walls. I'm trying to really prioritize what needs to be FIXED rather than altered. We just ordered new windows to try to control the outrageous PG&E bill. We need a new pool pump for sure, but that can wait. I'm really hoping the pump blows up so that can be covered under our home warranty. I'm pretty sure I've said that before. So far, the exterior stucco seems to be the biggest issue because it's cracked and water damage is threatening to seriously screw up the house. But holy heck re stuccoing a house is expensive! So far, I'm just trying to get estimates and figure out a budget, etc.

And beside that, we have no money. Seriously. No money. Enough to pay the mortgage, and the bills and that's about it. Oh and food. Food is important. The kids seem to be eating like rabid beasts lately. I can't keep enough fruit in the house. And that stuff isn't cheap!

And we're waiting patiently for our tax return. Great. Let's see how long that takes...

This would do the trick!

I just saw this commercial and seriously... if I had one of THESE I might actually run again. It's called the ProForm Performance 1450 treadmill. It's not just an ordinary treadmill, it has some crazy technical stuff, and this nutso incline cushion thingie! Just click the link and look at it yourself!!! It even has this crazy feature where you can pretend to jog through parks and stuff, like Golden Gate Park and stuff! Seriously!!! How cool would it be to trick your mind into thinking you are running through Central Park, or through some crazy beautiful countryside in Italy. Oh, my, amazing!!! I think my knees would love me again.

Of course that price, is outrageous, but DUDE!

I wonder if anyone would notice if I started going to Sports Authority every day in my workout gear... I should try.

Wasting time...

So we're all sick. AGAIN!!! Understand how annoying it is. As soon as one family member feels better, someone is getting sick. Tabs has an ear infection, pretty sure Avery does too, and Izzy has had a fever for almost 24 hours. And now I'm also feeling blah. Runny nose, head cold. Annoying. Seriously.

So since they are awake, I can't really nap. So I'm surfing the internet for ideas. I don't think I mentioned that I had this hideous wall of faux brick in my kitchen. Long story short, I got a bug up my butt and decided to take it off. It was so ugly! And in my quest to remove the hideous faux brick, I also totally destroyed the sheet rock. Which D had to replace, which his fabulous friend Mike had to re texture, and then paint, and thus I am not allowed to touch things anymore.

So now I have this lovely beautiful white wall. Awesome! Except I have no art for it! Boo! I have some wine items in the kitchen I was hoping to use, but then I found this fabulous website and found:

THIS fabulous picture!!! And there's more, here and here!!! Aren't they so fun?!?! It's still wine art, but with the cutest little modern, fun twist! I love them and they would be so cute on my wall! Of course I'd have to probably get rid of the boring standard wine art I have now, But whatever! I need something more fun to pep up the white walls! The colors are so pretty.

And now there's a kid whining for food... so my quest for wall art stops. For now.